• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.214-232
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• 2023

Stromatolite at the Daegu Catholic University, Gyeongsan was designated as a natural monument in December 2009 because it was very excellent in terms of rarity, accessibility, preservation and scale. From the time of designation, the necessity of confirming the lateral extension of the stromatolite beds with the excavation of the surrounding area, and preparing a preservation plan was raised. Accordingly, the Cultural Heritage Administration conducted an investigation of the scale, production pattern, and weathering state of stromatolites with an excavation from April to December 2022, and based on this, suggested natural heritage values and conservation and use plans. The excavation was carried out in a 1,186m² area surrounding the exposed hemispherical stromatolite (approximately 30m2). Stromatolites are continuously distributed over the entire excavation area, and hemispherical stromatolites predominate in the eastern region, and the distribution and size of hemispherical domes tend to decrease toward the west. These characteristics are interpreted as a result of long-term growth in large-scale lakes, where stratiform or small columnar domes continued to grow and connect with each other, finally forming large domes. Consequently, large and small domes were distributed on the bedding plane in clusters like coral reefs. The growth of plants and lichens, as well as small-scale faults and joints developed on the stromatolite bedding surface, is the main cause of accelerated weathering. However, preservation treatment with chemicals as with dinosaur footprints or dinosaur egg fossil sites is not suitable due to the characteristics of stromatolites, and preservation with the installation of closed protection facilities should be considered. This excavation confirmed that the distribution, size and value of stromatolites are much larger and higher than at the time of designation as a natural monument. Therefore, additional excavation of areas by experts that could not be excavated due to the discovery of buried cultural properties (stone chamber tombs) and reexamination of the expansion designation of natural monuments are required.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.217-238
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• 2023

Currently, automobile tax in Korea is imposed by multiplying the vehicle's engine displacement by a certain tax rate. However, the need for revision is being raised as it is pointed out that the current system does not reflect the immediate task of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, this study focuses on the positive relationship between engine displacement and CO₂ emissions, and seeks to calculate an appropriate automobile tax rate considering average CO₂ emissions. To this end, first, we estimated the average annual CO₂ emissions (kg/vehicle) for each engine displacement using the average CO₂ emissions for each vehicle displacement as of 2020. Next, multiple scenarios were analyzed considering the standard tax rate at $75 per ton of CO₂ emissions proposed by the IMF (2019). In particular, we compared the case of imposing a uniform carbon tax of $75 and the case of imposing a progressive tax based on CO₂ emissions by displacement. According to the results, it was confirmed that the uniform tax rate proposed by the IMF is difficult to apply to Korea as it is due to the impact of a decrease in tax revenue, and a tax scheme needs to be designed appropriately considering maintenance of tax revenue according to the current automobile tax, greenhouse gas reduction effect, and automobile tax reform trends in developed countries. For example, in the case of the K3 (1,598cc) of Kia Motors, a representative compact car sold in Korea, if we compare the tax burdens for each tax scenario, the tax burden will be about 220,000 KRW under the current system, about 79,000 KRW under the uniform tax rate, about 83,000 KRW under the progressive tax rate, and about 240,000 KRW under the progressive tax rate similar to the UK tax system, respectively. In this way, this study identified the current statuses of automobile registration and tax in Korea, and automobile tax reform trends in major developed countries, and analyzed the impact of automobile tax reform considering engine displacement and CO₂ emissions, focusing on the tax burden of the people.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.389-406
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• 2023

The research area, located in the northern coastal region of South Korea's West Sea, involves three bird habitats. Among these are two newly established habitats in Songdo International Business District, created by filling and developing tidal flats that were previously utilized as stopover sites for migratory birds. One of these areas showed decrease (Residual tidal flats, site.1) while the other showed increase (Artificial lake, site.2) in bird influx. The third habitat (Namdong reservoir, site.3) is a pre-existing stable habitat which has been maintained as a stable habitat. This study conducts an assessment of habitats based on avian population clusters and environmental surveys and proposes habitat management measures. A survey of bird populations and habitat environments was conducted for a total of 39 occasions from January to December 2022. The observed bird species totaled 14 families and 48 species with 20,760 individuals. Compared to the existing habitats, the newly established habitats showed relatively lower influx of bird species and individuals. During the habitat assessment, the newly established habitats were rated as I to II grade, while the existing habitat was rated as relatively high III grade on the grading assessment of the tidal flat. An analysis of habitat types revealed that the existing habitat, in which diverse strategies for habitat type diversity and mitigating anthropogenic interference were demonstrated, attracted a diverse range of bird species. Through this research, it was deduced that the diversity of habitat types plays a significant role in attracting various bird species. Upon evaluation of habitat types concerning the habitat characteristics of the bird species selected for habitat management, as habitat management measures, it is deemed that the creation of shielded green areas (referred to as 'buffer green') to minimize interference from the surroundings, the establishment of reed fields (site.1, 2) positively correlated with reservoirs, and the improvement of sandbanks (site.1) positively associated with tidal flats, the two relations which we drew from correlation analysis between occurrence species and habitat types, would contribute to the future restoration and maintenance of stable habitats. The results of this study can be applied not only to the study area but also to other development zones, such as coastal reclamation sites, which share similar geographical and environmental characteristics, including arrival sites for migratory birds.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.419-430
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• 2023

In response to the periodic occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms in Korean freshwaters, various types of cyanobacteria removal technologies are being developed and implemented. Due to the differing principles behind these technologies, it is difficult to compare and evaluate their removal efficiencies. In this study, a standardized method for evaluating cyanobacteria removal efficiency was proposed by utilizing the results of removal operations using a mobile cyanobacteria removal device in the Seohwacheon area of Daechung Reservoir. During removal operations, the decrease in chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration (ΔChl-a) in the working area was calculated based on the amount of collected sludge, the efficiency rate, and the concentration of chl-a. Additionally, the required working days (WD) to reduce the chl-a concentration to 1 mg/m³ in the target area was calculated based on the area of the target zone, the maximum daily working area, and the efficiency rate. A method for calculating the cyanobacteria removal capacity was proposed based on the reduction rate of chl-a concentration in the water before and after the operation, the treatment capacity of the removal technology, and the water volume of the target area. The cyanobacteria removal capacity of the mobile cyanobacteria removal device used in this study was 6.64%/day (targeting the Seohwacheon area of Daechung Reservoir, approximately 500,000 m²), which was higher compared to other physical or physicochemical cyanobacteria removal technologies (0.02~4.72%/day). Utilizing the evaluation method of cyanobacteria removal efficiency presented in this study, it will be possible to compare and evaluate the cyanobacteria removal technologies currently being applied in Korea. This method could also be used to assess the performance and efficiency of physical or physicochemical combined cyanobacteria removal techniques in the "Guidelines for the Installation and Operation of Algae Removal Facilities and the Use of Algae Removal Agents" operated by the National Institute of Environmental Research.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.661-674
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• 2023

From the seafloor of Taean, Chungcheongnamdo Province, a ship of the Joseon Dynasty was discovered for the first time in the history of underwater excavations in Korea in 2014 and was named Mado Shipwreck No. 4. A total of 27 unused whetstones loaded as tribute were discovered on the hull of Mado No. 4, which revealed that Mado Shipwreck No. 4 was a Grain transport ship that sank while carrying tribute from Naju to Hanyang between 1417 and 1425 (King Taejong to King Sejong). All of the 27 whetstones are in the shape of narrow and long sticks. The average values of length, width, thickness, and weight are 161.5 mm, 36.1 mm, 22.7 mm, and 253.2 g, respectively. The result of X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the constituent minerals are quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase, which is similar to that of the high-resolution digital stereomicroscope analysis. The average porosity of Mado-2672 and 2673 is 2.69% and 1.78%, respectively, and the average surface hardness is 807.2HLD and 834.5HLD, respectively. It is interpreted that if the porosity increases beyond a certain level, it affects the decrease in surface hardness. All of these are made of feldspathic sandstones with an average SiO₂ content of 74.51% and were confirmed to be suitable as grindstones. They are all medium whetstones when classified based on the SiO₂ content. These whetstones are small in size and weight and are convenient to carry, so they are presumed to be a type of non-stationary whetstone, and are estimated to have been mainly used in the fields such as weapon polishing and craft production during the Joseon Dynasty.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.871-885
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• 2023

In 2022, the total of 129 million m³ of aggregate was produced in Korea, a slightly decrease from the total production of 2021. Of these, about 44 million m³ of sand and about 84 million m³ of gravel were produced. About 41% of total quantity of aggregates were produced by permission and the rest were produced after declaration. It estimated that of the 129 million m³ of aggregates in Korea in 2022, about 54.9% was produced by screening crushed aggregate, by 32.8% by forest aggregate, 2.2% by land aggregate, 6.2% by marine aggregate and 3.1% by washing aggregate, and 0.3% by river aggregate. This indicates that screening crushed and forest aggregate are the main producers of domestic aggregate in 2022. Leading producing metropolitan governments were Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Chungcheongnam-do, Incheon, Jeollanam-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Gangwon-do, Gyeongsangbuk-do in order decreasing volume. In 2022, aggregates were produced in 147 local governments, and the 10 leading producing local governments were, in descending order of volume, Hwaseong, Pocheon, Paju, Ongjin, Youngin, Gwangju, west EEZ, Incheon Seo-gu, Namyangju, Asan. The combined production of the 10 leading local governments accounted for 31% of the national total. And 44 local governments have produced aggregates of more than 1 million m³ each other. In 148 local governments that produced aggregate, a total of 800 active operations produced aggregate with 350 operations by river, land and forest aggregate, 450 operations by selective crushed and washing aggregate.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.517-526
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• 2023

The harvest time of the late-ripening 'Fuji' apple (Malus × domestica) is variable, depending on the coloration of the fruit skin. Ethephon, a plant growth regulator, promotes the ethylene production and induces physiological responses associated with fruit maturation in climacteric fruit crops, such as apples. This study aimed to investigate the effect of ethephon treatment on fruit characteristics after fruit enlargement, with the objective of proposing an economical and stable harvest control method for 'Fuji'/M.26 apples. Fruit characteristics were assessed at 10-days intervals following the application of 100 mg/L ethephon and mixture of 100 mg/L ethephon and 0.5% CaCl₂ at 145 days after full bloom (DAFB). Starch contents of ethephon-treated (ET) and ethephon with CaCl₂-treated (EC) apples began to decrease from 155 DAFB, and the starch contents of ET and EC at 10 days before harvest were similar to those of control at harvest time. Red coloration of fruit skin in EC was lower compared to ET but higher than control. The average fruit firmness was low in ET, while the control and EC exhibited similar levels of firmness. Fruit sugar acid ratios did not show significant differences between treatments. However, the titratable acidity of EC was significantly lower than that of the control at 10 days before harvest. Moreover, fruit sugar acid ratio of ET and EC at 10 days before harvest in 2021 was similar to their sugar acid ratio at harvest time. Therefore, it was thought that fruit maturation and skin coloration could be accelerated by 10 days from the harvest time through the combined treatment of 100 mg/L ethephon and 0.5% CaCl₂ at the end of fruit enlargement in 'Fuji'/M.26.

• Korea Trade Review
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.217-242
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• 2023

This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the logistics demand of inland ports along the Yangtze River and predict future port logistics demand based on these factors. The logistics demand prediction using system dynamics techniques was conducted for a total of six ports, including Chongqing and Yibin ports in the upper reaches, Jingzhou and Wuhan ports in the middle reaches, and Nanjing and Suzhou ports in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The logistics demand for all ports showed an increasing trend in the mid-term prediction until 2026. The logistics demand of Chongqing port was mainly influenced by the scale of the hinterland economy, while Yibin port appeared to heavily rely on the level of port automation. In the case of the upper and middle reach ports, logistics demand increased as the energy consumption of the hinterland increased and the air pollution situation worsened. The logistics demand of the middle reach ports was greatly influenced by the hinterland infrastructure, while the lower reach ports were sensitive to changes in the urban construction area. According to the sensitivity analysis, the logistics demand of ports relying on large cities was relatively stable against the increase and decrease of influential factors, while ports with smaller hinterland city scales reacted sensitively to changes in influential factors. Therefore, a strategy should be established to strengthen policy support for Chongqing port as the core port of the upper Yangtze River and have surrounding ports play a supporting role for Chongqing port. The upper reach ports need to play a supporting role for Chongqing port and consider measures to enhance connections with middle and lower reach ports and promote the port industry. The development strategy for inland ports along the Yangtze River suggests the establishment of direct routes and expansion of the transportation network for South Korean ports and stakeholders. It can suggest expanding the hinterland network and building an efficient transportation system linked with the logistics hub. Through cooperation, logistics efficiency can be enhanced in both regions, which will contribute to strengthening the international position and competitiveness of each port.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.152-161
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• 2023

In general, large-capacity hydrogen storage vessels, typically in the form of vertical cylindrical vessels, are constructed using steel materials. These vessels are anchored to foundation slabs that are specially designed to suit the environmental conditions. This anchoring method involves pre-installed anchors on top of the concrete foundation slab. However, it's important to note that such a design can result in concentrated stresses at the anchoring points when external forces, such as seismic events, are at play. This may lead to potential structural damage due to anchor and concrete damage. For this reason, in this study, it selected an vertical hydrogen storage vessel based on site observations and created a 3D finite element model. Artificial seismic motions made following the procedures specified in ICC-ES AC 156, as well as domestic recorded earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 5.0, were applied to analyze the structural behavior and performance of the target structures. Conducting experiments on a structure built to actual scale would be ideal, but due to practical constraints, it proved challenging to execute. Therefore, it opted for an analytical approach to assess the safety of the target structure. Regarding the structural response characteristics, the acceleration induced by seismic motion was observed to amplify by approximately ten times compared to the input seismic motions. Additionally, there was a tendency for a decrease in amplification as the response acceleration was transmitted to the point where the centre of gravity is located. For the vulnerable components, specifically the sub-system (support columns and anchorages), the stress levels were found to satisfy the allowable stress criteria. However, the concrete's tensile strength exhibited only about a 5% margin of safety compared to the allowable stress. This indicates the need for mitigation strategies in addressing these concerns. Based on the research findings presented in this paper, it is anticipated that predictable load information for the design of storage vessels required for future shaking table tests will be provided.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.39 no.6_2
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• pp.1635-1650
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• 2023

Under global warming, the steadily increasing sea surface temperature (SST) severely impacts marine ecosystems,such as the productivity decrease and change in marine species distribution. Recently, the catch of Todarodes Pacificus, one of South Korea's primary marine resources, has dramatically decreased. In this study, we analyze the marine environment that affects the formation of fishing grounds of Todarodes Pacificus and develop seasonal habitat suitability index (HSI) models based on various satellite data including Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) data to continuously manage fisheries resources over Korean exclusive economic zone. About 83% of catches are found within the range of SST of 14.11-26.16℃,sea level height of 0.56-0.82 m, chlorophyll-a concentration of 0.31-1.52 mg m^-3, and primary production of 580.96-1574.13 mg C m^-2 day^-1. The seasonal HSI models are developed using the Arithmetic Mean Model, which showed the best performance. Comparing the developed HSI value with the 2019 catch data, it is confirmed that the HSI model is valid because the fishing grounds are formed in different sea regions by season (East Sea in winter and Yellow Sea in summer) and the high HSI (> 0.6) concurrences to areas with the high catch. In addition, we identified the significant increasing trend in SST over study regions, which is highly related to the formation of fishing grounds of Todarodes Pacificus. We can expect the fishing grounds will be changed by accelerating ocean warming in the future. Continuous HSI monitoring is necessary to manage fisheries' spatial and temporal distribution.