• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.81-113
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• 2011

This study investigates leisure activity, involvement and self-concept in cyberspace of various age groups of adolescents. A total of 1,388 students (elementary school=337, middle school=326, high school=361, university=364, consisting of 696 male and 692 female) participated in the study. The results are as follows. First, although the vast majority of adolescents (96.9%) had a computer at home, majority of adolescents visited Internet cafe. Second, 70.3% of adolescents visited Internet cafe to play Internet games, followed by engaging in information search, chatting, and participated in cyber community. Third, on average adolescents spent 5.43 hours per week playing Internet games, with more males playing Internet games than female adolescents. As for information search, the weekly average was 2.60 hours, with university students spending more time than the other groups. As for chatting, the weekly average was 1.69 hours, with no significant differences among the groups. The weekly average of Internet use was 9.65 hours, with older groups spending more time. The weekly average use of computer was 10.91 hours, with older groups spending more time and more males using more computer than females. Fourth, as for self-concept in cyberspace, elementary and middle school students reported that they had fun, while high school and university students reported that they were the same as in the regular daily life. In addition, adolescents reported that they spent leisure activity in cyberspace and they become a fictional character in cyberspace. Fifth, when they played Internet games, regardless of age and gender, adolescents reported that they had fun, followed by that they were absorbed, that they became aggressive, and that they were the same as in the regular daily life. Sixth, when they chatted on Internet, regardless of age and gender, adolescents reported that they had fun, followed by that they were not interested, that they were the same as in the regular daily life, and that they do not chat on Internet. Seventh, when they interacted with their friends on Internet, regardless of age and gender, majority of adolescents reported that they had fun, followed by that they conversed, that they were the same as in the regular daily life, and that they felt closer. These results indicate that Korean adolescents view Internet as a place to spend their leisure time and that they enjoyed spending time on Internet.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.285-318
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• 2013

The purpose of this research is to examine the self-concept in the cyberspace, self-efficacy, relationship with friends, subjective well-being and academic grade among adolescents who are addicted to Internet and those who are not addicted to Internet. A total of 1,057 adolescents (male=545, female=512), 326 from middle school, 361 from high school, and 370 from special education school, participated in the study. The results are as follows. First, qualitative analysis of the conception of self in the cyberspace indicates that those adolescents addicted to Internet reported that in the cyberspace they have fun, followed by they are the same as in real life, they spend time in cyberspace and they can become an imaginary person. Those adolescents not addicted to Internet reported that in the cyberspace they are the same as in real life, followed by they spend time in cyberspace and they can become an imaginary person. When they play Internet games, majority of adolescents in both groups reported that it is fun, followed by they become engrossed and they become aggressive. Second, those adolescents who are not addicted to Internet had higher scores on self-efficacy than those adolescents who are addicted to Internet, including self-regulatory efficacy for learning, relational efficacy, and resiliency of efficacy. Third, the number of friends and close friends that adolescents who are not addicted to Internet were not significantly different from those adolescents who are addicted to Internet. However, those adolescents who are not addicted to Internet were more likely receive social support from friends and were less likely to be social excluded than those adolescents who are addicted to Internet. Fourth, those adolescents who are not addicted to Internet had significantly higher scores on subjective well-being than those adolescents who are addicted to Internet. Fifth, those adolescents who are not addicted to Internet had significantly higher scores on both subjective and objective academic grade than those adolescents who are addicted to Internet.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.505-532
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among the growth period wounds, inferiority complex and personality disorder of teenaged students, which affected their mental health. The subjects in this study were 2,110 secondary students. After a survey was conducted, the collected data were analyzed. Whether there would be any differences among the adolescents in those factors were analyzed, and multiple regression analysis and path analysis were carried out. As a result, there were relatively more significant problems with the growth period wounds, inferiority complex, personality disorder and mental health of the students who were girls, who were high schoolers, whose household economy was more vulnerable and whose academic standing was lower. The growth period wound that exerted the largest significant influence on inferiority complex was happiness, followed by wound of security and wound of recognition, and the growth period wound that had the greatest significant impact on personality disorder was happiness, followed by wound of security, wound of confidence, wound of love and wound of equity. The growth period wound that exercised the biggest influence on mental health was happiness, followed by wound of security, wound of confidence, wound of love and wound of equity. As for the influence of the variables related to mental health, the indirect effects of the growth period wounds through personality disorder and inferiority complex were greater than their direct effects. The findings of the study suggest that growth period wounds are likely to lead to inferiority complex and personality disorder and ultimately to the injury of mental health, and indicate the importance of healthy family environments and of educational environments in the growth period.and mental health was analyzed, there was a statistically significant positive(+) correlation among all the variables. Third, the wound factors related to happiness and stability were identified as the factors that affected inferiority complex among the growth period wound factors. Personality disorder was found to be under the influence of the wound factors related to happiness, stability, love, confidence and a sense of equality in the growth period, and mental health was found to be affected by the wound factors related to happiness, stability, confidence, love and a sense of equality. Fourth, the growth period wounds had a direct impact on mental health, and inferiority complex played a significant mediating role at that time. Every subfactor of personality disorder also produced significant mediating effects except the wound factor of pride. The above-mentioned findings suggest that every possible effort should be made to let secondary students get hurt less to promote their mental health and resolve their mental health problems, and that professional counseling intervention and institutional assistance are required to help them to remove their inferiority complex and personality disorder.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.258-266
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• 2023

This study analyzed methodologies for estimating carbon stocks of perennial woody crops and the research cases in overseas countries. As a result, we found that Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, and Japan are using the stock-difference method, while Austria, Denmark, and Germany are estimating the change in the carbon stock based on the gain-loss method. In some overseas countries, the researches were conducted on estimating the carbon stock change using image data as tier 3 phase beyond the research developing country-specific factors as tier 2 phase. In South Korea, convergence studies as the third stage were conducted in forestry field, but advanced research in the agricultural field is at the beginning stage. Based on these results, we suggest directions for the following four future researches: 1) securing national-specific factors related to emissions and removals in the agricultural field through the development of allometric equation and carbon conversion factors for perennial woody crops to improve the completeness of emission and removals statistics, 2) implementing policy studies on the cultivation area calculation refinement with fruit tree-biomass-based maturity, 3) developing a more advanced estimation technique for perennial woody crops in the agricultural sector using allometric equation and remote sensing techniques based on the agricultural and forestry satellite scheduled to be launched in 2025, and to establish a matrix and monitoring system for perennial woody crop cultivation areas in the agricultural sector, Lastly, 4) estimating soil carbon stocks change, which is currently estimated by treating all agricultural areas as one, by sub-land classification to implement a dynamic carbon cycle model. This study suggests a detailed guideline and advanced methods of carbon stock change calculation for perennial woody crops, which supports 2050 Carbon Neutral Strategy of Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs and activate related research in agricultural sector.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.281-302
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• 2023

Carbon is not only an essential element for life but also a key player in climate change. The radiocarbon (¹⁴C) analysis using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is a powerful tool not only to understand the carbon cycle but also to track pollutants derived from fossil carbon, which have a distinct radiocarbon isotope ratio (Δ¹⁴C). Many studies have reported Δ¹⁴C of carbon compounds in streams, rivers, rain, snow, throughfall, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), and wastewater treatment plant effluents in South Korea, which are reviewed in this manuscript. In summary, (1) stream and river carbon in South Korea are largely derived from the chemical weathering of soils and rocks, and organic compounds in plants and soils, strongly influenced by precipitation, wastewater treatment effluents, agricultural land use, soil water, and groundwater. (2) Unprecedentedly high Δ¹⁴C of precipitation during winter has been reported, which can directly and indirectly influence stream and river carbon. Although we cannot exclude the possibility of local contamination sources of high Δ¹⁴C, the results suggest that stream dissolved organic carbon could be older than previously thought, warranting future studies. (3) The ¹⁴C analysis has also been applied to quantify the sources of forest throughfall and PM_2.5, providing new insights. The ¹⁴C data on a variety of ecosystems will be valuable not only to track the pollutants derived from fossil carbon but also to improve our understanding of climate change and provide solutions.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.19-37
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• 2008

The youth unemployment issue has not shown any improvement in years. The purpose of this study was to observe how employment issues affecting university students influence their life aims, self-efficacy, view of reality, view of the future, and life satisfaction. 239 students from three universities located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province were assessed through the instrument FLL and questions about employment issues, their life aims, life satisfaction and also their employment perspective. A total of 34 items of the FLL were divided through factor analysis into six higher life aims, self-love, family love and interpersonal aims, personal-financial aims, social-public aims, moral aims and political and ideological aims. Using Cluster analysis, three group profiles were found depending on the employment perspective such as a better view of reality, better self-efficacy, and better life satisfaction. A t-test was conducted in order to compare the two groups classified according to favorable or unfavorable employment perspectives. No significant differences existed between the groups in the perception of youth unemployment or in social-demographic factors, such as gender, age, and academic year. However, in life aims, the unfavorable group showed significantly higher interest in the domains of family love and interpersonal aims, personal -financial aims, and social-public aims than the favorable perspective group. Conversely, this group showed a significantly greater negative view of reality in most life domains, as it evaluated that its aims are more poorly achieved than the comparable group. Also, the unfavorable perspective group showed a lesser degree of self-efficacy in most life domains and the same in the category of life satisfaction, i.e., lesser satisfaction in all life domains except for family love, and moral aims. However, no significant difference existed between the groups in the view of the future. The results were discussed in relation to other social-cognitive factors for life satisfaction found in preceding studies.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.702-713
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• 2023

Purpose: Depression is a prevalent mental health concern globally including South Korea. Given the growing interest in the relationship between diet and mental health, this study aimed to investigate the association between seafood consumption and depression among Korean adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2014-2020). The study included 18,149 participants (7,541 men and 10,608 women) aged 19 years and older who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Seafood intake levels were assessed using a oneday 24-hour dietary recall, and participants were categorized into three tertiles by gender. Depression status was determined using the PHQ-9 scores and the self-report of the doctor's diagnosis and treatment. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between seafood consumption and depression in both genders. Results: Participants with a higher seafood intake had a significantly lower nutritional density of total fat, while the nutritional density of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was significantly higher. The prevalence of depression was significantly lower in the highest tertile of seafood consumption compared to the lowest tertile in both men (p < 0.001) and women (p < 0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors, the highest tertile of seafood consumption demonstrated a decreased risk of depression compared to the lowest tertile in men (odds ratio [OR], 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51-0.99; p-trend = 0.020) and women (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.59-0.91; p-trend = 0.004). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that consuming seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids may potentially reduce the risk of depression in the adult population.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.667-682
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the changes in health behavior, mental health, and nutritional status of Korean adolescents before and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak. Methods: A total of 800 adolescents (12~18 years old) who participated in the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were included as study subjects and divided into four groups (204 middle school boys, 172 middle school girls, 219 high school boys, and 205 high school girls). The 2019 and 2020 KNHANES data were classified into data collected before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, respectively. Results: After the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, middle school boys showed an increased tendency toward becoming overweight and obese, with significantly increased levels of diastolic blood pressure and insulin. While there was no major change in the subjective health status among adolescents, the high school boys showed a significantly decreased physical activity after COVID-19 outbreak. Moreover, the proportion of middle school students feeling a little stressed significantly increased after the COVID-19 outbreak. The rate of skipping breakfast significantly increased in middle school girls, but the rate of having lunch with companions significantly increased among all adolescents after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the intake of milk, vegetables, fruits, seaweeds, and pulses significantly decreased, although the intake of sugars, beverages, and seasonings significantly decreased as well, during this period. These changes may lead to an increased proportion of adolescents with insufficient intake of nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and riboflavin. Conclusion: These results highlight the impact of COVID-19 on comprehensive changes in physical and mental health status, lifestyle behavior, and nutritional status in adolescents, suggesting the need for targeted prevention and intervention for physical and mental well-being during the pandemic.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.683-701
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to analyze the status of dietary behavior and nutrition intakes according to the gender and the level of physical activity of adolescents. Methods: Data from 659 adolescents aged 13 to 18 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2017-2018) were analyzed. Collected data were analyzed using complex sampling data analysis with SPSS v. 27.0. Results: The adolescents were categorized into three groups based on their physical activity as follows: The first group with high physical activity (8.9%), a second group with normal physical activity (29.7%), and a third group without physical activity (61.4%). Boys showed significantly higher physical activity than the girls. Adolescents with high physical activity had a significantly lower body mass index than adolescents without physical activity, but their meal regularity, subjective health status, and recognition of body image were significantly higher. In terms of biochemical factors, adolescents with high physical activity had lower triglycerides and cholesterol than adolescents without physical activity, while hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher. In addition, the intakes of energy, carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamin B₁, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron increased significantly as adolescents' physical activity increased. Conclusion: The physical activity of adolescents had a positive effect on dietary behavior, lifestyle, and nutritional factors. Therefore, it is necessary to increase participation in physical classes in schools and develop various programs considering the level of physical activity among adolescents.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.577-589
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• 2023

In Korea, the technical techniques for assessing visual impacts are standardized, but the methods for assessing the marine landscape itself are not standardized and need to be improved. In particular, in the landscape impact assessment of offshore wind power generation in Korea, it is necessary to recognize the landscape itself as a receptor and prepare a system that can evaluate the characteristics and sensitivity of the landscape. In this study, we propose an evaluation method for preparing a marine landscape quality assessment document that reflects the project characteristics of offshore wind power projects, and examine the possibility of utilization by applying it to actual project sites as an example. To evaluate the quality of marine scenery in offshore wind power projects, evaluation items of landscape characteristics, physical characteristics, and socio-cultural characteristics were evaluated based on the preliminary survey contents, and the quality of marine scenery was divided into five grades. Next, the evaluation criteria of the evaluation items were synthesized and the quality of the marine landscape was classified into preservation grade (grade 5), semi-preservation grade (grade 4), buffer grade (grade 3), semi-improvement grade (grade 2), and improvement grade (grade 1). In addition, the Sinan-Ui Offshore Wind Farm, an actual project site, was randomly selected to conduct the evaluation process and examine its utilization. This study aims to complement the existing method of visual impact assessment in offshore wind power projects and evaluate the quality of the marine landscape itself to effectively conserve marine landscape resources during offshore wind power projects. Rather than relying on mechanical and quantitative evaluation, this study is expected to be used as a basis for comprehensive understanding of the location and socio-cultural characteristics of the project site and for communication and cooperation with stakeholders.