• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.133-148
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• 2006

This study takes an effort to suggest solutions for medical service consumers' sovereignty. Specifically, consumer evaluation, information seeking level, and affecting factors on information seeking level were explored in terms of medical service. In present study, medical information included medical institution and doctors, prescription, diseases, medical treatment and medical expense. Medical service consumers' information seeking is identified as consumers' own efforts to acquire medical information through various sources. The analysis results suggested that consumers' information seeking level is even lower, while their evaluation level is somewhat low. Moreover, the result for information seeking level by consumer characteristics implied that people who have high education, high economic status, medical knowledge, and high attitudes for consumer right are active information seekers. Finally, consumer attitudes for right appeared most influential factor on information seeking level, implying direction for medical service consumer education.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.143-159
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• 2002

Consumer Education Policy for -Focusing on developing Social support System- The purpose of this research is to understand the change of future consuming environment and the characteristics of future potential consumer: the net generations. With those research results, we deduced our goal, content and method of consumer education for these net generations. Finally, I suggested a scheme of the social construction by demand of our future society. Literature review and depth interview are used for this research. The main factors of the change of our future consuming environment are Digitalization, globalization, improvement of consumer sovereignty, Sustainable consumption culture, the increasing pursuit of safe life. It is necessary to educate our future consumer, net generations, the information searching skills in order to be able to obtain right information. We also need to educate them how to practice the safe life and Sustainable consumption and how to get consumers sovereignty. The method of the education requires interchangeable communication. We need social networking system for the support of consumer education, in order to build this social system. We need an administrative support from the government and financial support from corporations. We have suggested that it is very desirable to share all the information developed among Academic field, Consumer related organizations and schools by this network be build.

• Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.10-14
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• 2002

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.279-292
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• 2008

The concept of "new consumer sovereignty" is playing a significant role in having the initiative of production and consumption of technology and culture trend. Today the 'new consumers' positively use digital and information technology in purchasing. To understand these consumers' new purchase tendency, the study examined the actual conditions 1) of consumers' use of digital and information technology, 2) of digital devide between consumers, and 3) the consumer's attitude to changes of their lifestyle which digital convergence could result in. The subjects were thousand male and female adults. The data were collected from a survey conducted by Embrain, a research firm in Seoul, in the period of June 1st, 2007 ${\sim}$ June 10th, 2007. The results show: 1. Most subjects have computers, their Internet use is their general life, and they have lots of exposure opportunities to digital information. They positively and actively use information technology. 2. Between male and female subjects, and between old and young generation there is a significant digital gap. But the gap between regional areas is statistically not significant. 3. The subject's attitude to digital convergence society shows both positive expectation and negative concerns. Concludingly, to embody a desirable digital convergence society, it is necessary to be searched the ways which can decrease the digital gap and policy to share benefit that information technology can give to consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.42 no.8
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• pp.15-32
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to develop an environmental education program for environmentally friendly consumer behaviors by analyzing factors influencing the attitude-behavior relationship, and examining consumer information needs about environmental problems. Environmental information demanded by consumers could be classified into five main areas; 'use and disposal of environmentally friendly resources', 'purchase of environmentally friendly goods', 'environmental problems and consumer sovereignty', 'environmental laws and regulations' and 'environmental values and consumer's civil consciousness'. Based on the study results, an environmental education program for consumers was developed which consisted of two main parts, basis and practice. The former aimed to strengthen consumer consciousness about environmental problems and the latter, to make regular environmentally friendly consumer behaviors. The two parts were correlated. Thus strengthening environment-related consumer consciousness by learning the part of basis could promote of environmentally friendly consumer behaviors.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.101-114
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• 2002

This study analyzes the contract terms to explore whether the content has any improper and/or unfair clause, reviews the consumer-related laws, and examines the activities of the regulatory systems in the telecommunication service markets. The major resets of the stud\ulcorner are: first, the level of regulation to contract terms is inconsistent across the services areas and needs to be coordinated; second, the standard contract terms need to be developed; third, the policy implications with respect to regulatory policy making and public education are developed; and lastly establishment of consumer advisory board to advise the commission on consumer issues and the consumer information and education center is suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.67-84
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• 1996

This study examined two laws protecting consumer's safety, the 'Product Liability Law' and 'Legal Regulations on Recall Service.' and investigated the need for and importance of the laws. Second, the requirements regarding the procedures for implementing these laws were reviewed. Regarding the 'Product Liability Law', the study considered how the damage and injury of consumers caused by defects in production would be compensated and under what conditions. Regarding the law to regulate Recall service, this study reviewed when and how producers must recall their products because of their defects. Finally, the directions for enacting these laws were suggested, and several difficulties arising from their enactment were considered. Several suggestions were made to enact these two raws in order to enhance comsumer safety, consumer sovereignty, and consumer well-being.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.187-211
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• 2003

This study deals with activities in internet, including activities on consumer counseling, exchange of consumer information, and anti-sites. Among consumers having utilized those three types of internet sites, this study examines whether their satisfactions on them differ depending on their socio-demographic characteristics and types of activities and also explores which factors critically influence consumer satisfactions. According to the results of this study, consumers' satisfactions were higher when consumers evaluated counselors were objective, rapid, and reliable. Thus, Counselors must be more efficiently classify counseling contents, systematically manage, rapid, active and concrete answers for consumers applying for counseling. Second, in the case of consumer information site, the consumer satisfaction turns out to be positively related with exchange of consumer information, rapid provision of information, and reliability. Connection of relevant specialized information, encouragement of active information exchange among consumers, and objectivity and specialty in consumer information site are necessary to increase the quality of internet consumer information cite. Third, in the case of anti site, consumer satisfaction is higher in cases of consumer being joined in anti-site and in cases of objective and reliable sites. In order to facilitate the utilization of anti-sites, those solutions include systematic classification and management of writings listed in the site, active management of the site managers, reducing criticisms on the writings listed and objectivity of information provided, and active searches for solutions. Finally, in order to preserve consumer sovereignty, policy suggestions include improvements of service qualities provided in internet sites, active advertisement, improvement of site management through charging some fees for users, enhancing specialties.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.315-346
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• 2012

The legal relationship between patient and physician is legally equal relationship. But, in times past, patients be compelled to sign an unequal contract, substantially. Because of the imbalance between supply and demand in the health care market. Today, the law of supply and demand in the health care market is running well. And as the cognition of citizens' rights grows, the relationship between patient and physician can also get a lot of changes. Patients have the right to know the information about medical care, and to decide whether or not to get treatment including invasions against their own bodies. In other words, Doctors have an obligation to explain to their patients. If doctors did not provide patients sufficient explanation or information, it violates the right of patients. This is a tort, or a breach of contract. To improve the remedy for violation of patient's right, patient is able to be protected by status as consumer. If patient is a kind of consumer in terms of medical consumption, he/she as consumer can enjoy supplementally the consumer's right. The patient as a consumer can exercise now a consumer's right as a constitutional right. In addition, with respect to consumer's rights, Framework Act on Consumers was enacted. This Act is based on constitutional provisions of Article 124 and the Act can be seen as a law that embodies consumer right because the provision of the constitutional law delegates specific contents. In the health care field, patients need to win recognition the statue of the consumer to hold the sovereignty of the consumer. In particular, if patients are consumers, they may be able to make good use of the quickly and efficiently collective dispute resolution and association lawsuit to rescue their damage, the Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) of Framework Act on Consumers.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1047-1062
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• 2009

Nowadays, ethical consumers are increasing and they consider social values such as worker's human rights, environment and animal's welfare as key criteria in purchasing products. This study focused on the academic and practical research of ethical consumption, in which the needs and interests are now growing globally. This study addressed the concept, trend and practices of ethical consumption as well as seeking methods to support and promote ethical consumption. It examined the concept and types of ethical consumption from the perspective of the philosophy on ethical consumption. Ethical consumption was defined as a behavior that intended to improve the environment and the welfare of people and animals by purchasing products produced according to sound ethical principles and avoiding products that are made through the exploitation or the damage of people, animals and the environment. It also dealt with the practices of ethical consumption such as the fair trade movement, Clean Clothes Campaign, boycott, local food movement, animal's welfare movement. In conclusion, I suggested that consumers, companies, governments, and NGOs should make an effort to promote ethical consumption.