• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-29
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• 2021

In the Arctic Ocean, the distribution of sea ice and ice sheets changes as climate changes. Because the distribution of ice cover influences the mineral composition of marine sediments, studying marine sediments transported by sea ice or iceberg is very important to understand the global climate change. This study analyzes marine sediment samples collected from the Arctic Ocean and infers the provenance of the sediments to reconstruct the paleoenvironment changes of the western Arctic. The analyzed samples include four gravity cores collected from the Araon mound in the Chukchi Plateau and one gravity core collected from the slope between the Araon mounds. The core sediments were brown, gray, and greenish gray, each of which corresponds to the characteristic color of sediments deposited during the interglacial/glacial cycle in the western Arctic Ocean. We divide the core sediments into three units based on the analysis of bulk mineral composition, clay mineral composition, and Ice Rafted Debris (IRD) as well as comparison with previous study results. Unit 3 sediments, deposited during the last glacial maximum, were transported by sea ice and currents after the sediments of the Kolyma and Indigirka Rivers were deposited on the continental shelf of the East Siberian Sea. Unit 2 sediments, deposited during the deglacial period, were from the Kolyma and Indigirka Rivers flowing into the East Siberian Sea as well as from the Mackenzie River and the Canadian Archipelago flowing into the Beaufort Sea. Unit 2 sediments also contained an extensive amount of IRD, which originated from the melted Laurentide Ice Sheet. During the interglacial stage, fine-grained sediments of Unit 1 were transported by sea ice and currents from Northern Canada and the East Siberian Sea, but coarse-grained sediments were derived by sea ice from the Canadian Archipelago.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1971

The geotectonics and geomorphic structure of Korea resulted from the Song-rim Disturbance and the Daebo orogenic movements. Afterward this mountainous peninsula underwent several geological changes on a small scale, and it was also claimed that the steady rising of the elevated peneplain of the eastern coast and the submerging of the southwestern coastal area are largely due to the tilted block movement. These views have been generally accepted good in several ways, but they are limited in range or lacking in theoretical integration. The present writer investigated the geology of the Mt. Chi-ri-san and the Honam coal mining area for a geological map in 1965, respectively. The results of these studies convinced the present writer that the conventional views, which were based upon a theory of lateral pressure should be reconsidered in many respects, and more recent studies made it clear that the morphological development in the southwestern area can be better explained by the orogenic movement and rock control. The measurement of submerging speed of the western coastal area (Pak. Y. A., 1969) and a new account on the geology and tectonics of the Mid-central region of South Korea (Kim O.J., 1970) act as an encouragement to a new explanation. The present writer's researches on the extreme southwestern portion of the peninsula show that the steady submerging of this area cannot be attributed to a simple downthrown block phenomenon caused by block movement. It is no more than the result of the differential movement of uplifting in the eastern and western coastal areas and the rising of sea-level in the post-glacial period. This phenomenon could be easily explained by the comparison of the rate of rise in sea-level and amount of heat flow between Korea and other areas in the world. The existance of the erosional planes in the Sobaik-San ranges also provide an evidence of an upheaval in the western coast area. Though the Sobaik-San ranges largely follow the direction of the Sinian system. They consist of the numerous branches, whose trends run more or less differently from their main trend because of the disharmonic folding, are converged into Mt. Sobaik-San and Chupungryung. The undulation of the land is not wholely caused by orogenic movements, where as the present writer confirmed that the diversity of morphological development is the direct reflection of geological conditions such as rocks and processes which constitute the basic elements of geomorphic structure. An east-west directed mountain range which could be named as Hansan mountain range, was claimed to be oriented by the joint control. The geological conditions such as a special erosion and weathering of agglomerate and breccia tuff usually produce pot-hole like submarine features which cause the whirling phenomenon at the southwestern coast channel.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 1971

The Korean Peninsula is located between the tectonically stable Asian Continent and the tectonically active Japanese islands. The east coast of Korea shows evidence of uplift whereas the west coast shows evidence of submergence. However, radiocarbon dates indicate that the rate of submergence of the west coast of Korea is slower than the tectonically stable east coast of North America. Therefore, both east and west coasts of Korea might have been uplifted during the last post-glacial period. This uplift may result the spreading line of the from compressional strain produced along East Sea of Korea (Japan Sea) and/or the conversion hinge line of the Pacific mantle convection current plunging beneath the Asian continent. This downturn is supposed to be located in the Japan Trench. High heat flow near the east coast of Korea produces the differential strain. This strain accelerates the compressional strain of the peninsula. The Sea Floor Spreading Theory can explain the tectonism of the Korean Peninsula in Recent time. Baek-Doo Mt. and Han-Ra Mt., dormant volcanoes, may be an evidence of westward movement of the Korean Peninsula.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.254-261
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• 2015

Genetic variations of Abies koreana and Abies nephrolepis were assessed using two mitochondrial DNA regions (nad5 intron 4 and nad5 intron 1) for 16 natural populations to understand their phylogeographical history. Seven polymorphic sites of the two combined regions resulted in the resolution of four haplotypes (M1-M4). The average gene diversity within the population ($H_S$) was 0.098, the total gene diversity ($H_T$) was 0.620, and the interpopulation differentiation was $G_{ST}=0.841$, $N_{ST}=0.849$. The populations were divided into three groups (northern area, central area, southern area) according to their geographic locations. The populations of the northern and southern areas were mostly fixed for M1 and M2, respectively. The populations of the central area showed the highest levels of gene diversity ($H_T=0.654$) due to introgression from the northern area and southern area. The presence of a single mtDNA haplotype in the southern area suggests that current widespread populations have expanded to the central area from a specific refugium population after the last glacial period.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.493-511
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• 1995

Analysis of the Late Quaternary benthic foraminifera in the cores from the western part of the East Sea, Korea, indicates several distinct changes in the paleoenvironments during the deposition. The palecology of biofacies of Cores PC-1 from the upper slop and PC-2 from the rise shows several distinct changes in bottom water temperatures during the late Quaternary. The Core PC-4 from the Ulleung Basin generally consists of agglutinated genus, Muiliammina, and anaerobic calcareous genus, Bolivina, in biofacies, suggesting that the anoxic bottom condition was prevailed during the deposition. Benthic foraminiferal rare or barren zones in the Cores indicate the limits of water circulation caused by lower sea-level in the regions during the glacial period through the Late Quaternary. The changes of benthic foraminiferal biofacies reflect temporal and spacial variations in overall bottom environments, such as bottom water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and water circulation pattern. The benthic foraminiferal data can be used to interpret paleoclimatic conditions and predict global sea-level changes, and the results of these studies should be useful to understand the evolutional history of the East Sea through the Late Quaternary.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.597-602
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• 2005

The Late Quaternary palynoflora from an archaeological site in Piseo-ri, Muan, Korea consists predominately of deciduous broadleaved angiosperms and subordinately of herbs and conifers. Dominant taxa are Polypodiaceae, Taxodiaceae-Cupressaceae-Taxaceae, Alnus, Carpinus, deciduous Quercus, Compositae and Gramineae. The palynoflora dated 43,000-18,000 yr BP, corresponding to the last glacial period, is similar to the modern vegetation of the cool temperate deciduous broadleaved forest in the middle part of the Korean Peninsula. Based on palynofloral composition, three palynozones are recognized. Zone I represents a cool temperate deciduous broadleaved forest, composed of Polypodiaceae, Taxodiaceae-Cupressaceae-Taxaceae, Alnus and D. Quercus, and is characterized by persistent occurrence of warm temperate taxa. Zone II shows drastic decrease in Polypodiaceae, Taxodiaceae-Cupressaceae-Taxaceae, and increase in herbs. This zone reflects a cool temperate deciduous broadleaved forest with scattered open grasslands. Zone III is characterized by dominance in herbs and increase in conifers. The palynofloral composition suggests a cool temperate climate, and variation in occurrences of main taxa indicates that climatic conditions gradually became cold and dry.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2010

Holocene vegetation and climate changes were assumed on the basis of pollen records from Wonpyeong Trench II-3 of the Osong archaeological site, Cheongju, Chungbuk Province, Korea. An organic matter beared in coarse sediments appeared to be low throughout the succession. Although an occurrence of pollen grains is not high, some dominant and principal taxa may indicate vegetation changes response to climate changes in central inland area of the Korean Peninsula. The age determination can be estimated with indirect way by comparing with previous age-controlled pollen studies. It is assumed that the former last glacial conifer forests had been changed into open mixed conifers and deciduous broadleaved forest during the early Holocene period. Warmer and more humid climate conditions, during the mid-Holocene, might have allowed the hardwoods including deciduous- and evergreen-broadleaved trees, and warm-preferring pine tree to flourish. Subsequently, the former forests were replaced by mixed of conifer and deciduous broadleaved forest owing to deterioration of climate conditions during the late Holocene. Human activity is also detected by agricultural indicators, such as buckwheat and large pollen grains comparable to corn, in upper most pollen profile. During this time, the forests in studied area were primarily affected by human disturbance rather than natural environment.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.429-439
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• 2011

We investigated the flora of Imja-do(Isl.), an island of the Shinan archipelago, located in Imja-myeon, Shinan-gun, Jollanamo-do and discussed the vascular plants found there. Twenty-four separate field trips (100days) were completed from August of 1997 to October of 2009. As a result, we identified the distribution of 526 taxa in Imja-do(Isl.), comprising 112 families, 331 genera, 463 species, 1 subspecies, 60 varieties, and 2 forms. There are a total of 78 taxa of floristic regional indicator plants and one taxon of level II endangered species, Millettia japonica, as designated by the Korean Ministry of the Environment. The floristic regional indicator plants are as follows; four taxa of level V such as Utricularia bifida, two taxa of level IV such as Cladium chinense, 14 taxa of level III such as Aletris spicata, three taxa of level II, and 55 taxa of level I. In addition, one endangered species (EN), Nymphoides coreana, five vulnerable species (VU),such as Ilex cornuta, and three near-threatened species (NT) such as Utricula riaracemosa, were found in the investigated area. The plants of Imja-do(Isl.) are classified into four types based on the plant geographical origin, as follows: 1) boreal plants advancing southward in a glacial period, 2) temperate plants spreading eastward from the Himalayas and China to Japan passing through the south coast of Korea, 3) subtropical plants, and 4) indigenously developed endemic species of the warm-temperate region of East Asia.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.879-897
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• 2007

The Royal District in Gyeungju-city was placed in lower surface of alluvial fan that was formed during the Last Glacial Age. During the Holocene, Bukcheon-river was reached in the dynamic equilibrium status and the form of river channel was similar or same to the present. The cases of dying people and carrying houses away by flood for ancient history in Gyeongju were six times, in 131, 160, 350, 496, 657 and 703. Like this big flood was happened at interval of $150{\sim}200$years. A period of big flood appearance in Bukcheon-river was extremely long. Therefore the people who had lived in Gyeongju for ancient history perceived that most part of riverbed of Bukcheon-river was a safety place from flood damages. Not only private houses. In east part of Bunhwangsa temple, that is, west side of Bukcheon-river where the river energy is maximum, a pillow block was built to prevent a lateral erosion but any artificial riverbank was not. In spite of high flood possibility in Bukcheon-river, there was no facility to prevent floods in this section. Also, deposits of flood are not identified. This point is very suggestive that Bukcheon-river did not flood for ancient history.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2003

A 31m-long sediment core (SSDP-102) was taken from the inner shelf (about 40m water-depth) off the northwestern coast of the Korea Strait. Detailed lithofacies and organic-geochemical analyses were performed to establish a high-resolution stratigraphy in the Korea Strait shelf and to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes associated with the Holocene marine transgression. The stratigraphic framework of the core was primarily established using 6 AMS $^{14}C$ ages. The sedimentary record of the core SSDP-102 allows for the reconstruction of the paleoenvironmental changes during the last 12.1 ka BP. According to the high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, lithofacies and organic-geochemical data, the core SSDP-102 can be divided into three units (III to I in ascending order) above the acoustic basement. The three units reflect distinct changes of depositional environments resulted from the post-glacial marine transgression. Therefore, it is suggested that three phases of sea-level change have occurred within the inner shelf of the Korea Strait following the Holocene marine transgression. (1) estuarine environments from ca. 12.1 to 6.2 ka BP; (2) near-shore environments with a period of decreased rising of sea level between 6.2 and 5.1 ka BP; (3) near-shore to modem marine environments after 5.1 ka BP. In particular, the present marine conditions influenced by the warm Tsushima Current have been gradually established after ca. 5.1 ka BP.