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The present study investigated relative contributions of initial status and growth rates of emergent literacy skills (i.e., phonological awareness, letter-name knowledge, vocabulary, and rapid serial naming) to initial status and growth rates of conventional literacy skills (i.e., word reading, pseudoword reading, and spelling) for young Korean children. A total of 215 four-year-old children were followed for approximately 15 months. Results showed (1) consistent effects of letter-name knowledge, phonological awareness, and rapid serial naming on conventional literacy skills, and (2) the importance of children's initial level in the emergent literacy skills for achieving conventional literacy skills. These results are discussed in light of characteristics of the Korean language and writing system.

Purpose: The relationship between the number of chronic diseases and oral health problems is unclear. We sought to determine whether the number of chronic diseases and multimorbidity have an association with oral health problems in Korean adults. Materials and Methods: Data from 23,246 adults aged ≥ 19 years, who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016 to 2019, were considered for our analyses. Participants with either masticatory or speech problems were defined as the oral health problems group. Individuals who reported having had dental treatment in the last year were defined as the dental treatment group. We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The proportions of oral health problems and dental treatment were higher in participants with multimorbidity than in those without multimorbidity (all p < 0.001). Moreover, ORs of oral health problems demonstrated a tendency to increase with the number of chronic diseases, even after adjustment (p for trend < 0.001). Compared to the participants without multimorbidity, the risk of having oral health problems increased by 25% (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.12–1.39), and that of receiving dental treatment increased by 23% (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 1.13–1.34) in patients with multimorbidity. Conclusion: The risk of oral health problems and dental treatment increased in association with the number of chronic diseases in Korean adults. The authors emphasise the risks and importance of oral health in a large population affected by multiple chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poor social connections are associated with poor digital literacy. Poor digital literacy could induce poor outcomes in daily life or health status, especially among older adults. This study aimed to investigate the effect of social participation based on its absolute magnitude on digital literacy and to confirm the well-known fact that social participations are good for digital literacy is applicable regardless of activity types in a sample of older Korean adults. Methods: A total of 9,297 adults aged 65 years or older from the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans were analyzed. All data were self-reported. Poor digital literacy was defined by limited usage of digital devices. Offline social participation was evaluated using seven different social activities: senior community activities, learning activities, religious activities, volunteer work, leisure, political groups, and club activities. Multivariable logistic regression analysis with covariate adjustment was used for the analysis. Results: Engaging in more than two types of social participation was associated with higher digital literacy: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.965, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.567–2.465 for two types of participation, and aOR 2.558, 95% CI 2.040–3.208 for more than three types of participation. Additionally, social participation occurring less than once a month and most types of offline activities were associated with improved digital literacy. However, senior community activities were negatively associated with digital literacy (aOR 0.762; 95% CI 0.681–0.852). Conclusions: In this sample of older Korean adults, it was found that the lower the social participation, the poorer the digital literacy. This association may induce the isolation of older adults from societies especially for older adults with senior community activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korea has been struggling with its faltering growth over recent years. Sorting out the key elements that have gone into this slowdown and what it takes to sustain growth into the future is important. We address the nature of growth deceleration, structural factors, and future growth scenarios and present the evidence that structural rigidities and poor-quality institutions are important factors behind Korea's very low productivity and hold a key to reviving growth. Reforms can put Korea back on a higher growth path. However, in the absence of reforms or global growth recovery, there is a great risk of long-term stagnation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to establish a comprehensive human erythrocyte antigen (HEA) frequency data set for Koreans. It also sought to develop a mobile app that facilitates the calculation of the frequencies of specific antigen-negative red blood cell units and the average number of units required for antigen typing. Methods Human erythrocyte antigen frequencies were compiled from large-scale blood donor data and 5 previous papers. Based on the collected data, we developed a mobile calculator app for HEA frequency and evaluated its usability. Results Human erythrocyte antigen frequency data for 20 blood group systems, including the ABO, Rh, MNS, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego systems, were established. The app was designed to enable users to select the desired phenotype from a drop-down menu and display the calculated frequency at the bottom. The number of units required for antigen typing to find 1 compatible red blood cell unit was also displayed. Five users participated in app evaluation and rated the functionality and information categories highly. In quizzes prompting users to calculate frequencies using the app, all participants provided correct answers, confirming the app's user-friendly functionality. Conclusions This app, which encompasses comprehensive HEA frequency data, is expected to find multiple uses in transfusion medicine, including optimizing blood bank workflow and defining rare blood groups in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nearly half of congenital heart defects (CHDs) related to mortality occur during infancy although advancements in treatments have increased the survival rates. This study comprehensively examined overall and surgical mortality in CHD infants with the highest mortality rates in an effort to improve our understanding of CHD epidemiology. Methods: Participants were drawn from a dataset of 1,964,691 infants born between 2014 and 2018 in Korea. Crucial CHDs are defined here as including diverse categorical defects and classical critical CHDs but excluding simple shunt defects. Overall mortality (procedural and natural mortality) and procedural mortality (interventional and surgical mortality) for infants were analyzed. Results: The performance rate for multiple procedures in infants with crucial CHDs was 16%. The overall and surgical mortalities of crucial CHDs were 8% and 7%. The mortalities of palliative procedures were relatively high. Procedural mortalities for infants were significantly decreased in the tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), atrioventricular septal defects, and total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) compared with overall mortalities for infants. Surgical mortalities for infants involving TOF and TAPVR were significantly lower, but those for infants involving hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) were higher than those for all ages. Conclusions: Palliative procedural techniques in infants must be improved to obtain better outcomes, particularly in the palliative surgery of HLHS. The infantile procedural outcomes for TOF and TAPVR are excellent and important in order to overcome disastrous circumstances during infancy. This comprehensive study of the overall and procedural mortalities of CHDs may have laid a cornerstone for CHD epidemiology in Korean infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transition is a national agenda, prioritised in many countries, to ensure public safety and achieve climate goals. Although enacting laws is a critical means of realising energy transition policy, legal scholarship has paid little to no attention to the role of law in a sustainable energy transition. Countries are currently experimenting with their legal frameworks to achieve sustainable and smooth energy transition policies that are most beneficial. The pivotal role of law in energy transition has led researchers to place a growing emphasis on introducing and analysing the recently enacted domestic laws in various countries, seeking implications and insights in this regard. This study draws on the example of Korea's legal framework for energy transition to argue that the voluntary nature of this agreement between the government and operator would have policy implications for many countries striving towards sustainable energy transitions. Unlike numerous other countries (eg Germany) that unilaterally force early closure of nuclear power plants by law, Korea tries to innovatively establish legal grounds that enable a voluntary agreement between the government and operators and the considerable efforts on just transition, while the government commits to contributex to bearing the costs of energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the experiences of transgender and nonbinary (TNB) individuals in counseling psychology is expanding, but studies focusing on their work experiences remain limited and primarily address workplace discrimination. This study aimed to develop a grounded theory on Korean TNB workers' interpersonal experiences at work, exploring not only their challenges but also their growth through workplace relationships. Using constructivist grounded theory methodology, the authors interviewed 16 Korean TNB workers from diverse professions and industries. The resulting theory demonstrates how TNB workers develop critical consciousness of gender, self, and society through significant changes in workplace social interactions and status. This heightened awareness enables TNB workers to balance their authentic selves with others' expectations and to engage in social advocacy. The study concludes with implications for strength-based counseling practices, advocacy needs, and directions for future research. Public Significance Statement: Through experiencing changes in interpersonal dynamics, social roles, and statuses at work throughout gender transition, Korean transgender and nonbinary workers gained a unique and critical consciousness of how gender operates within workplace and society. This facilitated Korean transgender and nonbinary workers to find a balance between who they want to be and others' expectations and to strive for social action in and out of the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there have been numerous studies investigating the relationship between religiosity and mental health, research related to religiosity through the Internet and mental health outcomes during the pandemic is still scarce. This study aimed to explore the relationships among online religious activities and interactions of stress, anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea. The results showed that Korean males' religious activities and interactions were important predictors of their mental health and life satisfaction levels, however, the same was not observed for Korean females. The findings suggest implications for future research to improve mental health and facilitate happiness in Korean men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of hospital-specific antimicrobial use is necessary for successful national antimicrobial stewardship. This study aimed to identify antimicrobial use in long-term care hospitals (LCHs) in Korea. A multi-centre retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the prescription patterns and appropriateness of antimicrobials in 20 LCHs in Korea. The medical record data of hospitalized patients who were newly prescribed antimicrobials at each hospital were collected manually between 10th July and 31st October 2023 to evaluate the appropriateness of antimicrobial use. The prevalence of antimicrobial prescriptions was 8.9% (365/4086) and 10.3% (402/3892) on 12th July 2023 and 18th October 2023, respectively. In total, 885 antimicrobials were prescribed to 740 patients. Among the antimicrobials, third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins (31.9%) represented the most prescribed antimicrobial class. A large majority of antimicrobials (96.6%, 855/885) were prescribed for the treatment of infectious diseases; however, only 37.7% (322/855) of antimicrobials were prescribed appropriately for infections. The route of administration, dosage and prescribed antimicrobial were appropriate in 99.6% (852/855), 56.1% (480/855) and 62.0% (530/855) of cases, respectively. In total, 35.2% (252/715) of patients were prescribed antimicrobials appropriately. The diagnosis of infectious disease was appropriate for 52.9% (472/892) of cases. Of the five, 15 and 10 antimicrobials used for surgical site infection prophylaxis, medical prophylaxis and other purposes, respectively, none were used appropriately. The proportion of antimicrobials used appropriately is low in Korean LCHs. These data highlight the importance of establishing antimicrobial stewardship in LCHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a grid-based precipitation quantile was estimated using long-term reanalysis precipitation data, considering the homogeneity of the annual maximum series (AMS) for the Korean Peninsula. For regions where significant changes in homogeneity were observed, the precipitation quantile was estimated using only the AMS from after the change point, and these results were compared with those from the original AMS. The examination of homogeneity revealed a significant increasing trend in homogeneity variability in the southeastern region of Korea. This change was particularly pronounced in the location parameter of the Gumbel distribution, resulting in an improved model fit. The change in precipitation quantile was most noticeable for a 2-year return period with a 36 h duration, with an average increase of approximately 11.5%. The results obtained from this study are anticipated to offer crucial foundational data for the design of hydraulic structures in regions with insufficient long-term ground observation data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marsupella minutissima was recorded for the first time outside of Japan in Jeju-do in the Republic of Korea. The new data significantly improve the knowledge of the species distribution. An analysis of the phylogenetic affinities of the species based on nuclear ITS and plastid trnL-trnF regions showed that it is resolved within the clade corresponding to Marsupella sect. Ustulatae, which is where the most morphologically similar M. funckii and M. sprucei are placed. These tree taxa are well delimited geographically. When found within the same region, such as a mountain chain, they occupy different altitudinal belts. Our results showed clear molecular delimitation; however, we failed to estimate the affinities of M. minutissima within the section based on the available molecular data. A description, line-art illustrations and photographs of the collected materials are provided; data on the oil bodies of the species were obtained for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the process of digitally reconstructing the ancient Korean city of Suwon Hwaseong in 3D utilizing Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) resources to accurately represent its wooden architectural heritage. Previous 3D reconstructions of cultural heritage have often prioritized appearance or remained partially disassembled. However, our reconstruction method offers a comprehensive representation of the appearance and the internal structure of wooden architectural heritage, which can be suitable for restoration maintenance. To ensure accuracy in digital restoration, we collected and utilized administrative records and historical materials, including the geography, fortress walls, folk houses, and Haenggung (the temporary palace of the Joseon Dynasty)—drawing from the archive of the Korean Cultural Heritage Service's management records and the 1796 manuscript "Uigwe: Royal Protocols of the Hwaseong Fortress" which documents the construction of the ancient city of Suwon Hwaseong. Extensive architectural records were used to generate HBIM data, which digitized historical records, documents, and drawings to accurately represent the complex layout of the wooden architectural heritage. For the folk houses that lacked design records and the fortress walls that retained their original shape, we performed a digital restoration-based façade modeling. These elements of the ancient city of Suwon Hwaseong were assembled into a 3D model using Unreal Engine (version 5.1.1) to digitally reconstruct the city and enhance its visual representation. The digital restoration content, which utilizes visual effects and precise rendering from a game engine, can be used for the restoration, repair, and maintenance of both appearance and internal structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractJamie Doucette’s The Postdevelopmental State: Dilemmas of Economic Democratization in Contemporary South Korea is an outstanding account of democratic politics and the “post-development state” in South Korea. It takes up several issues that have broader relevance to those working on issues of capitalist and democratic crisis, including inequality, the failure of transformative progressive projects, and a deepening political crisis. The review essay argues that the crisis of the post-developmental state is the contradiction between capital accumulation and social reproduction that leads to growing unrest and an emerging form of authoritarian statism. This is at the heart of the democratic crisis in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many countries have sought to promote well-being for their entire populations through the implementation of universal health coverage (UHC). To identify the extent to which UHC has been attained, it is necessary to evaluate equity of access to use of needed care and the cost burden of health services for the country's entire population. This study considers income-related inequalities in health care utilization and spending in a long-term perspective for the case of the Republic of Korea. Methods: Exploiting longitudinal data from a nationally representative health survey from 2008 to 2018, this study investigates how income-related inequalities in health care in Korea have varied over time and examines the extent to which need and non-need factors contribute those inequalities, using an in‐depth decomposition analysis, allowing for heterogeneous responses across income groups. Results: The empirical results show that overall health care utilization is disproportionately concentrated among the poor over both the short and long run. Income-group differences and non-need determinants, such as marital status and private health insurance, make larger pro-poor contributions to inequality in inpatient care use, while chronic disease prevalence greatly pushes outpatient care utilization in a pro-poor direction. The results regarding inpatient care expenses indicate a similar pattern of pro-poor bias. Long-run inequality favors the better-off in terms of outpatient care expenses, where the contribution of income-group differences has the largest impact. Conclusion: My findings suggest that it is important for health care policy in Korea to focus on improvements in the health status and well-being of low-income groups, as poor people are likely to be in poorer health. Non-need contributors could worsen pro-poor inequalities if the economic disparity across households were to increase due to the demographic transition. Higher spending on inpatient care may be a heavier financial burden for low-income people. Additional supportive measures should be provided to prevent them from suffering economic hardship. By contrast, people in high-income groups may spend most on costly services in outpatient care, including uninsured services, with the help of private health insurance. Nevertheless, the expansion of income disparity should be alleviated even from a health care policy perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Various patterns of alcohol consumption are associated with trauma and violence. The aim of this study was to assess the association between traumatic dental injuries (TDI) due to violence and different patterns of alcohol consumption in Korean adults. Materials and Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted with representative sample of Korean adults. Among the total participants, 11.8% (6489/58,999) experienced TDI, and 0.9% (520/58,999) experienced TDI due to violence. The associations between various types of alcohol consumption (frequency of drinking, frequency of binge drinking, age of first drinking) and TDI due to violence were assessed using logistic regression analyses. We confirmed differences in the prevalence experience of TDI due to violence with various types of alcohol consumption by confounders (socioeconomic status). Results: All types of drinking (frequency of drinking, frequency of binge drinking, age of first drinking) were strongly associated with TDI due to violence. After adjusting for confounders, those who started drinking at the age of 18 or younger and drank 4 or more days a week (OR: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.68–4.88), those who started drinking at the age of 18 or younger and drank 3 days or less a week (OR: 2.37, 95% CI: 1.40–4.02), and those who started drinking at the age of 18 or younger and binge drinking at least once a week (OR: 3.18, 95% CI: 1.79–5.65) had higher prevalence of TDI due to violence compared to those with no alcohol drinking. Conclusions: This study presents evidence of an association between various types of alcohol consumption and TDI due to violence in Korean adults. These findings suggest the necessity for policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption, frequency of drinking, and access to drinking especially in adolescent to reduce the prevalence experience of TDI due to violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review examines the critical issues of declining total fertility rates (TFRs) and aging populations in East Asia with special focus on South Korea. It provides a comprehensive analysis of TFR trends, aging demographics, and the policy responses of these nations to the lowfertility crisis. This study highlights the intricate tapestry of the factors contributing to these demographic shifts, including economic, social, and cultural influences. It also examines the effectiveness of various prenatal policies implemented across these countries, offering insight into their successes and limitations. Furthermore, it explores the role of immigration as a potential solution to the structural challenges posed by low birth rates. This review underscores the importance of multifaceted strategies for addressing the complex demographic challenges faced by South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of obesity in Korea has steadily increased over the past decade, reaching 38.4% in 2021. Notably, the rate of class II– III obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher, exceeded 7% in the same year. Since January 2019, the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) has provided coverage for bariatric surgery (BS) for eligible patients. Coverage is available for individuals with a BMI of 35 kg/m² or higher, or those with a BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher who also have obesity-related comorbidities. Additionally, partial reimbursement is offered for BS in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have BMI values between 27.5 and 30 kg/m². From 2019 to 2022, the NHIS recorded 9,080 BS procedures, with sleeve gastrectomy being the most commonly performed. The average percentage of weight loss 198±99.7 days post-surgery was 17.9%, with 80.0% of patients losing more than 10% of their body weight. This article presents the trends in obesity and BS in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the Cancer Public Library Database (CPLD), established under the Korean Clinical Data Utilization for Research Excellence project (K-CURE). The CPLD links data from four major population-based public sources: the Korea National Cancer Incidence Database in the Korea Central Cancer Registry, cause-of-death data in Statistics Korea, the National Health Information Database in the National Health Insurance Service, and the National Health Insurance Research Database in the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service. These databases are linked using an encrypted resident registration number. The CPLD, established in 2022 and updated annually, comprises 1,983,499 men and women newly diagnosed with cancer between 2012 and 2019. It contains data on cancer registration and death, demographics, medical claims, general health checkups, and national cancer screening. The most common cancers among men in the CPLD were stomach (16.1%), lung (14.0%), colorectal (13.3%), prostate (9.6%), and liver (9.3%) cancers. The most common cancers among women were thyroid (20.4%), breast (16.6%), colorectal (9.0%), stomach (7.8%), and lung (6.2%) cancers. Among them, 571,285 died between 2012 and 2020 owing to cancer (89.2%) or other causes (10.8%). Upon approval, the CPLD is accessible to researchers through the K-CURE portal. The CPLD is a unique resource for diverse cancer research to investigate medical use before a cancer diagnosis, during initial diagnosis and treatment, and long-term follow-up. This offers expanded insight into healthcare delivery across the cancer continuum, from screening to end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study unpacks the Buddhist assimilation of Namsan (South Mountain) in Kyŏngju through the creation and aggregation of Buddhist sculptures and structures on its slopes during the seventh to tenth centuries. Though steeped in native lore regarding nature deities and efficacious rocks, auspicious geological features such as Namsan were recast as part of a Buddhist landscape filled with manifestations of the Buddha and his attendants. These images served to demarcate claims of Buddhism's place in the peninsula and were situated within sites that were previously marked and claimed by indigenous systems of belief. Employing an approach that draws parallels with David Harvey's concept of urban environments as palimpsests, this paper reveals that Namsan was a multifaceted site, with military fortifications, temples, and rock-carved sculptures augmenting its spiritual and political significance. The repeated installation of Buddhist imagery 'recovered' the mountain, subsuming indigenous beliefs under Buddhist practices. This research finds that Namsan's landscape was purposefully layered, reflecting the dialectical relationship between various communities and their religious and social practices over time. Analyzing Namsan as a palimpsest underscores the strategic appropriation of the mountain's materiality and sacrality to establish a Buddhist territory deeply intertwined with the Silla elite's politics and ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examined the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic on depression and suicidal ideation in community‐dwelling elderly in Korea. Methods: Data were employed from a survey on elderly mental health in Jeollanam‐do (southwest province in Korea), conducted by the Jeollanam‐do Provincial Mental Health and Welfare Center. A total of 2423 people were recruited from all 22 cities in Jeollanam‐do from April to October, 2021. We used self‐reported questionnaires including sociodemographic factors, COVID‐19‐related stress, the Geriatric Depression Scale‐Short Form Korean Version, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Satisfaction With Life Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale. Logistic regression was performed to examine the factors of depression and suicidal ideation. Results: Of the 2423 subjects, 622 (25.7%) reported depressive symptoms and 518 (21.4%) reported suicidal ideation. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that living alone, poor perceived health status, worry of COVID‐19 infection, and restriction of daily activities due to COVID‐19 pandemic are significantly associated with depression. Female gender, poor perceived health status, inability to perform household chores, and depressive symptom are risk factors of suicidal ideation. Conclusion: These findings show that old age, negative perception of health, and restriction of daily activities due to COVID‐19 are risk factors of depression in community‐dwelling elderly in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Female gender, poor self‐perceived health status, and depression increase the risk of suicidal ideation among the elderly. Social support and life satisfaction are protecting factors of both depression and suicidal ideation. Resilience decreased risk of depression but not in suicidal ideation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the halal food services provided by South Korean health care institutions to patients from the United Arab Emirates and their companions. This study considered only patients who traveled for medical tourism. Semistructured interviews were conducted, and the primary topics discussed by participants were their experiences and the factors that affected their overall satisfaction. In February 2017, a chain referral sampling technique was used to recruit 15 patients/companions from the United Arab Emirates. To ensure consistency, an interview guide was used by the interviewer during the interview sessions. The participants were asked specific questions regarding their experiences with the food services, such as "How satisfied were you with the food services in the Korean health care institutions?" and "How was your experience with the food services in the Korean health care institutions?". Recordings were transcribed into and analyzed in Arabic. All participants were males between the international age of legal adulthood and 49 years old. Notable gaps emerged following the analysis among the various levels of halal meal service provided to the participants by different Korean health care institutions. The following five levels were revealed by the analysis: the management of the Korean health care institutions did not understand the patients' needs; Korean health care institutions addressed the situation and adopted a new halal food policy; the food offered by Korean health care institutions was not fully perceived as halal; the food offered by Korean health care institutions was not perceived as good-quality halal food; and the food was delicious, preferred, and trusted by the patients. In-depth consideration of the diversity of religious needs in different cultures as well as the availability of the means of meeting those needs in medical tourism destinations might help enrich our understanding of global medical tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, one in three students are now enrolled in private higher education institutions (PHEIs), with the total reaching almost 70 million enrolments. This pattern is similar across a highly diverse Asia: more than 35% of students are enrolled in the private sector, and around 60% of higher education institutions (usually much smaller than their public counterparts) are private. But in East Asia, a combination of high participation rates and a rapidly ageing demographic has led to a complex, developing crisis, particularly in a much‐expanded private sector. Adding to the existing suite of problems – finance, over‐supply, declining standards, regulatory issues, and in some cases, corruption – the combined effect of recent COVID disruptions, regional economic reversals, and a rapidly ageing demographic has intensified existing problems, constituting a major crisis for the sector, especially more marginal private institutions. The analysis charts the various responses of governments in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China, draws out some of the limits to reform, and poses the dilemma for the future of private higher education in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the national and regional trend in the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis for adolescent males in South Korea from 2015 to 2022. A total of 2,666,277 Korean adolescent males were routinely examined at regional Military Manpower Administration offices. The data gathered from Military Manpower Administration were retrospectively collected to measure the prevalence and 95% confidence interval of lumbar spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis according to the year and region in South Korea. The Spearman correlation analysis was performed to assess the correlation between lumbar spondylolysis, isthmic spondylolisthesis, and several factors including height, weight, current smoking rate, and occasional and high-risk alcohol consumption. The prevalence of spondylolysis per 10,000 individuals showed a gradual increasing trend from 2015 to 2022 On the contrary, the prevalence of isthmic spondylolisthesis per 10,000 individuals decreased over a consecutive 8-year period. There were no statistical differences in the prevalence of spondylolysis and isthmic spondylolisthesis between Greater Seoul and the countryside. The prevalence of isthmic spondylolisthesis was significantly correlated with occasional (r = 0.81, P = 0.015) and high-risk alcohol consumption (r = 0.86, P = 0.007). The prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis among adolescent men has increased, whereas isthmic spondylolisthesis has shown a decline over a consecutive 8-year period. The trends in prevalence for both lumbar spondylosis and isthmic spondylolisthesis were similar across the regions in South Korea. Notably, there was a significant correlation between the prevalence of isthmic spondylolisthesis and the rate of alcohol consumption in adolescent men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we propose an early warning system for the shipping industry in Korea using two approaches. The signal approach and the logit model are used to develop a comprehensive monitoring system. An early warning index based on the signal approach is constructed with 12 indicators. The index shows high accuracy in predicting crises. The logit model is then adopted to enhance the performance of the early warning system. The results of this study show that the complementary use of these two methods can establish an efficient market monitoring system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To ascertain, among a sample of Korean multicultural adolescents, the longitudinal predictive effects of acculturative stress and parent–adolescent conflict on depressive symptoms and life satisfaction, both (a) directly and (b) indirectly through Korean and heritage cultural practices and identifications. Method: We analyzed longitudinal data from the nationally representative Korean Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study (MAPS; 2011–2016). The sample consisted of 1,433 households at Wave 3 (the first timepoint used in the present analyses), and 92.7% of families were retained until the end of the study. Adolescents completed measures of acculturative stress and parent–adolescent conflict at Timepoint 1, heritage and Korean cultural practices and identifications at Timepoints 2 and 3, and depressive symptoms and life satisfaction at Timepoint 4. Results: Acculturative stress at Timepoint 1 predicted both depressive symptoms and life satisfaction at Timepoint 4 indirectly through Korean cultural practices and identifications. Parent–adolescent conflict at Timepoint 1 directly predicted depressive symptoms at Timepoint 4 and predicted life satisfaction indirectly through heritage-cultural practices and identifications. These links were invariant across adolescent sex. Conclusions: Among Korean multicultural adolescents, acculturative stressors inhibit engagement in Korean cultural practices and identification as Korean, whereas conflict with parents inhibits engagement in heritage cultural practices and identification with the foreign-born parent's cultural heritage. Decreased Korean and heritage cultural practices and cultural identifications predict increased depressive symptoms and lowered life satisfaction. These findings suggest that culturally stressful experiences can impair psychological functioning among Korean multicultural adolescents by undermining acculturation to both Korean and heritage cultural systems. Public Significance Statement: Culturally stressful experiences (i.e., acculturative stress and [foreign-born] parent and adolescent conflict) exert adverse effects on mental health, although the mental health implications for multicultural youth are unclear. Our results indicate that culturally stressful experiences are significantly linked with depressive symptoms and life satisfaction through acculturation processes among Korean multicultural adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether capital account liberalization is beneficial for inducing foreign investment and positively affects allocative efficiency and economic performance in Korea. Using panel data on Korean industries and firms from 1991 to 2019, we confirm that capital account liberalization is positively associated with foreign investment. This effect is more pronounced for industries with high external financing dependence. Additionally, we conduct a firm-level analysis and find that capital account liberalization improves capital allocative efficiency, indicating that it helps firms with high growth opportunities to make more investment. Furthermore, changes in allocative efficiency attributable to capital account liberalization positively affect firms' future financial performance. Overall, our study highlights the importance of capital account liberalization in attracting foreign capital, improving allocative efficiency, and enhancing the economic performance of firms in a transition economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has been conducted on job insecurity and participation in the workplace. However, to date, empirical research on the relationship between job insecurity and citizen participation is extremely scarce. To fill the void, the aim of this study is to examine the nexus between job insecurity and citizen participation in Chile and South Korea where embraced the New Public Management principle. Grievance and resource theory of participation offer contrasting predictions for the influence of job insecurity on citizen participation. Analyzing the wave 7 of the World Values Survey, this paper verifies the two lines of enquiry in examining the influence of job insecurity on citizen participation. The results of an ordered logit regression model demonstrate that the impact of job insecurity on citizen participation varied depending on the types of job insecurity and citizen participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Active fault segments in the Northern Kyushu area are of concern in seismic hazard analysis of the southeastern Korean Peninsula (KP) due to their proximity. In this study, we numerically simulate the peak ground motions at the southeastern KP for MW 6.7-7.1 earthquake scenarios at five major active fault segments located in northern Kyushu: Kego SouthEastern, Nishiyama OshimaOki, Nishiyama Nishiyama, Kikugawa Central, and Kikugawa Northern fault segments. We conducted fully 3D seismic-wave propagation simulations integrating 3D seismic velocity model and earthquake scenarios generated through pseudodynamic rupture modeling. After applying the region-specific attenuation value, the predicted peak ground velocities (PGVs) ranged from 0.18 cm/s (modified Mercalli intensity [MMI] III) to 26.76 cm/s (MMI VIII), depending on the earthquake scenarios. The PGV distributions were influenced by several factors, such as crustal velocity anomalies, rupture directivity, and the distribution of source parameters on the fault plane. Despite the fixed fault geometries, magnitudes, and hypocenters, significant variations in peak ground-motion distributions were simulated due to differences in the source statistics. The estimated probability density distributions of PGV indicated a significant likelihood of peak ground motions surpassing 20 cm/s in the Yeongnam Province. Furthermore, we identify a linear relationship between the average PGV values and standard deviation across 20 scenarios for each fault segment, to quantify the uncertainty in the PGV distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) fourth (DPRK4, 6 January 2016 MW 4.49) and sixth (DPRK6, 7 September 2017 MW 5.2) declared nuclear tests, employing a joint seismic and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) inversion to improve understanding of these events and enhance moment tensor (MT) inversion capabilities. The recent efforts have focused on employing seismic waveform and InSAR geodetic deformation data separately to analyze these and the previous nuclear tests (e.g., Chiang et al., 2018; Myers et al., 2018; Wang et al., 2018). Building upon our previous work (Chi-Durán et al., 2021), we performed a joint regional waveform, first-motion (FM) polarity, and surface displacement inversion, which demonstrated improved source-type discrimination, a revised MT solution with reduced scalar moment uncertainty, and an independently constrained location. In this article, we build on the previous results for DPRK6 by including an analysis using a four-layered velocity model with free-surface topography to compute the near-source static deformation Green's functions. The model consists of a 50 m basalt layer (VP = 2.07km/s, VS = 1.2km/s), a 250 m stratified volcanic deposit layer (VP = 1.73km/s VS = 1km/s), a 700 m weathered granodiorite layer (VP = 2.5km/s, VS = 1.3km/s) and a granodiorite half-space (VP = 5.35km/s, VS = 3.09km/s). The half-space shares the velocity of the regional MDJ2 velocity model (Ford et al., 2010), which has proven effective for waveform inversion in the region. This model considers the range of reported values for various lithologies and weathering effects. Our findings show that using the layered velocity model enhances the recovery of source location and depth for both the explosions by improving fits and reducing uncertainties. The joint inversion also improves source-type discrimination and better constrains the scalar seismic moment necessary for downstream yield estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated both the positive and negative impacts of perceived changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' wellbeing. This study aimed to comprehensively identify the factors associated with the overall wellbeing of the youth population. A cross-sectional study design was employed using data from the 2020 Korean Survey of Children and Youth. Data were collected from N = 7,170 adolescents (aged 9–24 years) during the implementation of social distancing measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants provided self-reported data about their COVID-19–induced perceived changes, wellbeing, parental support, and self-esteem between November 2020 and February 2021. The effect of COVID-19–induced perceived changes on adolescents' wellbeing during the pandemic was assessed by evaluating the mediating roles of parental support and self-esteem. The findings highlighted a serial mediating effect of parental support and self-esteem on the relationship between adolescents' COVID-19–related perceived changes and wellbeing. This study deepens the understanding of the intricate interplay between pandemic-related perceived changes, mediating factors, and wellbeing among adolescents. The findings imply that a comprehensive approach combining interventions aimed at enhancing self-esteem at the individual level with parental support may be most effective in improving adolescents' wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though network scholars long have observed that people experience high rates of network turnover, theorization on how ties dissolve has lagged behind, with natural tie decay dominating as the primary explanation. Many deviants face stigma and become social pariahs from communities of origin, yet current network theories struggle to explain how such processes of network dissolution occur. Using interviews conducted with Korean unwed mothers, a highly stigmatized and hard-to-reach population, this study shows that shared culture in networks—norms, expectations, and meanings—plays a key role in how people navigate stigma in their networks. I demonstrate that tie severance requires work : relational work that matches network-specific culture. I propose a typology of tie severance processes along two dimensions, actor and motive, and identify associated relational work for each type. This study shows that macro-level cultural values are adapted to each network and (re)interpreted before relational work can be engaged to manage social relations. • Explores how tie severance occurs beyond natural tie decay. • Stigmatized alters engage relational work throughout the tie severance process. • Case study of a hard-to-reach population, Korean unwed mothers. • Proposes a tie severance typology along two axes, actor and motive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crisis phenomena (wars, epidemics) push people to seek spirituality. Scholars also need to study the experience of successful religious movements to identify effective management approaches in this area. An example of such a movement is the University Bible Fellowship (UBF). The study aims to identify effective methods of building a lay movement and methods of managing it and its development, based on the example of the UBF. To achieve this goal, the historical-genetic and historical-functional methods were used. It turned out that small group and one-on-one Bible studies are the most effective, as these didactic approaches have a therapeutic effect on movement members and candidates. An important role in the functioning of the Fellowship is played by the practice of writing personal testimony (sogam). From the point of view of ecclesiology, a certain amount of uncertainty is useful for the lay movement, which allows it to attract representatives of different denominations. The ability of the founders of the movement and its leaders to use their leadership qualities was important, as is seen in the examples of Samuel Lee and Sarah Barry. Some types of activities of religious organisations, such as presence on social media, are notable to convey religious experience but are necessary in the modern world. The rapid involvement of movement members in missionary or volunteer activities also plays an important role. The results of this study can be used both to further study the history of the UBF and to create lay movements using the most effective methods of management, evangelism, and didactic influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the pandemic, a number of states instituted hold-harmless funding policies to protect school district financially from declining enrollments. In addition, some school choice policies have protected traditional public schools financially from declining enrollments. Together, these policies raise the question of whether competitive effects can exist in a policy environment of reduced financial pressure. Theoretically, despite the lack of financial pressure, schools could feel competitive pressure in other ways including a loss of reputation as students move to schools of choice. To provide insights on whether schools can improve without the threat of financial loss, we examine the Seoul school choice program which introduced autonomous private high schools (APHSs) in the context in which there is equalized funding across schools. More specifically, we examine whether competition induced by APHSs affects the achievement of students attending traditional public and private schools. The effect of APHSs is identified by exploiting plausible exogenous APHSs' entry through the random assignment of students. We find a small and positive effect of APHS penetration on the Korean and English achievement of private school students while finding no effects for traditional public schools, which have limited ability to respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chiton species belonging to the genus Ischnochiton J. E. Gray, 1847 are commonly found in intertidal rocky shores worldwide, with the exception of the northern Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Ischnochiton species are characterised by imbricate girdle scales that are uniform in size, rounded, sculpted with striae or occasionally smooth. However, their species-level taxonomy is complicated due to the high variation in their shell microstructures. Despite more than a hundred species reported worldwide, taxonomic studies of this group remain relatively unexplored in Korean waters, with only a few species recorded to date. New information: In this study, we compared the microstructural characteristics of tegmentum sculpture, girdle scales and radula amongst four Korean Ischnochiton species using high-resolution microscopic images and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Along with mtDNA cox1 sequence comparison, a comprehensive analysis of their morphology revealed that I. hayamii Owada, 2018 was identified for the first time in Korean waters. This species is morphologically distinguished by its small body size of adults, smooth lateral areas on valves and small perinotum scales sculptured with weak longitudinal ribs. Phylogenetic analysis of the mtDNA cox1 sequence provides distinct resolution at the species level, but interrelationships amongst Ischnochiton species remain unresolved. Results from the morphological and molecular analyses presented in this study offer valuable taxonomic information for accurate species identification amongst closely-related Ischnochiton species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The family Proalidae Harring & Myers, 1924, includes four genera and 53 species, distributed across all eight biogeographic realms and inhabiting various environments, including freshwater, saltwater and terrestrial environments. The genus Proales, the largest within Proalidae, encompasses 41 species characterised by diverse morphological traits. In Korea, the presence of Proalidae has been documented with five known species: Bryceella perpusilla Wilts, Martínez Arbizu & Ahlrichs, 2010, B. stylata (Milne, 1886), B. tenella (Bryce, 1897), Proales fallaciosa Wulfert, 1937 and Proalinopsis caudatus (Collins, 1872). New information: A new species, Proales amplus sp. nov., is the 42nd species within the genus Proales. This species exhibits unique morphological characteristics in the trophi, particularly in the epipharynx, which are distinctive enough to prevent misidentification with other Proales species. The habitus of the new species bears some resemblance to P. phaeopis Myers, 1933, sharing features, such as an elongated and fusiform body, two eyespots, a single foot pseudosegment, two short toes and the absence of a dorsal papilla between the toes. However, the epipharynx of the two species is markedly different. The unique epipharynx characteristic of this new species is unparalleled within the genus Proales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the school-related factors that influence students' global citizenship. To explore both student-level and school-level factors that influence students' global citizenship, we applied a hierarchical linear model using PISA 2018 data from Korea. The results showed that factors related to teacher's GCED practices and school climate can play an important role in fostering students' global citizenship. Based on these findings, we suggest that a whole-school approach is needed to promote the inclusion of GCED-related topics in various school curricula and to integrate GCED values into the overall school culture to enhance students' global citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a rare genetic disorder that affects structures derived from the ectodermal germ layer. Results: In this study, we analyzed the genetic profiles of 27 Korean patients with ED. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on 23 patients, and targeted panel sequencing was conducted on the remaining 4 patients. Among the patients in the cohort, 74.1% (20/27) tested positive for ED. Of these positive cases, EDA and EDAR mutations were found in 80% (16/20). Notably, 23.1% (3/13) of EDA-positive cases exhibited copy number variations. Among the 23 patients who underwent WES, we conducted a virtual panel analysis of eight well-known genes, resulting in diagnoses for 56.5% (13/23) of the cases. Additionally, further analysis of approximately 5,000 OMIM genes identified four more cases, increasing the overall positivity rate by approximately 17%. These findings underscore the potential of WES for improving the diagnostic yield of ED. Remarkably, 94.1% of the patients manifesting the complete triad of ED symptoms (hair/skin/dental) displayed detectable EDA/EDAR mutations. In contrast, none of the 7 patients without these three symptoms exhibited EDA/EDAR mutations. Conclusions: When conducting molecular diagnostics for ED, opting for targeted sequencing of EDA/EDAR mutations is advisable for cases with classical symptoms, while WES is deemed an effective strategy for cases in which these symptoms are absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAmid United States-led efforts to internationalize and multilateralize support for Taiwan and cross-Strait deterrence in response to mounting coercive pressure from China, the April 2021 and May 2021 U.S.-Japan and U.S.-South Korea summit statements’ unprecedented references to ‘peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait’ triggered global headlines. In the 3 years since, U.S. expectations for treaty allies to do and say more in support of Taiwan and cross-Strait deterrence have surged. But what of the perspectives and policies of key front-line treaty allies Japan and Korea, each host to tens of thousands of forward-­deployed U.S. forces? This study comparatively analyzes the historical and contemporary evolution of Japanese and Korean positions and policies vis-à-vis Taiwan and the role their leaders see for their country and respective alliance with the U.S. in the event of a ‘regional contingency’: a conflict not involving—at least initially—armed attacks on ally-administered territory. After highlighting the similarities between Seoul’s and Tokyo’s intentionally ambiguous positions on Taiwan’s status, it explores important differences in each allies’ willingness to deepen practical engagement with Taiwan, to expand their respective alliance’s focus beyond territorial defense, and to stretch the bounds of the ally’s own potential contributions in a regional contingency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do some Christian foreign mission groups dispatch missionaries to some culturally and politically risky states where they face personal risks and political entanglements? Using world polity theory, I argue that local religious groups' motivations are driven by their involvement in international religious networks, which mobilize missionaries to go to places such as Muslim countries. Based on 30 semistructured interviews with South Korean missionaries and leaders of churches and mission organizations, I illuminate that globally shared discourse of unreached people encouraged missionaries to volunteer to go to high‐risk states. I also suggest that Korean religious actors did not passively accept the influence of the international discourse but also reconstructed the discourse. The study also highlights that a missionary's dual identity as a religious actor and another profession to get a visa in high‐risk countries is bound up with the state's surveillance and potential persecution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on British perceptions of Korea in the late nineteenth century, examining how Korea was viewed by Western travelers and periodicals amid the country's political instability and impending subjugation by foreign powers. It explores how British travel accounts and periodicals depicted Korea, its people, and its condition, highlighting the limited awareness of Korea's geopolitical significance at the time.

This study conducts a systemic comparison of minimum wage decision-making in Korea and Taiwan. It demonstrates that Korea's big-business-dominated economy builds confrontational labour–business relations to be exploited by political parties, resulting in partisan decisions on the minimum wage, to a greater extent than Taiwan's more mixed economy. A large social divide based on the economic structure translates into a substantial partisan difference in minimum wage policies, when endorsed by the unique features of the minimum wage issue and carried out through the agents of the tripartite commission. As seen from the outcomes, a marked difference exists between Korea and Taiwan: Korea shows a dramatic fluctuation in annual minimum-wage increases, whereas Taiwan's increases remain stable across different governments. Korean governments actively respond to their core constituencies, whether labour or business, while Taiwan governments seek to strike a balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores whether South Koreans' superordinate identification with North Koreans leads to increased humanization of and empathy for North Koreans as well as reduced negative feelings toward North Koreans. This study also examines whether superordinate identification intensifies support for people-to-people exchanges and unification using an experiment. South Koreans' increased superordinate identification with North Koreans leads to greater humanization of the latter as well as less negative feelings toward them but does not affect support for unification. This suggests that extended contact is enough to generate superordinate identification with the outgroup but not enough to affect support for government policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India and the Republic of Korea signed the India–Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2009 and have been actively engaged in upgrading this agreement since 2015. This article analyses the India–Korea CEPA from a services trade perspective. It compares the services commitments undertaken by the two countries under the India–Korea CEPA and the WTO. It further assesses the gains for India from the CEPA by comparing services exports and imports before and after the CEPA came into operation. The study finds that India's services exports to Korea have increased more than its imports from Korea, resulting in an increase in India's services trade surplus with Korea after the CEPA. The study recommends exploring bilateral labour agreements with Korea to facilitate the movement of natural persons in specific sectors and further liberalisation commitments from Korea in services of India's interests during the CEPA upgradation. JEL Classification: F13, F14, F15 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]