• Title/Summary/Keyword: Urban health

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Metabolic risk and nutritional state according to breakfast energy level of Korean adults: Using the 2007~2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (한국 성인의 아침식사 에너지 수준에 따른 대사적 위험과 영양상태: 2007~2009년 국민건강영양조사 자료 이용)

  • Jang, So-Hyoun;Suh, Yoon Suk;Chung, Young-Jin
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.48 no.1
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    • pp.46-57
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    • 2015
  • Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine an appropriate energy level of breakfast with less risk of chronic disease for Korean adults. Methods: Using data from the 2007~2009 Korean National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey, from a total of 12,238 adults aged 19~64, the final 7,769 subjects were analyzed except subjects who were undergoing treatment for cancer or metabolic disorder. According to the percent of breakfast energy intake versus their estimated energy requirement (EER), the subjects were divided into four groups: < 10% (very low, VL), 10~20% (low, L), 20~30% (moderate, M), ${\geq}30%$ (sufficient, S). All data were analyzed on the metabolic risk and nutritional state after application of weighted value and adjustment of sex, age, residential area, income, education, job or jobless, and energy intake using a general linear model or logistic regression. Results: The subjects of group S were 16.9% of total subjects, group M 39.2%, group L 37.6%, and group VL 6.3%. The VL group included more male subjects, younger-aged (19 to 40 years), urban residents, higher income, higher education, and fewer breakfasts eaters together with family members. Among the 4 groups, the VL group showed the highest waist circumference, while the S group showed the lowest waist circumference, body mass index, and serum total cholesterol. The groups of VL and L with lower intake of breakfast energy showed high percent of energy from protein and fat, and low percent of energy from carbohydrate. With the increase of breakfast energy level, intake of energy, most nutrients and food groups increased, and the percentage of subjects consuming nutrients below EAR decreased. The VL group showed relatively higher intake of snacks, sugar, meat and eggs, oil, and seasonings, and the lowest intake of vegetable. Risk of obesity by waist circumference was highest in the VL group by 1.90 times of the S group and the same trend was shown in obesity by BMI. Risk of dyslipidemia by serum total cholesterol was 1.84 times higher in the VL group compared to the S group. Risk of diabetes by Glu-FBS (fasting blood sugar) was 1.57 times higher in the VL group compared to the S group. Conclusion: The results indicate that higher breakfast energy level is positively related to lower metabolic risk and more desirable nutritional state in Korean adults. Therefore, breakfast energy intake more than 30% of their own EER would be highly recommended for Korean adults.

A Survey on the Hearing Disturbance of High School Students in Korea (한국고교생(韓國高校生)에 대(對)한 난청실태조사(難聽實態調査))

  • Rhee, Kyu-Shik;Kim, Doo-Hie
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.115-123
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    • 1972
  • As a link of chain study program of school health, a survey was made up by the screening test with audiometry for hearing disturbance on 18,675 high school students who are mainly aged in 15-19 years from November 5.1969 to October 30. 1970. The results obtained were summerized as follows. According to our criteria as table 3, the rates of the profound, the severe and the moderate who required the appropriate hearing aids were 0.02%, 0.03% and 0.14% respectively:-the cumulative percentage was 0.197. When the marginal, 0.23% should be included the cumulative rate was 0.41%. But there was no-significance by sex and school classes. If we will make the special classes for them one class would be estimated out of 10,000 persons when a class is formed with about 15 persons. Otherwise when we examined that according to each ear of persons, the rates of the profound, the severe and the moderate were 0.17%, 0.22% and 0.33% respectively and their cumulative percentage wag 0.72. There was no significance also by sex and age. By the way, the rate of hearing disturbance in urban high school students tended to lower than rural. And the perceptive disturbance was higher than rural in rate. The conductive disturbance tended to oppose in comparison with the above.

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The Location of Medical Facilities and Its Inhabitants' Efficient Utilization in Kwangju City (광주시(光州市) 의료시설(醫療施設)의 입지(立地)와 주민(住民)의 효율적(效率的) 이용(利用))

  • Jeon, Kyung-Sook
    • Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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    • v.3 no.2
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    • pp.163-193
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    • 1997
  • Medical services are a fundamental and essential service in all urban areas. The location and accessibility of medical service facilities and institutions are critical to the diagnosis, control and prevention of illness and disease. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study on the location of medical facilities in Kwangju and the utilization of these facilities by the inhabitants. The following information is a summary of the findings: (1) Korea, like many countries, is now witnessing an increase in the age of its population as a result of higher living standards and better medical services. Korea is also experiencing a rapid increase in health care costs. To ensure easy access to medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment by individuals, the hierarchical efficient location of medical facilities, low medical costs, equalized medical services, preventive medical care is important. (2) In Korea, the quality of medical services has improved significantly as evident by the increased number of medical facilities and medical personnel. However, there is still a need for not only quantitative improvements but also for a more equitable distribution of and location of medical services. (3) There are 503 medical facilities in Kwangju each with a need to service 2,556 people. This is below the national average of 1,498 inhabitants per facility. The higher locational quotient and satisfactory population per medical facility showed at the civic center. On the other hand, problem regions such as the traditional residential area in Buk-Gu, Moo-deung mountain area and the outer areas of west Kwangju still maintain rural characteristics. (4) In the study area there are 86 general medicine clinics which provide basic medical services. i. e. one clinic per every 14,949 residents. As a basic service, its higher locational quotient showed in the residential area. The lower population concentration per clinic was found in the civic center and in the former town center, Songjeong-dong. In recently build residential areas and in the civic center, the lack of general medicine clinics is not a serious medical services issue because of the surplus of medical specialists in Korea. People are inclined to seek a consultation with a specialist in specific fields rather than consult a general practitioner. As a result of this phenomenon, there are 81 internal medicine facilities. Of these, 32.1% provide services to people who are not referred by a primary care physician but who self-diagnose then choose a medical facility specializing in what they believe to be their health problem. Areas in the city, called dongs, without any internal facilities make up 50% of the total 101 dongs. (5) There are 78 surgical facilities within the area, and there is little difference at the locational appearance from internal medicine facilities. There are also 71 pediatric health clinics for people under 15 years of age in this area, represents one clinic per 5,063 people. On the quantitative aspect, this is a positive situation. Accessibility is the most important facility choice factor, so it should be evenly located in proportion to demander distribution. However, 61% of 102 dongs have no pediatric clinics because of the uneven location. (6) There are 43 obstetrical and gynecological clinics in Kwangju, and the number of residents being served per clinic is 15,063. These services need to be given regularly so it should increase the numbers. There are 37 ENT clinics in the study area with the lower concentration in Dong-gu (32.4%) making no locational differences by dong. There are 23 dermatology clinics with the largest concentration in Dong-Gu. There are 17 ophthalmic clinics concentrated in the residential area because of the primary function of this type of specialization. (7) The use of general medicine clinics, internal medicine clinics, pediatric clinics, ENT clinics by the inhabitants indicate a trend toward primary or routine medical services. Obstetrics and gynecology clinics are used on a regular basis. In choosing a general medicine clinic, internal medicine clinic, pediatric clinic, and a ENT clinic, accessibility is the key factor while choice of a general hospital, surgery clinic, or an obstetrics and gynecology clinic, thes faith and trust in the medical practitioner is the priority consideration. (8) I considered the efficient use of medical facilities in the aspect of locational and management and suggest the following: First, primary care facilities should be evenly distributed in every area. In Kwangju, the number of medical facilities is the lowest among the six largest cities in Korea. Moreover, they are concentrated in Dong-gu and in newly developed areas. The desired number of medical facilities should be within 30 minutes of each person's home. For regional development there is a need to develop a plan to balance, for example, taxes and funds supporting personnel, equipment and facilities. Secondly, medical services should be co-ordinated to ensure consistent, appropriate, quality services. Primary medical facilities should take charge of out-patient activities, and every effort should be made to standardize and equalize equipment and facility resources and to ensure ongoing development and training in the primary services field. A few specialty medical facilities and general hospitals should establish a priority service for incurable and terminally ill patients. (9) The management scheme for the inhabitants' efficient use of medical service is as follows: The first task is to efficiently manage medical facilities and related services. Higher quality of medical services can be accomplished within the rapidly changing medical environment. A network of social, administrative and medical organizations within an area should be established to promote information gathering and sharing strategies to better assist the community. Statistics and trends on the rate or occurrence of diseases, births, deaths, medical and environment conditions of the poor or estranged people should be maintained and monitored. The second task is to increase resources in the area of disease prevention and health promotion. Currently the focus is on the treatment and care of individuals with illness or disease. A strong emphasis should also be placed on promoting prevention of illness and injury within the community through not only public health offices but also via medical service facilities. Home medical care should be established and medical testing centers should be located as an ordinary service level. Also, reduced medical costs for the physically handicapped, cardiac patients, and mentally ill or handicapped patients should be considered.

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Multicenter clinical study of childhood periodic syndromes that are common precursors to migraine using new criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II) (편두통의 전 단계인 소아기주기성증후군의 다기관 임상 연구: 국제두통질환분류 제2판 제1차 수정판 적용)

  • Park, Jae Yong;Nam, Sang-Ook;Eun, So-Hee;You, Su Jeong;Kang, Hoon-Chul;Eun, Baik-Lin;Chung, Hee Jung
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.52 no.5
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    • pp.557-566
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    • 2009
  • Purpose : To evaluate the clinical features and characteristics of childhood periodic syndromes (CPS) in Korea using the new criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-II. Methods : The study was conducted at pediatric neurology clinics of five urban tertiary-care medical centers in Korea from January 2006 to December 2007. Patients (44 consecutive children and adolescents) were divided into three groups (cyclic vomiting syndrome [CVS], abdominal migraine [AM], and benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood [BPVC]) by recurrent paroxysmal episodes of vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, and/or vertigo using the ICHD-II criteria and their characteristics were compared. Results : Totally, 16 boys (36.4%) and 28 girls (63.6%) were examined (aged 4-18 yr), with 20 CVS (45.5%), 8 AM (18.2%), and 16 BPVC (36.4%) patients. The mean age at symptom onset was $6.3{\pm}3.6$ yr, $8.5{\pm}2.7$ yr, and $8.5{\pm}2.9$ yr in the CVS, AM, and BPVC groups, respectively, showing that symptoms appeared earliest in the CVS group. The mean age at diagnosis was $8.0{\pm}3.4$ yr, $10.5{\pm}2.6$ yr, and $10.1{\pm}3.2$ yr the CVS, AM, and BPVC groups, respectively. Of the 44 patients, 17 (38.6%) had a history of recurrent headaches and 11 (25.0%) showed typical symptoms of migraine headache, with 5 CVS (25.0%), 2 AM (25.0%), and 4 BPVC (25.0%) patients. Family history of migraine was found in 9 patients (20.4%): 4 in the CVS group (20.0%), 2 in the AM group (25.0%), and 3 in the BPVC group (18.8%). Conclusion : The significant time lag between the age at symptom onset and final diagnosis possibly indicates poor knowledge of CPS among pediatric practitioners, especially in Korea. A high index of suspicion may be the first step toward caring for these patients. Furthermore, a population-based longitudinal study is necessary to determine the incidence and natural course of these syndromes.

A Comparative Analysis of Teukyakmeip and Consignment (특약매입과 콘사인먼트 비교분석)

  • Kim, Dong-Ho;Kim, Sung-Soo;Jung, Myung-Hee;Youn, Myoung-Kil
    • Journal of Distribution Science
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    • v.12 no.4
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    • pp.5-9
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    • 2014
  • Purpose - The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast the applicability and effectiveness of both teukyakmeip contracts of Korea and consignment contracts of the United State to demonstrate the effectiveness and practicability of teukyakmeip in Korea. These are popular contract agreements between large retailers and their suppliers and vendors. In recent years, teukyakmeip was critically examined and scrutinized by the politicians, the media, and the public of Korea. Consequently, this paper focusesheavily on identifying and analyzing different types of contract agreements between large retailers and their suppliers that currently exist in Korea and compares and contrasts those analyzed contract agreements with teukyakmeip. The article also comparesand contrasts teukyakmeip with the consignment agreements of the United States to identify similarities and differences. Research design, data, and methodology - This study is a descriptive study and has used personal interviews to collect and analyze the data. This study also fits the definition of the case study wherein it is entirely focused on investigating a real-life event: analyzing and examining contract agreements in the distribution industry. Both randomly selected management and vendor representatives from the three major department stores, Lotte, Hyundai, and Shinsegae, in Korea were interviewed between July and September 2013. The analysis of the consignment agreement was conducted based on existing secondary data. Results - Although the evidence of the abuse of teukyakmeip and consignment by large retailers from both countries clearly exists, the findings suggestthat both contract agreements would remain as the most relevant and effective legal contracts between large retailers and their suppliers. Based on the comparisonanalysis of teukyakmeip and consignment, both contracts indicated that suppliers are fully responsible for inventory and inventory management. If sales person is necessary for promoting special product, then suppliers are responsible for providing a sales person and their wages under both contracts. However, American department stores, those located outside urban area, tend to use their own employees to perform special product and sales promotion. The retailersare fully responsible for any interior or floor design or redesign of the retail store to accommodate the products from vendors under consignment; however, both suppliers and retailers share the cost of designing and redesigning the interior to accommodate vendors'products under teukyakmeip. Suppliers are responsible for pricing and supplying the quantity of the products under both agreements. Both contracts allow special sales commission as long as vendors agreed. Vendors use this special commissionto introduce their new products or apply market penetration strategy. Conclusions -The findings of this study showed the changing pattern of contract agreements between large retailers and their suppliers from both countries. Furthermore, this study evidently generated policy implications of teukyakmeip which recently became the major social issue in Korea and attracted many policymakers to gain political points by criticizing the teukyakmeip system and the large retailers. The findings of the study would be valuable to policy makers in making appropriate decisions and to large retailers and vendors in making beneficial agreements. The major implication of this study is that teukyakmeip and consignment agreements include very similar or almost identical characteristics, and they are popular among department stores and suppliers. The issue of abolishing teukyakmeip in Korea needs to be examined cautiously because teukyakmeip is the best one available at the moment, and the study suggests that no one benefits from abolishing this system.

A Study on Mother's Feeding Practice in a Urban Apartment Area (일부도시(一部都市) 아파트지역(地域) 어머니의 수유(授乳)에 관(關)한 조사연구(調査硏究))

  • Lee, Sung-Shoe
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.15 no.1
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    • pp.167-177
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    • 1982
  • This study was undertaken to observe relationships between patterns of feeding, supplementary-feeding and various maternal, family, and socioeconomic charactereistics in Hae Cheog Apartment area in Cheongdam-dong, Kangnamku, Seoul on July 2 to 12 in 1982. The results were based on a questionnaire from 179 mothers who have the last-born child under two years old. Results were as follows: 1) In socio-demographic characteristics, most of mothers were 25 to 30 years old and 52.0% of index children were under 6 months old. About 56.0% of families were the salaries and 47.0% of them earn over 500,000 won a month. 40.8% of mothers were college graduates and 81.6% of mothers had no occupation. 2) 89.4% of mothers received prenatal care in pregnancy of the index children and mothers who have delivered the child in medical institute were 88.3%. Mothers who recieved education of breast care and feeding technique through prenatal care were 22.4%, 31.8% respectively. 3) In the feeding method, 44.1% of mothers took the breast feeding, 24.0% of them chose the artificial feeding, and 20.7% of them chose the mixed feeding. Mothers who changed the-method from breast feeding to artificial feeding were 10.6% and only 0.6% of mothers changed from artificial feeding to breast feeding. 4) According to the questionnaire, 37 mothers have already finished lactation (no relation with. the beginning of weaning food). In breast feeding, one mother has lactated for $4{\sim}6$ months, one has lactated for $7{\sim}9$ months, four have lactated for $10{\sim}12$ months, and seven have. continued the lactation over 12 months. In artificial and mixed feeding, as the same phenomenon, most of mothers have lactated for more than 12 months. 5) The reasons for feeding method were as follows: In breast feeding, 64.6% of them took the method because they thought the breast milk nutrious, in artificial feeding, 34.9% of them chose it because they had occupation and in the mixed feeding, 67.6% of mothers took the method because of lack of their breast milk. In the case of changing the method from breast feeding to artificial feeding, 42.1% of them answered that they had to change the method because of lack of breast milk. 6) In most of cases, the 4th month was the proper period to begin the weaning food and 32.5% of breast feeding children and 27.6% of artificial feeding children began the weaning food in 4th month. After 4th month, there was no difference between breast feeding and artificial feeding in the beginning of weaning food. 7) In the matter of menstruation, 29.8% of mothers who had breast feeding started their menstruations in 3 months and the rest of them delayed until 12 months. 40% of mothers who had artificial feeding began to menstruate after 2 months and all the rest started within 5 months. 8) The birth interval between the index child and next new child (would-be-born): In breast feeding, the interval of $18{\sim}24$ months had a majority as 50.0%, and in the artificial feeding, the interval of over 24 months marked 66.7% of them. It was analyzed that the birth interval of artificial feeding was wider than that of breast feeding. 9) In the desirable number of children, the mothers who had breast feeding wanted two sons and two daughters as proper children. Those who want two children in disregard of the sex (son or daughter) were 89.3% of breast feeding, and 80.0% of artificial feeding respectively. Mothers who had breast feeding wanted two children rather than one child. 10) In the family planning practice, the rate of practice were 41.9% in breast feeding, and 58.1% in artificial feeding respectively. In the case of breast feeding, the using rate of family planning practice in men was higher than in women.

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The Related Factors of Safety Behaviors and Accident in Elementary School Children (초등학생의 안전행동 및 사고 관련 요인)

  • Kim, Kyung-Sook;Lee, Moo-Sik;Hong, Jee-Young;Hwang, Hye-Jeong;Bae, Seok-Hwan
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.288-293
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    • 2011
  • This study was conducted to investigate the elementary school students' consciousness of safety, activities to prevent their accidents and factors causing such accidents. For this aim, a research was conducted from Nov. 19 through Dec. 22, 2007 by means of questionnaires distributed to 800 students enrolled in the 5th and 6th grades of 4 elementary schools in a urban-rural combined city. Out of the questionnaires distributed, 785 were collected and put to analysis by using SPSS 13.0 program to determine t-test, ANOVA, logistic regression, etc. 1. The maximum scores of safety consciousness revealing relatively high level of safety consciousness. There was, however, statistically significant difference by grade, type of residence, school life and academic achievements. In detail, 5th graders featured higher level of safety consciousness and those who live in apartments, lead a pleasant life at school and get better academic scores tended to keep higher level of safety consciousness. 2. The subjects of the high scored of activities to prevent accidents, with a statistically significant difference by gender, grade and individual personality. Females, 5th graders and active students were found to be more conscious of preventive activities for accidents. 3. In general, 6th graders and active students turned out to have experienced more accidents. 4. The main factors exerting influence on occurrence of accidents on the part of elementary school students are known to be preventive actions and consciousness of traffic safety in the category of safety consciousness. The significant variable in preventive actions was preventive actions of traffic accidents, burns and intoxication by category of accidents, but individual personality by category of general characters. Sixth graders and male students experienced more accidents, without significantly significant difference, though. As a result, From the above findings, prevention of safety accidents is found to be very important for elementary school students. It is therefore suggested that schools as well as homes should continue to conduct practical education to prevent accidents with priority placed on familiarizing students with preventive activities in daily life in consideration of their personal characters.

A Study on the Applicability of Social Security Platform to Smart City (사회보장플랫폼과 스마트시티에의 적용가능성에 관한 연구)

  • Jang, Bong-Seok
    • Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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    • v.11 no.11
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    • pp.321-335
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    • 2020
  • Given that with the development of the 4th industry, interest and desire for smart cities are gradually increasing and related technologies are developed as a way to strengthen urban competitiveness by utilizing big data, information and communication technology, IoT, M2M, and AI, the purpose of this study is to find out how to achieve this goal on the premise of the idea of smart well fair city. In other words, the purpose is to devise a smart well-fair city in the care area, such as health care, medical care, and welfare, and see if it is feasible. With this recognition, the paper aimed to review the concept and scope of smart city, the discussions that have been made so far and the issues or limitations on its connection to social security and social welfare, and based on it, come up with the concept of welfare city. As a method of realizing the smart welfare city, the paper reviewed characteristics and features of a social security platform as well as the applicability of smart city, especially care services. Furthermore, the paper developed discussions on the standardization of the city in terms of political and institutional improvements, utilization of personal information and public data as well as ways of institutional improvement centering on social security information system. This paper highlights the importance of implementing the digitally based community care and smart welfare city that our society is seeking to achieve. With regard to the social security platform based on behavioral design and the 7 principles(6W1H method), the present paper has the limitation of dealing only with smart cities in the fields of healthcare, medicine, and welfare. Therefore, further studies are needed to investigate the effects of smart cities in other fields and to consider the application and utilization of technologies in various aspects and the corresponding impact on our society. It is expected that this paper will suggest the future course and vision not only for smart cities but also for the social security and welfare system and thereby make some contribution to improving the quality of people's lives through the requisite adjustments made in each relevant field.

Rationalizing Strategies for Children's Activity Spaces and Facilities (어린이 활동공간 및 놀이시설 제도 합리화 방안)

  • Park, Mi-Ok;Koo, Bon-Hak
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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    • v.40 no.4
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    • pp.36-50
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    • 2012
  • This study was carried out to find contradiction factors on laws for children's activity spaces and facilities and to suggest the rational options to control and manage those spaces and facilities by environmental and landscape planning methods. The results of this study are as follows: 1. The major laws related to the environmental safety for children's activity spaces are "Environmental Health Act (ERA)" for managing the environmental safety of children's activity spaces; "Safety Supervision Law of Children's Play Facilities(SSLCPF)" for the inspection and management for safety of children's play facilities; "Quality Management and Industrial Products Safety Management Law(QMIPSML)" for managing safety certification on children's play equipments. 2. The interior space such as "living room" by the Children's Welfare Law(CWL), "Children Park" by the Act on Urban Parks and Green Spaces(AUPGS), "classroom" on private educational institutes by the Act on Establishment and Operation Private Lesson and Training(AEOPLT) and "nursing room" of child care center smaller than $430m^2$ are needed to be managed as an activity space. 3. In order to reduce industrial burden in the production, establishment, construction, and operation and to minimize unwilling extra burden in the administration effort due to legally double regulate, it is necessary to mitigate the inspections on the equipment certificate from QMIPSML and overlapped or different factors and standards must be unified. With this study, the landscape domain could he enlarged from producing, import of play equipment and establishment, construction and operation of play facilities for a comprehensive range of activity spaces, and the landscape industry such as engineering industry, academic research, management, etc.

Spatial problems of Korea -A delphi survey- (國土管理의 方向定立을 위한 國土診斷 -專門家 集團의 問題意識을 中心으로-)

  • Kim, Inn;Yu, Woo-Ik;Huh, Woo-Kung;Park, Young-Han;Park, Sam-Ock;Yu, Keun-bae;Choi, Byung-Seon
    • Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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    • v.29 no.1
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    • pp.16-38
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    • 1994
  • The spatial structure of Korea has been changed drastically during the second half of this century. The events such as the Korean War and the resultant division of the Korean Peninsular into two Koreas, rapid industrialization and urbanization are the major causes among others for the spatial changes of the nation. The changes in turn have spawned a number of spatial problems. It is time, we argue, to diagnose how much the nation is now ill-structured, and to discuss of which directions the long-term spatial management be reoriented. A delphi survey was conducted during the early 1993 to fulfill such research needs. Questionnaires were distributed among geographers, planners, and high governmental officials throughout the nation. These 'experts of spatial problems' were requested to evaluate the past spatial policies and strategies, and to identify spatial and environmental problems at the national, regional and local levels. The survey included questions with regard to the spatial problems in North Korea too. A complementary literature survey in the fields of spatial sciences was accomplished as well in order to identify the major research interests and issues with regard to the nations's spatial structure. The delphi survey results indicatee that the present spatial structure: in relation to consumption, housing and economic activities is satisfactory in overall, while rather poor in terms of education, leisure and community activities. Most of the experts consider infrastructural improvements are urgent in the areas of roads, waste disposal facilitles, railroads, harbors, water supply and drainage systems. The over-concentration of economic, social and political function in the Seoul Metropolitan Region is perceived to be the most serious spatial problem in Korea. The long-term solutions suggested are strategies toward a more balanced regional development as well as toward a cleaner environment. The concensus among the experts for the short-term solution is the redistribution of population and industries from the Seoul Metropolitan Region to the intermediate and small cities. The land use policies and concurrent large-scale infrastructural projects are evaluated largely pertinent and desirable in general. It is, however, suggested that development projects be conducted in a more harmonious way with environment. The survey respondents suggest that the present environmental management policies should be reexamined critically. With regard to regional and local problems, transportation and pollutions are thought to be most serious in the Seoul Metropolitan Region, while employment opportunities, and information, education and health care services are most deprived in small cities and rural areas. The majority of the experts consider a city size of 250, 000-500, 000 population is desirable to live within. Respondents beileve that North Korea's physical environment is still not aggravated much whereas its infrastructural provisions are largely pool. The co-authors of this research figure a "environmentaly sound and spatially balanced Korean Penninsular" as the ideal type of spatial structure in Korea. The basic guidelines toward this ideal prototype are suggested: the recovery of spetial integrity, progressive restructuring of the nation, land uses geared to public welfare rather than private interests, and eco-humanistic approach in spatial policies.

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