• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.51 no.6
• /
• pp.873-892
• /
• 2016

2015 was the seventieth year from the liberation and the division of Korean peninsular. Although the research on the unification has been performed in various interdisciplinary fields since the liberation of Korea, the geographic research on the unification based on the space stays in a minority. It is time to wrap up the literatures and discourses centered on geography for preparing the unification and taking a view of Korean territory of future unification. The starting point is to define the concept of the geography for unification and give careful consideration to the geographic research trends related to the unification that has been achieved since the liberation of Korea. The geography for unification should be understood in the concept of time and space. First of all, the geography for unification can be composed of the stages such as the research for unification, the research for unification impact, the research for united Korea, and the geopolitics of East Asia under the concept of time. It also can be divided into the regions such as Korea, North Korea, borderlands between North Korea-China and North Korea-Russia including South and North Korea, and North East Asia and Pan Pacific Ocean. The geographic research on the unification embracing the concept of time and space can be defined as the geography for unification. The purpose of this study is to elicit the concept and the research field of the geography for unification in the perspective of discourse, investigate the research trends by geographic themes, and suggest the agendas of the geography for future unification.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.11 no.6
• /
• pp.607-619
• /
• 2005

For the Unification of Koreas in the future, we need to understand the geography education system of North Korea. This paper deals with the middle-school geography textbooks of North Korea, published in 2000 and as well as in 1990, in order to look for a better way of geography education after the Unification. One geography textbook is used for each grade, respectively, from the first to the fifth grade of the North Korea's middle-school (table 1). The North Korea's geography textbooks are immersed in the unreasonable idolization of the Kim's family and the excessive devotion to the socialist system. But they may suggest a significant implication in the improvement of geography terminology in South Korea because of their common use of genuine Korean words.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.295-308
• /
• 1996

1. Retrospect of Political Geographic Studies since Liberation, 1945 : 1) Period from 1945 to mid 1960s : There was not political geography as a science in Korea at the time of liberation from Japan 1945. At that time were not pure political geographers in Korea. In 1947, Moon-Hwa Pyo, economics professor, published a book titled Outline of Korean Geopolitics. This book was a first one in the field of political geography and available at that time in the logical descriptions. Bok-Hyon Choi was a first political geographer who in 1959 wrote a book titled Political geography for the collegians of Seoul National University. Professor Choi introduced American-style political geography through the book above mentioned. In 1963, Kie-Joo Hyong published an article titled "Korean Unification: Possibility from the Geopolitical Viewpoint" which was a first article published by Korean young scholar who studied geography in this country. 2) Period from late 1960s to late 1980s : Both Yoon Cha and Duck-Soon Im published frequently several articles of political geography or geopolitics respectively in 1968-1969. And they issued geopolitical disputes on Korean geopolitical structure and an application of rimland theory to Korean peninsula in 1969 through a magazine named Joung-Kyong Younku (the political and economic researches). The disputes played an important role of showing political geography (or geopolitics) to political sciences especially international political Science. Active researches still continued in 1970s. In that atmosphere the first Korean book of political geography written by a post-liberation scholar (Duck-Soon Im) titled Principles of Political Geography was published in 1973. This book was influenced much by American political geography after Second World War. In 1980s, the researches continued more actively. Especially administrative districts, capital cities, and sub-capital cities were frequently studied during this period. 3) Period from late 1980s to Present: Recent Studies : 1985 was a year of much production of articles of political geography. The first Ph.D thesis of political geography published in the same year in our country. And since 1985 produced many M.A. articles. Several categories of esearches of political geography was made in the period from late 1980s to present. Capital cities, Korean unification, administrative districts, urban politics, elections, sub-capital cities, and defense walls were important research categories. Reviewing the researches from 1945 to present. I found eight categories of political geography in Korea: capital cities, administrative districts, geopolitical structure of Korean peninsula, division and unification of Korea, sub-capital cities, defense walls, elections, and urban politics. Each category includes several scholars respectiveiy. 2. Study Tasks and Prospects in Korean Political Geography: In relation to Korean circumstances there are three study-tasks. The first task of Korean people is unification of two Koreas. Political geographers of Korea must al survey titled Survey Methods of Human Geography for collegians. This book was first one on survey part in Korea. The book however, is insufficient in comprehensiveness in aspects too. I think that the important tasks of general-synoptic human geography in Korea are \circled1 publication of comprehensive books of human geography in the aspects and methodologies for collegians and \circled2 acceptance of academic world of human geography in Korea of variety in methodologies of human geography for future progress. progress.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.51 no.5
• /
• pp.713-737
• /
• 2016

This study is to review research issues on North Korea and unified territory in terms of topics and approach method in Korean human geography. The conclusion of this paper is as follows. Before 1980's, topics on political geography, such as geopolitics or unified land, were the main stream in research. In 1990's with the end of the cold war and the access to material which was published in North Korea, scope of research was widened especially in geography education. After 2000's with the expansion of cooperation between South and North Korea, the scope of topics were more expanded in all field of human geography, for example, critical geopolitic in political geography, Gaeseong Industrial Complex, Najin-Seonbong region in economic geography, place names, Geumgangsan, North Korean defectors in social and cultural geography. The approach method of toward North Korea is fall into two categories. One is regional geography and the other is the unified land. In the latter approach, topics on the regional structure after reunification or on the life adaptation of defectors in South Korea etc. were studied. After unification of land, new Korean Studiea will be established and human geographers should make ready for this. Before unification, research on the land in north Korea should be proceeded in terms of historical geography.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.189-201
• /
• 2006

The aim of this paper is to examine the development of regional geography (including regional studies) in Germany since 1945 in the context of its traditions and changes. From 1945 to the end of 1960s, in spite of many hies of renovation regional geography has faced critics and fall into a serious crisis. After the 1970s many geographers intensively have searched for the new conception and broadly accepting methodological way of regional geography, and in the advent of 1980s regional geography is regarded as a special form of collecting and presenting spatial informations in terms of the addressee. But in the after-era of german unification and through the new establishment of the Institut for the Regional Geography in Leipzig, a discussion on the research aim and future of regional geography was resumed, and its future direction is open.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Navigation
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.77-91
• /
• 2001

According to the many ancient literatures, it is said to be that Merchant Prince, Chang Pogo in unification Silla had traded with not only China, Japan but also Arab-Islam Countries, but unfortunately there is no definite records about this. Therefore in this study the writer would like to presume the sea routes of Merchant Prince, Chang Pogo in a unification Silla. For the purpose of this study the writer would like to study the reference books and materials regarding to the sea routes of prehistoric age and ancient three countries of Kingdoms and unification Silla. Especially the writer consider “The Work of Routes and Kingdoms” of Ibn Khurdarhbih regarding to the ancient sea routes of Korea, China, Arab-Islam Countries, and also the writer consider the ancient sea routes of Tang Dynasty in China and Ryukyu Kingdom in Japan. About this methodology of this study, the writer believe that the sea routes of today is the results of ancient sea routes, and this ancient sea routes could not be changed forever except special circumstance. According in this study the writer would like to persume the sea routes of Merchant Prince, Chang Pogo using like this methodologies. This presumption of the writer is originated on the basis of The Work of Routes and Kingdoms written by ancient Arabian Geographer, Ibn Khurdadhbih in the early years of 9th century. The Work of Routes and Kingdoms is geography, and the principal contents of this geography are the activities of Arab-Islam merchants and Chinese Merchants between Arab-Islam countries and China from 9th century to 11th century by ancient sea routes. But surprisingly in this geography, Silla was marked, and another ancient Arabian geogrpher, Al-Biruni marked Silla on his map, Qanun Al-mas'udi in the 9th century, and also another ancient Arabian geographer, Al-Idrisi marked Silla on his map in the 11th century. Especially Al-Biruni expressed the longitude and latitude of Silla on his map, he expressed Silla as following. “at the extreme end of China toward the East and few people travelled to it by sea”. Therefore the writer would like to presume that Arab-Islam merchants had traded with unification Silla in the 9th century, and also Merchant Prince, Chang Pogo had traded with not only China, Japan but also Arab-Islam Countries using above ancient sea routes in the 9th century.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.481-492
• /
• 2003

This study aims to analyze quantitatively changes of forest and cropland landscape due to cropland increase toward higher mountain slope during 9 years from 1993 to 2002, using Landsat images and field survey in the vicinity of Manpo and Gangae cities, Jagang Province, Northwest Korea, During 9 years, cropland has increased as 49.9%, forest area decreased as 16%. The spatial characteristics of cropland changes present that average elevation of cropland are increased from 381m of 1993 year to 412m of 2002 year, and average gradient increased from $10^{\circ}$ to $13^{\circ}$. In increased area of cropland during 9 years, the average elevation is 455m, and average gradient is $15^{\circ}$ with maximum gradient $70^{\circ}$. Analysis of the patch phenomena by fragmentation of vegetation landscape show that number of patch increased from 394 to 1,241 and also values of shape index, and fractal dimension of vegetation are increased slightly, during 9 years. Croplands have developed mainly in mountain slopes of elevation between 450 to 750m. For improvement of agricultural productivity, it should be required political and social stabilization, international and South Korea's assistance, and restoration of mountain forest.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.41 no.3 s.114
• /
• pp.331-345
• /
• 2006

This study deals with geomorphological process of the sand dune landform including the distribution and surface environments, characteristics of sediments, origins and moving processes in lower reach and mouth delta of Duman River, Northeast Korea and China. The methodology of the study includes image analysis of Landsat TM(1992.10) and ETM(2000.9) and Spot(2005.4) for analysis of land cover, 2 times field survey for recognition of landform and acquisition of sediments raw data materials, and grain analysis and exoscopy about raw data materials. The geomorphic elements from satellite image analysis are composed of the delta, sand spit, active and stable dune, sand bar and riparian vegetated zone. Results of the grain analysis indicate the sediments originated from marine coastal zone than riverine one. This means that present sand dune not so much reflect present climatic and geomorphic environments. Result of the exoscopy analysis show that ratio of quartz, which is comparatively resistant to environment, is highest as $65{\sim}83%$ out of sediments. But the surface of the $30{\sim}40%$ of mineral grains was coated by yellow-colored stained materials, due to chemical weathering. Some grains show rough skin, looking as acicular, network structure and etching pits, affected by physical and chemical weathering.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.1-16
• /
• 2001

This paper is to examine the trends and structures of unemployment as well as its spatial patterns in Germany. Germany once achieved a well-developed employment system and full employment. Since 1970, however, unemployment has been one of the major issues in Germany. During the last three decades the unemployment rate has risen to unprecedented levels and stayed high. After the German unification, especially, labor market is characterized by the mass unemployment and the structural selective process of unemployment to be imposed on German workers. And regarding to the spatial patterns of massive unemployment, this study shows critical disparities between South and North Germany being overlapped with new disparities between East and West Germany. We can explain the regional differentiation of unemployment on the base of typical mismatch of labour market allocation. It is also shown that massive unemployment is related not only to policy shifts in labor market but also to structural transformation after the unification.

• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.33-47
• /
• 2001

This paper is to examine the decision-making process and various institutional engagements for the relocation of the German capital to Berlin and to identify its geographical implications. Germany had faced many difficult problems in the way of the national reunification, but achieved it peacefully. Just after the unification, the new location of the capital(Bundeshauptstadt) for the united Germany between the authentic capital 'Berlin' and the real democratic capital 'Bonn' was intensely discussed in the parliament as well as in public. Finally Berlin was chosen for the new location by the decision of the parliament and during the ten years after the decision, the German government tried to prepare all the requirements for the capital relocation. The physical relocation of the capital came to an end with the move of both the parliament and the administration to Berlin in september of 1999. However, its political, economic, and socio-psychological impacts still remain strong and are likely to continue. This relocation could symbolize the national identity building through the real integration between East Berlin and West Berlin as well as between East Germany and West Germany. It is, furthermore, closely related to the geo-political and geo-economic roles of Germany in a new European constellation in the post-Cold War era.