• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2023.05a
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• pp.177-177
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• 2023

The impacts of dams on transboundary flow are complex and challenging to project and manage, given the potential moderating influence of a broad range of anthropogenic and natural factors. This study presents a global meta-analysis of 168 studies that examines the effect magnitude of dams on downstream seasonal, annual flow, and hydrological extremes risk on 39 hotspot transboundary river basins. The study also evaluates the impact of 13 factors, such as climate, basin characteristics, dams' design and types, level of transboundary cooperation, and socioeconomic indicators, on the heterogeneity of outcomes. The findings reveal that moderators significantly influence the impact of dams on downstream flow, leading to considerable heterogeneity in outcomes. Transboundary cooperation emerges as the key factor that determines the severity of dams' effect on both dry and wet season's flows at a significance level of 0.01 to 0.05, respectively. Specifically, the presence of water-supply and irrigation dams has a significant (0.01) moderating effect on dry-season flow across basins with high transboundary cooperation. In contrast, for wet-season flow, the basin's vulnerability to climate extremes is associated with a large negative effect size. The various moderators have varying degrees of influence on the heterogeneity of outcomes, with the aridity index, population density, GDP, and risk level of hydro-political tension being the most significant factors for dry-season flow, and the risk level of hydro-political tension and basin vulnerability to climate extremes being the most significant for wet-season flow. The results suggest that transboundary cooperation is crucial for managing the impacts of dams on downstream flow, and that various other factors, such as climate, basin characteristics, and socioeconomic indicators, have significant moderating effects on the outcomes. Thus, context-specific approaches are necessary when predicting and managing the impacts of dams on transboundary flow.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.71-103
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• 2009

This study is designed to propose the ways of the multilateral cooperation system for effective management of fisheries resources in the various overlapping zones established by bilateral fisheries agreements between Korea, China and Japan in North East Asia as semi-enclosed sea. It is necessary to build multilateral fisheries cooperation between Korea, China and Japan in North East Asia because conservation & management of transboundary fish stocks could not be guaranted effectively by the management of fisheries resources in the area where piled up the current-fishing-pattern zone, as white zone and the various grey zone as middle zone, and the interim measures zone of bilateral fisheries agreements between Korea, China and Japan are piled up. Fisheries management in Korea, China and Japan by the bilateral fisheries agreements in North East Asia is faced with difficulties manage fisheries resources. International relationship on fisheries is maintained by bilateral fisheries agreements based on UNCLOS. However fisheries resources are over-exploited and the recovery of the fisheries resources is very slow because proper conservation and management of transboundary fish stocks which article 63(1) of UNCLOS defines have not prepared yet. Thus close cooperation among the coastal States for a proper conservation and management of transboundary fish stocks is necessary. Since the transboundary fish migrate within the EEZs of two or more coastal States, there is a need to manage the fish stocks in the region between Korea, China and Japan through a multi-lateral mechanism at ccircumference area of the current-fishing-pattern zone as white zone. Coastal States must guarantee sustainable maintenance of transboundary fish stocks through the regional cooperation for a proper conservation & management because one coastal State alone could not guarantee conservation and management of fish stocks. Thus there is a need to build multilateral fisheries cooperation between Korea, China and Japan in North East Asia. There are many successful instances including the Barents' sea for a proper conservation & management of transboundary fish stocks. The Barents' sea is one of the best research object to study the regional cooperation for a conservation & management of transboundary fish stocks in North East Asia. In conclusion, it is necessary to build a multilateral fisheries cooperation system between Korea, China and Japan in North East Asia to conserve and manage transboundary fish stocks effectively. It seems desirable that the range of the area to conserve and manage fish stocks should may be any partial area in the current-fishing-pattern zone and interim measures zone between Korea and China, Jeju middle zone between Korea and Japan, interim measures zone of bilateral fisheries agreements between China and Japan.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.230-230
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• 2015

When and why do states cooperate in international basins? In recent years, there have been increasing attempts to apply international relations theories such as realism and neo-liberal institutionalism in understanding prospect of cooperation among sovereign states over shared rivers. Realists of hydropolitics argue that fate of cooperation resides in hands of hegemons and distribution of aggregate power among riparian states. Such pessimistic contention has been challenged by neo-liberal institutionalists, especially through regime theory. However, regime theory barely explains why and how cooperation emerges in the first place prior to regime formation. Therefore, the research suggests the game theory from neo-liberal institutionalism as an alternative theoretic approach. The accountability of Oye (1986)'s theoretical framework is illustrated through the case of cooperation in the Rhine River Basin.

• Analyses & Alternatives
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.163-194
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• 2022

A transboundary environmental problem refers to an environmental problem that goes beyond a country's territory and damages neighboring countries. It is a difficult problem because, basically, it is a natural, rather than intentional, effect, and it is extremely hard to make a scientific consensus on the cause-effect relations between upstream and downstream nations. Air pollution, especially PM 2.5 and PM 10, is one of the typical cases of transboundary environmental problems in the Northeast Asia. This paper analyzes the constraints of environmental cooperation between China and South Korea to address transboundary air pollution issue. It argues that lack of trust and ideological hostility, rather than, scientific uncertainty, is the biggest obstacle for effective cooperation, and these hostile discourses and ideas are mostly generated by media in the downstream nation, the South Korea. In order to identify how South Korean media frames this issue, this paper searched newspaper articles in the six representative South Korean newspapers during the period of 2014 and 2020, and analyzed about 2,000 articles selected. It finds that South Korean media has framed the transboundary air pollution as a China bashing and related domestic political cleavage issue, while it neglects to show the cooperation attempts that the two countries have made to date. Also, while the media focuses on China hate frame, it has never reported the Chinese government's domestic policies to reduce air pollution and their results. Media's overuse of hate and blame frames not only has disrupted trust building but also it will delay a possible turning point of environmental cooperation between the two countries in the future.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.165-185
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• 2007

Exploitation of transboundary oil and gas on continental shelves may cause conflicts between or among States concerned due to the physical character of these resources. As oil and gas are fluid, exploitation of such a transboundary oil field by one side may affect other parties in other jurisdictions. However, there is no universal international legal regime on the issue. This article tries to find the international legal regime governing such resources through analysing UN Assembly's resolutions, UNCLOS, international judicial opinions, bilateral agreements and ILC activities relating to transboundary natural resources. As a result of this study, it seems that each coastal State has an inherent sovereign right on its part of the transboundary oil and gas deposit, but this right is not unlimited. Each state involved with the deposit has a duty to cooperate with other states-through information exchange, consultation, and negotiation. Furthermore, the state has an obligation to refrain from unilateral action when there is a possibility of causing irrevocable damage to the interests of the other states.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.234-234
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• 2023

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.223-223
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• 2015

This research evaluates cooperation in transboundary rivers with special reference to the Great Mekong Subregion (GMS) program in the Mekong River Basin. The benefit sharing approach has been deployed as a theoretical framework to analyze the extent to which the riparian states have achieved cooperation. The river basin governance led by the Mekong River Commission since 1995 has not adequately performed due to non-participation of upstream countries and the lack of law enforcement mechanism. Since the late 1980s, China has undertaken hydropower development unilaterally, thereby triggering discomfort from the Lower Mekong countries. The GMS program has led China to strengthening economic ties with the downstream countries through hydropower development as investors and developers. The program has also supported the establishment of economic corridors, and removal of physical barriers and has paved the way for cooperation in other sectors, such as the environment, agriculture, tourism and energy. There are challenges for further cooperation, including the development gaps between China and the downstream countries, political tensions and environment impacts of hydropower dams in the river basin. The Mekong River Basin shows the possibility of cooperation through benefit sharing. Sharing benefits accrued from the river and beyond the river between China and the downstream countries have enhanced economic ties, thereby consolidating cooperation each another.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.155-160
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• 2022

The debate of South-North transboundary rivers must be expanded from the existing cooperation in water resources towards cooperation within ecosystem conservation. Regarding the Han and Imjin rivers confluence water system, the nature of the estuarine ecosystem must be conserved considering the aspect of climate change. Furthermore, the agenda of maintaining continuous inter-Korean communication and cooperation should focus on ecosystem conservation, including conserving migratory species that inhabit both Koreas. Notably, within the Han and Imjin rivers confluence, transboundary rivers are abundant legally protected species such as Grus vipio, Anser fabalis, Anser cygnoides, Platalea minor, Lutra lutra, Prionailurus bengalensis which suggests a strong need for a debate regarding habitat conservation. This study analyzed the ecosystem conditions and environmental aspects within the confluence of Han and Imjin rivers. In addition, this study provided step wise approach of ecosystem conservation that consider conditions for potential direct inter-Korean cooperation. The inter-Korean cooperation mentioned in this study will be developed into legitimate cooperation once the results from monitoring the ecosystem of transboundary rivers, awareness raising are exchanged.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2005.09b
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• pp.1002-1003
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• 2005

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-29
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• 2004

As a result of very limited access due to the military confrontation between South and North Koreas for the last five decades, ecosystems in the transboundary coastal area in the western part of Korean Peninsula have been protected from intensive developments in both Koreas. In the core of the recent two military collisions lies the fishery resources represented as blue crabs as well as the politico-military aspect. Increasing development pressures from both sides as reflected in the South Korea supporting the construction of an industrial complex in Kaesung, North Korea, is the main factor which threatens the sustainable resource base in this region. This research is aimed to develop a cooperative management system for the well-preserved transboundary coastal area between South Korea and North Korea. The Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework of OECD was used to assess environmental conditions, socioeconomic pressures on the environment of the region, and policy responses of both Koreas to those pressures. Protection of ecosystems, peace settlement, and prosperity of the region and the entire peninsula were proposed as the management goals of the cooperative management system. The designation of the area as a Co-managed Marine Protected Area System (COMPAS) through close cooperation among South Korea, North Korea, and international entities was suggested as a way to achieve those goals. Revision of legal and institutional mechanisms, strengthening knowledge base for optimal COMPAS management, integration of the marine protected area and DMZ (demilitarized zone) ecosystem, enhancing stakeholder participation, building international partnership, and securing financial resources were presented as six management strategies.