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Climatic fluctuations and geological events since the LGM are believed to have significantly impacted the population size, distribution, and mobility of many species that we observe today. In this paper, we determined the processes driving the phylogeographic structure of the Korean endemic white forsythia by combining the use of genome‐wide SNPs and predicting paleoclimatic habitats during the LGM (21 kya), Early Holocene (10 kya), Mid‐Holocene (6 kya), and Late Holocene (3 kya). Using a maximum of 1897 SNPs retrieved from 124 samples across nine wild populations, five environmental predictors, and the species' natural occurrence records, we aimed to infer the species' demographic history and reconstruct its possible paleodistributions with the use of approximate Bayesian computation and ecological niche models, respectively. Under this integrated framework, we found strong evidence for patterns of range shift and expansion, and population divergence events from the onset of the Holocene, resulting in the formation of its five distinct genetic units. The most highly supported model inferred that after the split of an ancestral population into the southern group and a larger central metapopulation lineage, the latter gave rise to the eastern and northern clusters, before finally dividing into two sub‐central groups. While the use of molecular data allowed us to identify and refine the (phylo)genetic relationships of the species' lineages and populations, the use of ecological data helped us infer a past LGM refugium and the directions of post‐glacial range dynamics. The time frames of these demographic events were shown to be congruent with climatic and geological events that affected the central Korean Peninsula during these periods. These findings gave us a better understanding of the consequences of past spatiotemporal factors that may have resulted in the current fragmented population distribution of this endangered plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the ways in which marriage-labor immigrants manage, facilitate, and fulfill discourses about mothering in Korea by giving birth to and raising children. Through a series of semi-structured ethnographic interviews, 'go-along' interviews, and fieldwork with marriage-labor immigrants in Korea in 2013, 2014, and 2015, I investigated the emergent tension and anxiety around the recent demographic changes in Korea and the subsequent impact on discourses about mothering. This paper concludes by exploring the implications of how the reproductive and affective labor of marriage-labor immigrants functions in contemporary Korea to facilitate cultural discourses about gender, lineage, and national identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Late Mesozoic, the Eastern North China Craton changed from being controlled by the Palaeo‐Asian tectonic domain to the marginal Pacific tectonic domain. The Eastern North China Craton transformed the E–W compression to NNE–SSW extensional tectonics under the influence of two tectonic domain transformations. However, the timing of the transformation of the tectonic domains remains controversial. The North Yellow Sea Basin is located in an important position in the Eastern North China Craton at the junction of the Pacific and Eurasian plates and is controlled by two tectonic domains. Therefore, the sediments in the basin are faithful records of the transformation of the two tectonic domains. Based on the latest and high‐precision detrital zircon U–Pb dating data, sandstone modal analysis, and elemental geochemical analysis in the North Yellow Sea Basin combined with regional tectonic, palaeontological, and palaeoclimatic evidence, this paper discusses the provenance from the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous, which responds to the Late Mesozoic tectonic domain transformation in the Eastern North China Craton, and provides important evidence of provenance in the North Yellow Sea Basin to determine the time of tectonic domain transformation. These results suggest that the source rocks of sediments in the North Yellow Sea Basin have changed from ancient sediments (ancient craton/recycle orogenic belt) in the Middle Jurassic to Late Jurassic, to felsic igneous rocks in the Early Cretaceous. The peak of zircon U–Pb ages changed from 234, 1,842, and 2,429 Ma in the Late Jurassic to 217 and 1,871 Ma in the Early Cretaceous. The provenance changed from the Sulu Orogenic Belt and Precambrian basement of the Jiaodong Peninsula in the Late Jurassic, to the igneous rocks and Precambrian basement of the Liaodong Peninsula and Korean Peninsula in the Early Cretaceous. The provenance direction of the sediments changed from south‐west in the Late Jurassic to the north and south‐east in the Early Cretaceous. The tectonic setting of the basin changed from compression to extension. The changes in the peaks of zircon U–Pb age, characteristics of the source rocks, provenance direction, and basin tectonic setting in the Middle Jurassic to Early Cretaceous in the North Yellow Sea Basin are a response to the change from E–W compression to NNE–SSW extensional tectonics caused by the transformation of two tectonic domains. In the Early Cretaceous, the Eastern North China Craton completed the transformation of two tectonic domains that were influenced and controlled by the marginal Pacific tectonic domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a set of candidate regulatory requirements for TV band devices (TVBDs) in the Rep. of Korea. To guarantee the protection of incumbent services, especially digital TV (DTV) and wireless microphones, in TV frequency bands, we suggest minimum separation distances of TVBDs from the noise-limited contour according to incumbent users and TVBD types. This paper also deals with multiple sets of separation distances of a co-channel TVBD network from a DTV protected contour on the basis of the radio propagation characteristics of different geographic areas to make good use of TV white space (TVWS) and safely protect the DTV service. We present a low-power transmission mode of TVBDs and the relevant separation distances for small-cell deployment. The service coverage reduction ratio of a TVBD network is investigated in the presence of DTV interference in four geographic areas. The TVWS field verification results, conducted on the island of Jeju (Rep. of Korea), show that incumbent services operate well without harmful interference from neighboring TVBDs with the proposed separation distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of a vehicle subsidy program introduced in Korea in the wake of the 2008 global recession. I adopt a simple binary choice model to approximate a household's decision to purchase a new car and identify the policy effect using a difference-in-difference framework in which non-eligible households serve as the control group. The estimation results are as follows. First, the subsidy program significantly boosted the overall demand for new vehicles, increasing the average probability of a new purchase by eligible households from 7.1 to 13.9 percent. Second, beneficiaries of the subsidy program were mostly rich households and those owning relatively new cars. Finally, the program effect on aggregate vehicle sales was not quickly reversed in contrast to recent evidence on the comparable US program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity conservation in protected areas requires strict legal limitations to land use. In the Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) of the Republic of Korea (ROK), military control has created an accidental sanctuary for the world's rarest crane species: the white‐naped crane (Antigone vipio) and the red‐crowned crane (Grus japonensis). Yet varying land use demands on the CCZ by stakeholders have caused disagreements in achieving cooperative crane conservation. This paper aims to clarify relevant stakeholders' interconnection and their motives that have led them to either promote or inhibit crane conservation in the Cheorwon Basin of the CCZ. To answer these questions, we conducted participatory Net‐Map interviews and identified stakeholders with a powerful role in crane conservation. Our results identify 44 stakeholders whose trust relations occurred twice as often as conflicts. More than 80% of stakeholders included in this study supported crane conservation initiatives. We attribute local farmers' increased level of environmental stewardship to two key schemes: a community‐led farming project generating financial incentives and a communication channel for stakeholders. Our case study demonstrates that Net‐Map is a valid tool to analyze human‐crane interactions, which is critical to ensure acceptance of legal restrictions to land use as well as crane conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines recent reversals and divergences in Japan's and Korea's free-trade agreement (FTA) patterns and strategies through the cases of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the Japan-Australia FTA, and the Korea-China FTA. Throughout the 2000s, South Korea was much more proactive in pursuing FTAs with major trade partners and agricultural exporters compared to Japan. Departing from its past FTA practices, however, Japan recently concluded the Japan-Australia FTA and the TPP negotiations, which include substantial liberalization of Japan's politically sensitive and heavily protected agricultural sector. In contrast, Korea has increasingly been taking a more protective stance in its recent FTAs and has been hesitant to join the TPP negotiations. This paper argues that changes in Japan's and Korea's domestic trade governance - in other words the institutions of trade policy-making that encompass the authority structure, decision-making processes, and coordinating mechanisms among various societal and political actors - explain Japan's and Korea's shifting FTA patterns and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the implications of Together towards Life: Mission and Evangelism in Changing Landscapes ( TTL) in the Korean context. TTL presents a renewed understanding of mission and challenges the mission activity of the Korean church and mission community. The paper explores some missiological implications of TTL for the once marginalized Korean church, which has become the centre of global Christianity. The world church has begun to recognize the rise of the non-Western churches and the emerging roles of the Korean church. TTL, with a study guide, and Ecumenical Missiology should serve as helpful resources for teaching and training theology students and field missionaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper revisits the long-run determinants of house prices, and analyzes the house price dynamics using Korean data taking into account the close relationship between house prices and household debt. The results of cointegrating regression indicate that the major portion of the rise in house prices in Korea over the last 15 years can be explained by changes in macro variables such as household income, the demographic structure, the user cost of home ownership and the housing stock supply. The results also confirm that house prices are, indeed, closely linked to the steep increase in household debt seen over this period. Estimation of an error correction model shows that the extent of convergence of actual house prices to their long-run equilibrium path has weakened somewhat since the global financial crisis while the speed of convergence has slowed, indicating structural changes in the Korean housing market. Finally, a forecast for house prices over the next several years suggests that they are unlikely to rise as sharply as they did in the 2000s, given the likely changes in the macro-financial environment, and that their future path will be closely associated with that of the household debt-to-income ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The purpose of this study was to identify the endodontic microbiome in primary teeth with dental caries using high-throughput pyrosequencing and to establish data on the oral microbiome of primary teeth with endodontic infection. Methods Ten primary teeth with dental caries and endodontic infection were included. Samples were collected from root canals using sterilized paper points and analyzed by pyrosequencing, based on the V1-V3 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. The data were analyzed using the CLcommunity software. Results Analysis of the 10 samples yielded a total of 64,291 16S rRNA gene sequences. In total, 1586 OTUs (range, 91-235), six bacterial phyla, including unclassified, and 187 genera were assigned. At the genus level, Neisseria (group A), Acinetobacter (group B), and Fusobacterium (group C) were prominent. These predominant microorganisms were associated with the clinical condition and reflected the progression of endodontic infection in primary teeth. Conclusions This study revealed a relationship between the oral microbiome and endodontic infection in primary teeth. Additionally, anaerobic bacteria such as Fusobacterium species were dominant in the teeth with apical abscesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the features of reverse mortgages in Korea, comparing beneficiary and non-beneficiary groups in relation to income security for elderly homeowners without sufficient income. In addition, this study estimates how much poverty rates would decrease if all elderly single and couple households joined the program. A reverse mortgage was implemented in 2007 in Korea as a government guaranteed scheme for elderly homeowners. Notwithstanding the contribution of the reverse mortgage program, many elderly homeowners do not utilize the system as a useful means to earn additional income. Given the high elderly poverty rate and incomplete social safety net in Korea, the program should be extended to supplement the insufficient income of elderly 'house-rich but cash-poor' households. The paper first reviews reverse mortgage policy details. We then investigate key characteristics of the beneficiaries and compare beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries based on nationwide survey data. Finally, we estimate the potential income-raising effects of the program and draw implications of the income security policy in Korea and reconfiguration of the welfare state in a broader context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence‐based policymaking relies on the use and robustness of the available data. Many conceptual and operational difficulties restrict this process, not least in making use of evidence to identify policy priorities. The Active Ageing Index (AAI), developed originally for the 28 European Union countries, offers a strong motivation in this respect. This paper reports on the development of the AAI for Korea, a country where speed and level of population aging is among the highest in the world. Drawing on the comparative analysis of the AAI results for Korea, China, and European countries, we find that Korea's AAI (35.3) is higher than the average of the AAI for all EU countries (33.9) but lower than China (37.3). Fitting Korea into the overall ranking with the EU countries and China (ranked 7), Korea is ranked 11, just behind Germany (10). The AAI results in Korea show that the employment domain performs extremely well compared with the EU countries, but other domains, especially "Social participation" and "Independent, healthy and secure living," are achieving less favorable outcomes. High employment among the current cohorts of older workers in Korea can be attributed largely to the constraints of low pension income status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Due to worsening environmental conditions around the globe, firms have been investing a great deal of money in green technologies as a way of coping with the environmental crisis. This paper uses a unique data set based on the Korea Innovation Survey to examine the impact of green innovation on labor productivity, and the determinants of environmental activities in 2010. The empirical results show that green innovation intended for both firm and customer benefits has a positive effect on labor productivity. This finding means that firms need to implement firm-oriented green innovation as well as customer-oriented green innovation in order to increase their performance. Our findings also show that there are significant differences in aggregate green innovations depending on different firm sizes and industries. Specifically, large firms implement environmental activities more than small ones, and pollution-intensive industries tend to invest more in activities related to environmental technology. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Papers in Regional Science is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To investigate school performance of childhood cancer survivors focusing on the child's functioning, including peer relationships, school attendance, and academic achievement.Methods: We studied 241 children from 15 institutions in Korea between 2015 and 2016. The self-reported paper-and-pencil questionnaires were used.Results: Approximately 22% of the survivors suffered from lack of friends. Bullying was reported by 30% of survivors. Survivors who returned to primary school reported a higher incidence of bullying compared with survivors who returned to middle or high school (P = 0.03). The percentage of children who missed classes more than 4 days in a month was higher in survivors with brain tumors than those with other tumors (P = 0.04). Approximately 41% of children reported learning difficulty. After returning to school, 53% of the patients reported that they had lower overall mark averages than they had before. Patients who returned to high school showed the highest rate of repeating a grade and the lowest rate of achieving high academic marks. The school marks in the Korean (P = 0.03), English (P = 0.04), and physical education (P = 0.04) were worse for the children with brain tumors than for the children with other tumors.Conclusion: We found that 20% to 25% of survivors experienced peer-related difficulties upon returning to school. Patients who return to school, especially high school, should be provided more educational support to overcome low academic achievement. Particular concern is needed to the patients with brain tumors, who are at risk for significant academic and social difficulties and therefore may require more intensive support in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether South Korea's official development assistance (ODA) has promoted foreign policy cooperation from its recipients. To this end, vote congruence between South Korea and its ODA recipients over important issues in the UN General Assembly is analyzed. The results show that, as the size of South Korea's ODA increases, its recipients are likely to vote alongside South Korea on issues important to South Korea, such as nuclear issues, human rights, and resolutions on human rights abuses in North Korea, in the UN General Assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of the adoption of inflation targeting ( IT) on the dynamics of city-level inflation in Korea using both aggregate and sector-level data. When looking at aggregate regional inflation, we find that the mean, volatility and persistence fell in all cities in the wake of the monetary policy regime change, consistent with other evidence in the literature. Delving more deeply into the disaggregate data reveals additional insights however. For most of the changes we observe in the dynamics of regional inflation, we find that the aggregate effects are being driven primarily by sectors that fall into the 'Services' category. We posit that the impact of better anchored inflationary expectations is primarily on the less-traded services sectors of the economy, where the domestic monetary policy framework has a relatively larger influence. When it comes to the increased co-movement observed across regions under an IT regime, however, it is the 'Commodities' sectors rather than 'Services' that are responsible, probably because services inflation becomes relatively more influenced by local factors once it has stabilized within the target range. Therefore, adoption of IT may not necessarily increase all measures of regional synchronization even when the goal of better-anchored inflationary expectations is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Factor Augmented Vector Autoregressive model is constructed in a way that it resolves the price puzzle problem and separately identifies domestic and foreign monetary policy shocks by imposing a small-open economy structure. An analysis on the employment data grouped by age and gender reveals that only the young male worker group exhibits an inverse relationship between employment and domestic policy rates. In the case of the foreign (the United States) policy rate rise, however, the negative response of employment could be observed for all of the worker groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of foreign participation in Korean Treasury Bond (KTB) futures and its role in price discovery, using daily transactions data from the over-the-counter market and from the Korea Exchange for the futures. Our analysis suggests that foreign trading in the KTB futures market leads the price discovery process for the underlying bonds. Empirical results show that foreigners' daily net long positions in the futures market exert significant influence in KTB and KTB futures prices. We also find that it is the unexpected component of foreign investors' net long futures positions that explains a significant share of the pricing effects. Our empirical results also suggest that information transmission between cash and futures markets has improved significantly in the crisis and post-crisis period while local market participants have become better in extracting information content from market transactions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 37:23-51, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we estimate the wage penalty of skill mismatches among young Korean workers using propensity score matching (PSM) and ordinary least squares (OLS) methods. OLS estimates suggest that a moderate wage penalty results from skill mismatches: 3.8 percent for men and 5.6 percent for women. In contrast, PSM estimates suggest a weakly significant wage penalty for men and women only when kernel matching (KM) is used, but not when nearest neighbor matching(NNM) or radius matching (RM) techniques are used. These results contradict the findings of previous studies and suggest that there may not be a substantial wage penalty associated with skill mismatches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The objective of this paper was to explore how present-day filial piety is understood among Koreans in geographically different settings. Methods Data were collected from qualitative interviews with 61 Korean participants in Australia, New Zealand and Korea and then thematically analysed and evaluated. Results The findings from this study show that filial piety for Koreans consists of family care and support, along with respect for parents. The norm of filial piety is regarded as an important aspect of intergenerational family relationships in current Korean culture, while its practice is perceived as increasingly eroded within a context of major socio-cultural and economic changes, including migration. Conclusion The results show that the tension between the social and economic aspects of filial piety often creates a 'bystander' attitude toward parents and provides fertile ground for the seeds of family conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about whether differences in help‐seeking behaviours for urinary incontinence (UI) between the general population and Korean immigrant women are associated with differences in meaning of having UI from a cultural perspective. The purpose of this paper is to examine the similarities and uniqueness associated with these two perspectives from both the US and Korean standpoints. Similar to the USA, UI in Korea has been constructed from a biological perspective. The cultural construction of UI in both the USA and Korea is grounded in sexism. Subtle differences exist in each country regarding ageism and shame. In this cultural construction of UI on sexism, ageism and shame, managing the signs and symptoms of UI necessitates an approach different from that used in countries such as the USA. Findings from this study will contribute to understanding the health in Korean immigrant women who have poor health care access and utilization owing to cultural constraints. Health policy for minorities and policy makers should consider the cultural variances and meaning of UI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the short-run and long-run dynamic relationships between exchange rates and foreign direct investment ( FDI) in Korea. Monthly data retrieved from the Bank of Korea from January 1999 to March 2012 are examined. A cointegration test, a vector error correction model, the Wald test and impulse responses techniques are applied to analyze the data. The present study finds that, first, long-run causation between exchange rates and FDI flows exists, which implies that a change in exchange rates negatively affects FDI flows in the long run. Second, short-run causation between exchange rates and FDI flows exists, which confirms that there is reciprocal feedback between the two variables. Finally, the study finds evidence of a structural break from the global financial crisis of 2007-2009 shock to FDI flows in Korea. An external shock affects changes in the endogenous variables and, thus, causes instability in the cointegrating vector in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sishilichangshan area of southwestern Xuhuai Basin, located in southeastern North China Craton (NCC) and to the north of the Qinling–Dabie Orogenic belts, is a key, optimal area to study the regional evolution of the NCC because of its stratigraphic differences within the NCC. An integrated approach of the field investigation, element geochemistry, and detrital zircon U–Pb–Hf isotope analysis reveals essential information on the Mesoproterozoic–Neoproterozoic tectonic‐sedimentary evolution of the Xuhuai Basin. The youngest graphical peak ages of detrital zircons from the Shouxian Formation at the top of the Bagongshan Group, the Jiuliqiao Formation at the bottom of the Huainan Group, and the Anyangshan Formation are 1003 ± 25 Ma, 991 ± 80 Ma, and 832 ± 23 Ma, respectively. New age constraints and stratigraphic correlations show that the traditional Neoproterozoic strata in the southern Xuhuai Basin consist of Late Stenian to Early Tonian Bagongshan and Huainan groups, and the Late Tonian Anyangshan Formation, which overlapped unconformably with mid‐late Ediacaran or Cambrian Series 2 strata. The Anyangshan Formation is first termed in this study, and its equivalent strata occur sporadically in the southeastern, southwestern and northwestern NCC. The Tonian Shouxian, Jiuliqiao, and Anyangshan formations are characterized by detrital zircons of multi‐stage Mesoproterozoic ages and predominantly positive εHf(t) values, with differences in mineral composition, whole‐rock geochemistry, and the Early Neoproterozoic detrital zircon age population. Their possible provenance was a Grenvillian orogen extending from the North Qinling Terrane (NQT) to the central Korean Peninsula, supporting Late Mesoproterozoic to Early Neoproterozoic initial accretion related to the continental arc between the NCC and NQT. Tectonic transition from Late Stenian to Early Tonian (~1.18–0.94 Ga) collisional basin to mid‐late Tonian (0.94–0.74 Ga) rift basin is interpreted as the response of the NCC to the assembly and extension of the Rodinia Supercontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines daily longitudinal locations of South Asia High (SAH) in September and its connection with Asian September rainfall variation. Results suggest that daily longitudinal locations of September SAH exhibits as bimodality, which is featured by two preferable locations with one high‐frequency location lying over southern Tibetan Plateau and the other over southern Iranian Plateau. Referred to the two preferred locations, the SAH is classified into east and west SAH mode. The two modes may be attributed to a warm column over central eastern Tibetan or eastern Iranian Plateau, which warms the above troposphere and maintains a SAH at upper troposphere over corresponding location. In addition, bimodality of the SAH has a close relationship with Asian September rainfall. The east mode of SAH is associated with an increasing rainfall over western China and decreasing rainfall over northern Indian Peninsula, southwestern Tibetan Plateau, Indochina Peninsula, eastern China and Korea Peninsula, while the west mode of SAH is linked with the reverse pattern. Specifically, the atmospheric circulation at upper troposphere is featured by one large anticyclonic circulation above eastern Tibetan Plateau and two cyclonic circulations over northern Iranian Plateau and eastern Korea. In the lower troposphere, southerly and northerly anomalies form a convergence zone over western China. Meantime, a cyclonic moisture circulation with warm and wet southerly vapour flow results in above‐normal rainfall over western China. An anticyclone over northern Iranian Plateau at lower troposphere results in an anticyclonic moisture divergence and deficient rainfall over southwestern Tibetan Plateau and northern India. Moreover, a cyclonic circulation over eastern Korea Peninsula with marked northwesterly and moisture flux divergence results in below‐normal rainfall over eastern China and Korea Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the factors affecting the 2m‐temperatures (T2m) in South Korea in winter (DJF) from 1979/1980 to 2018/2019. For this purpose, we performed an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the geopotential height at 500 hPa in the region 15°–75°N, 70°E–180° centred around the Korean Peninsula. The first EOF mode, which accounted for 31.1% of the total variance of the winter T2m in the region, is related to the KamChatka Blocking Frequency (KCBF). The second mode, which accounted for 18.3%, is associated with East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). In addition to EOF analysis, the partial correlation (PC) analysis also confirmed that KCBF Index and EAWM Index, which are highly correlated with the winter T2ms in South Korea, are independent of each other. The individual and combined effects of the KCBF and EAWM are examined because they independently affect the winter T2ms in South Korea. According to the composite analysis, in the years when KCBF is higher than normal (H_KCBF), negative and positive Z500 anomalies are located over the south Sea of Japan and the Kamchatka Peninsula, respectively. In other words, the positive geopotential anomaly over the Kamchatka Peninsula lowers the T2ms of South Korea by blocking the flow of cold air moving eastward from the Korean Peninsula. In the years when a strong EAWM occurred (S_EAWM), negative and positive Z500 anomalies are located over the Manchuria region and the northwestern regions of Russia, respectively. Consequently, cold air in the north moves southward, resulting in lower T2ms in South Korea. For the combined effects of KCBF and EAWM on the T2ms, winters of 40 years are categorized into L_KCBF‐W_EAWM, L_KCBF‐S_EAWM, H_KCBF‐W_EAWM and H_KCBF‐S_EAWM years. The analyses show that when KCBF and EAWM are in phase, the T2ms in South Korea are more prominent than when they are out‐of‐phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major earthquakes in continental regions may cause significant damage. Preexisting fault system across megacity receives high attention for possible seismic damages. Earthquake occurrence mechanism is important to assess the geohazard potentials. Continental‐scale Quaternary fault system is developed across the Seoul metropolitan area where the population is the largest in the Korean Peninsula. Historical seismic‐damage records suggest potential seismic hazards in the Seoul metropolitan area. We investigate the fault motions and spatial distribution of earthquakes in the Seoul metropolitan area using a matched‐filter technique that is based on stacked waveform crosscorrelation functions among densely‐deployed seismic stations. The analysis detects 1103 earthquakes that include 360 events with magnitudes (ML) of −0.6 to 2.0 around the Chugaryeong fault and 34 events with magnitudes of −0.5 to 2.7 around Wangsukcheon, Pocheon, and Yeseonggang faults. The seismicity suggests a set of near‐vertical subparallel (or orthogonal) faults that develop from the major faults. A major fault system behaves as a backbone structure that makes branch faults develop, producing seismicity including major earthquakes. The backbone structure may control the fault development that conforms to the ambient stress field. The backbone faults may play a role to increase geohazard potentials. Plain Language Summary: The Seoul metropolitan area is the most populated region in the Korean Peninsula. Historical seismic damage records and major Quaternary faults suggest high seismic hazard potentials in the region. The identification of earthquake‐spawning faults is crucial for seismic hazard mitigation. We illuminate the earthquake‐spawning faults from micro to small earthquakes in the Seoul metropolitan. We perform a matched‐filter analysis to find earthquakes in adjacent locations of reported events. Recently‐deployed temporary dense seismic stations allow us to detect microearthquakes in high ambient‐noise environments of the megacity. We detect 1103 earthquakes that include 360 events with magnitudes (ML) of −0.6 to 2.0 around the Chugaryeong fault and 34 events with magnitudes (ML) of −0.5 to 2.7 around Wangsukcheon, Pocheon, and Yeseonggang faults. The earthquake distribution suggests the presence of active near‐vertical subparallel or conjugate faults along the major Quaternary faults that may behave as backbones of earthquake‐spawning faults. Key Points: Micro to small earthquakes occur around Quaternary faults in the Seoul metropolitan areaSubvertical strike‐slip faults develop along the Quaternary faults, responding to the ambient stress fieldClustered earthquakes occur along conjugate or subparallel faults [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post‐collisional processes cause uplift and exhumation of the overthickened crust together with the formation of sedimentary basins. To determine the influence of post‐collisional processes on sedimentation, we investigated the Early Mesozoic Munamdong Formation of the Yuljeon Basin in the Korean Peninsula, deposited immediately after the orogenic events caused by the collision of the North China Block and South China Block. Facies analysis shows that the Munamdong Formation was deposited in a streamflow‐dominated alluvial fan under tropical/subtropical climatic conditions. Vertically, the Munamdong Formation exhibits a fining‐upward trend with changes in stacking patterns, from highly amalgamated channel conglomerates to floodplain fines, indicating a progressive increase in the creation of accommodation space exceeding sediment supply. Moreover, the types of gravels in the conglomerate beds and the petrographic characteristics of the sandstones suggest that the sediments were supplied rapidly from nearby Precambrian high‐grade metamorphic rocks and Triassic post‐collisional plutons. These results indicate the supply of sediment from restricted sources, implying that the drainage basins did not widen even during intermittent quiescence of basin subsidence. We interpret the fining‐upward trend and uniform composition of sediments to have resulted from rapid uplift and exhumation of the orogenic crust, together with rapid tectonic subsidence, possibly aided by post‐collisional magmatism. This study shows that the Munamdong Formation reflects a close connection between surficial sedimentation and post‐collisional tectonic processes. This study will help to fill the gap of understanding between deep crustal processes and post‐collision sedimentation with insight into the Early Mesozoic tectonic environment of the East Asian continental margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) is an ecologically and economically important species widely distributed across the North Pacific Ocean. However, the population size of this fishery resource has declined globally. Identifying genetic integrity, diversity and structure, and phylogenetic relationships of wild populations of O. keta over an entire species' range is central for developing its effective conservation and management plans. Nevertheless, chum salmon from the Korean Peninsula, which are comprised of its southwestern range margins, have been overlooked. By using mtDNA control region and 10 microsatellite loci, we here assessed the genetic diversity and structure for 16 populations, including 10 wild and six hatchery populations, encompassing the species entire geographic range in South Korea. The analyses showed that genetic diversity is significantly higher for wild than for hatchery populations. Both marker sets revealed significant genetic differentiation between some local populations. Comparisons of six wild and their respective hatchery populations indicated that allele/haplotype frequencies considerably differ, perhaps due to a strong founder effect and/or homogenizing of hatchery populations for stocking practice. Despite its single admixed gene pool for the Korean chum salmon, some local populations housing their own unique lineages should be accorded with a high priority to safeguard their genetic integrities. The results of our comparative analyses of the Korean population with other North Pacific chum salmons (inhabiting regions of Japan, Russia, and North America) revealed a lower diversity but higher contribution to the overall species‐level genetic diversity, and also its unique genetic integrity. These findings advocate for the evolutionary significance of the Korean population for species‐level conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In extensional and transtensional basins, the dual action of basin‐forming tectonism and explosive volcanic activity results in deposition of complex volcano‐sedimentary successions. Since both aspects contemporaneously affect sediment‐dispersal systems, it is difficult to distinguish one from the other by analyzing volcano‐sedimentary successions. To discriminate tectonic influence, basin fills of the Miocene, pull‐apart Janggi Basin were investigated. Here, the contemporaneous influence of tectonic subsidence and explosive volcanism formed <966 m thick, conformable volcano‐sedimentary successions composed of laterally extensive, pumice‐bearing, unwelded pyroclastic deposits and nonmarine sedimentary rocks formed under humid climatic conditions. Based on Laser Ablation – Multiple Collector – Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry zircon U–Pb age data, these successions were deposited from 21.1 ± 0.2 to 20.1 ± 0.1 Ma. After deposition of basinwide, tens of metres thick, and unwelded pyroclastic deposits, the directly overlying facies successions (FS‐1 and FS‐2) show contrasting depositional features to the classical model of volcaniclastic sedimentation. Facies succession‐1 is represented by fluvial conglomerates composed mostly of (sub)rounded pebble and cobble sourced from basement. The supply of basement‐derived clasts through fluvial systems resulted from development of physiographic relief during or soon after the eruption by syndepositional tectonic subsidence. Facies succession‐2 occurs directly on pyroclastic deposits that cover FS‐1 and show coarsening‐upward trends, and is composed of basal lacustrine mudstones and overlying resedimented volcaniclastic sandstones showing a progradational geometry, interpreted as a result of progressive filling of the lake by remobilized volcaniclastic sediments. Occurrence of basal lacustrine laminated mudstones indicates that syndepositional creation of the accommodation by tectonic subsidence exceeded forceful input of pyroclastic and remobilized volcaniclastic sediments, resulting in a delayed sedimentary response to explosive volcanic eruptions. This study shows that, despite voluminous production of volcaniclastic sediments, tectonic activity controlled sediment type and stacking patterns. Therefore, these depositional features allow to discriminate tectonic effects from complex volcano‐sedimentary successions, enabling to reconstruct basin evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smart media (SM) industry has demonstrated that it has the characteristics to increase user innovative activities, enhance open innovativeness, and increase the segmentation of innovation value. This study introduces and evaluates an innovation system that reflects the characteristics of the SM industry. We categorize the SM industry into hardware, network, platform, and content industries and perform an AHP analysis (based on a survey of 96 experts) to evaluate the relative importance of the factors/factor groups affecting the creation of innovation. The results show that "collaboration activity" is a more important factor than other innovation factor groups (financial support, R&D, policy environment, human resources) in the SM industry. The results also show that the important factors/factor groups differ by industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approximately 40‐km long high‐resolution reflection seismic profile (P3) was acquired in the metropolitan area of Seoul in South Korea for the purpose of fault system imaging in a highly noisy and challenging urban environment. Two 12t seismic vibrators (mini‐vibs) were used as the seismic source. Data were recorded using a dual element seismic spread; 20 m spaced 421 wireless seismic recorders connected to 10 Hz geophones and 20 micro‐electro‐mechanical‐based landstreamer sensors (2 m sensor spacing) attached to one of the vibrators. The purpose of the dual spread employed was to delineate both near‐surface and deep structures. The processing results show good quality and the processing work was complemented by different analysis to further constraints the geological interpretation. The survey results provide evidence for the 3D geometry of three fault systems, including Chugaryeong, Pocheon, and Wangsukcheon faults. A gently westerly dipping set of reflectivity underlying a dome‐shaped package of reflectivity is interpreted as a fault, and could project to the known surface position of the Pocheon fault. The dome‐shaped reflectivity is interpreted as folded and faulted dyke or sill systems. Downward continuation of the interpreted fault intersects the sub‐vertical Chugaryeong fault in a zone where the current seismicity is observed, suggesting that these two major fault systems may have jointly evolved in the form of splay faults. Reflections from the Wangsukcheon fault are also present in the data and interpreted to dip approximately 60° to the east, in an opposite direction to the two other faults. Plain Language Summary: An approximately 40‐km long high‐resolution reflection seismic profile was acquired in the metropolitan area of Seoul in South Korea for the purpose of in‐depth fault system imaging in a highly noisy and challenging urban environment. Two different types of receivers were used simultaneously to achieve good results from both shallow and deep structures. Processing results have good quality and are complemented with different analysis to further constraints the geological interpretation. The survey results provide evidence for the 3D geometry of three fault systems, including Chugaryeong, Pocheon, and Wangsukcheon faults. A gently westerly dipping structure underlying a dome‐shaped structure is interpreted as a fault, and could project to the known surface position of the Pocheon fault. A dome‐shaped reflectivity is interpreted as folded and faulted dyke or sill systems. Downward continuation of the interpreted fault intersects the sub‐vertical Chugaryeong fault in a zone where the current seismicity is observed, suggesting that these two major fault systems may be connected and jointly evolved. Results from the Wangsukcheon fault are also present in the data and it is interpreted to approximately dip 60° to the east, in an opposite direction to the two other faults. Key Points: Reflection seismic imaging of fault systems in Seoul metropolitan areaSuggested dependency of the regional seismicity from Chugaryeong fault systemDeep geometry reconstruction of three regional fault systems [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the structure of latent heating rate during different stages of mesoscale convective system (MCS) over the Korean Peninsula, a four nested domain Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulation with two‐way nesting method has performed. Advanced physics options from the Korean Integrated model physics are considered for simulation. Latent heating rate associated with condensation, evaporation, deposition, sublimation, freezing and melting process is computed based on different microphysical process using WRF double moment (WDM6) microphysics scheme. During the development/mature stage of the convective system, the warming associated with latent heat release by condensation is dominant below 400 hPa, and deposition above 500 hPa. The maximum contribution of warming processes from condensation, cloud nucleation, graupel accretion, and ice, snow deposition is evident. Cooling processes from rain, cloud evaporation followed by graupel, and snow melting are also noticed. Major updrafts associated with ascent of air parcel and large hydrometeor distribution is apparent along with downdrafts in the lower levels. In the dissipating stage, the cooling due to latent heat absorption by evaporation below 600 hPa and melting around 600 hPa are dominant. Contribution from cooling processes is dominant with major downdraft motion in the lower levels corresponding to the hydrometeor fall velocity. Dominant positive (negative) total latent heating provided (restrained) the energy for convection during developing and dissipating stages of system. Varied distribution of total cloud hydrometeors in different stages is apparent. Consistency between cloud hydrometeors, net heating rates, major upward (downward) motion and corresponding rainfall in developing (dissipating) stages of MCS is noticed. Model simulated latent heating (WDM6) profiles are consistent with computed moisture source and sink terms (ERA5). Plain Language Summary: Using cloud microphysics production rates latent heating rate of phase change process (condensation, evaporation, sublimation, deposition, melting and freezing) are simulated using Weather Research and Forecasting double moment (WDM6) microphysics scheme in the severe convective environment. Investigation of different microphysical processes on latent heating structure and subsequent effect on the storm structure and dynamics improve the understanding of physical mechanisms in the storm environment in turn help to improve the cloud microphysical processes. Key Points: Cloud microphysical production rate terms from cloud microphysics scheme Weather Research and Forecasting double‐moment 6‐class scheme (WDM6) are considered for latent heating rate simulationLatent heating rate structure of Mesoscale convective system is investigatedCloud microphysical production rate terms from cloud microphysics scheme WDM6 are considered for latent heating rate simulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Taean Formation on the central western margin of the Korean Peninsula contains layered metapelite, quartzo‐feldspathic schist, amphibolite, calcsilicate, and impure marble. The layering was formed by tectonic transposition of the original bedding. The formation has lithologic and isotopic age signatures similar to those of metasedimentary rocks of the Imjingang Belt, which is the eastern extension of the Qinling–Dabie–Sulu Belt, and the depositional age of the formation can be constrained to the Late Devonian. The metamorphic pressure–temperature (P–T) path for the formation is characterized by a high ΔP/ΔT prograde part and subsequent near‐isothermal decompression with peak P–T conditions of 600–620°C and 9.0–10.5 kbar, based on observations of mineral assemblages and phase equilibria modelling. Strong compressional deformation (Dn) produced a N–S‐trending Sn foliation that transposed the earlier Sn–1 and isoclinal Fn folds and was coeval with an episode of medium‐ to high‐pressure amphibolite‐facies metamorphism. The NNE–SSW‐trending left‐lateral Ryeseonggang Fault played a key role in producing the N–S distribution of the metamorphosed forearc deposits along the western coast of the Korean Peninsula. The peak metamorphism and deformation occurred during the early Permian to Early Triassic (276–250 Ma), with retrogression taking place during the Late Triassic (c. 230 Ma), as inferred from new U–Pb zircon age data and previous titanite and muscovite ages for the formation. The clockwise P–T–t (time)–d (deformation) path for the Taean Formation indicates rapid burial during Dn followed by rapid exhumation during the Permian–Triassic collision between the Qinling microcontinent and the North China Craton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most powerful Tohoku–Oki (TO) earthquake that occurred in Japan on 11 March 2011 affected Japan as well as South Korea. In the current study, we investigated contemporary geodetic deformation inside South Korea before and after the TO earthquake using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements from 01 January 2008 to 31 December 2017. Measured velocities of GNSS sites are modeled by Auto‐regressive moving average (ARMA) method to analyze the long‐term GNSS time‐series variation and to investigate the secular tectonic crustal deformation. We found that the maximum co‐seismic displacements during the TO earthquake reached up to 36.82 ± 0.21 mm in the east and 5.90 ± 0.08 mm in the north directions. The geometric model of the co‐seismic thrust surface was characterized by a rectangular plane with a dip of 12.0° and strike 200°. The thrust is situated at 25 km hypocenter depth, with an area roughly ∼470 km long and ∼120 km wide. The seismicity pattern after the earthquake indicated that the compressional strain started to be replaced by the extensional strain during the post TO earthquake period from 2011 to 2014. Further, the strain became predominantly extensional during the period 2015 to 2017, revealing an effective rotational change that occurred inside the Korean Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the strategic competition between the United States and China intensifies, South Korea is facing growing pressure to chart an optimal diplomatic strategy to navigate the convoluted geopolitics and foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and beyond. At this crucial juncture, this study examines multi‐faceted, capacity‐building measures for peace aimed at precluding Sino–US friction in the East and South China Seas from spilling over into the Korean Peninsula. This article presents a road map to stimulate and reinvigorate security cooperation among South Korea, the United States, and Japan and economic cooperation among South Korea, China, and Japan in a virtuous cycle, and by extension to craft a dialogue channel among South Korea, the United States, and China. It also puts forward a three‐stage program for the evolution of the South Korea–US alliance whereby South Korea secures flexibility in its approach to China based on the robust trust of the alliance. This is to enable South Korea to assume a key role in connecting the three trilateral cooperation channels with the development of the Seoul–Washington alliance being a key driver to expand Seoul's diplomatic capacity. In the end, this study envisions a foreign policy model for South Korea that would allow the middle‐power country to punch above its weight by expanding the framework of cooperative security. It aims to ultimately pursue a multilateral, common security architecture in Northeast Asia, including China, which will serve as a multilayered catalyst to promote lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What makes the schemes to address Pyongyang's nuclear program so ineffective? Aside from conventional explanations, two gray zone discourses are at play. First, the gray zone discourse of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula has been viable since 1991. Second, another gray zone discourse of nuclear arms control with North Korea has been gathering pace recently. Gray zone discourses blur the line between North Korea and the United States regarding who should be a targeted state. How are gray zone discourses at play in the long process of negotiations and talks? Who is the most likely to win if these gray zone discourses remain intact? These blurred discourses also help North Korea become a recognized nuclear power and a normal state in an international arena. Leaving the distorted mechanism unchecked can encourage a gray zone perpetrator to seize the initiative of tackling nuclear issues, allowing North Korea to achieve a final goal of nuclearization. As part of the efforts to make gray zone discourses unfunctional, three strategic and policy remedies need to be at the forefront: making black‐and‐white discourses, increasing leverage to North Korea, and establishing a zero‐gray‐zone strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We estimate the open economy new Keynesian Philips curve ( NKPC) to characterize the inflation dynamics of Korea. While recent studies show that the NKPC holds for the pre-currency crisis period, the empirical evidence is inconclusive for the post-crisis period. Has globalization increased the role of global factors relative to domestic factors? Can labor income share still serve as a good measure of real marginal cost following the structural break? To address these issues for the post-crisis period, we use two types of open NKPC: the relative prices model and the incomplete pass-through model. The estimation of both models indicates that the forward-looking behavior is important, and its role is reinforced in an open economy specification. Both NKPC models also show that the external factors are more relevant inflation drivers than the domestic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determine high‐resolution 3‐D tomographic images of P‐wave isotropic velocity, radial anisotropy and azimuthal anisotropy beneath NE Asia down to 800 km depth. Our results show negative radial anisotropy (i.e., Vhorizontal < Vvertical) in the asthenosphere of the big mantle wedge (BMW), which may reflect mineral alignment caused by vertical flow in the asthenosphere. Across the Tanlu fault zone (TLF), the western and eastern parts of the BMW exhibit high and low P‐wave velocities, respectively. Combining our tomographic results with surface geological features, we speculate that convection in the BMW includes upwelling asthenosphere beneath the Japan Sea and the Korean Peninsula and downwelling asthenosphere beneath the Songliao and North China basins. The downwelling asthenosphere beneath the two basins is associated with diminishing volcanism and anomalous tectonic subsidence since ∼110 Ma. The great TLF is an important boundary for the BMW structure and dynamics. Plain Language Summary: The subducting Pacific plate becomes flat in the lower part of the mantle transition zone beneath NE Asia, and a big mantle wedge (BMW) has formed above the flat slab. The BMW controls tectonic and geological activities in NE Asia, which are characterized by large‐scale sedimentary basins, lithospheric thinning, large strike‐slip faults, deep earthquakes and intraplate volcanism. However, the convection pattern in the BMW is still unclear. We determine the first 3‐D P‐wave radial anisotropy model down to 800 km depth beneath NE Asia, as well as high‐resolution tomographic images of isotropic P‐wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy. We find predominant negative radial anisotropy in the BMW and east‐west variations of velocity structure. Combining the tomographic results with surface geological features, we speculate that convection in the BMW may include upwelling flows beneath the SW Japan Sea and the southern Korean Peninsula and downwelling flows beneath the Songliao and North China basins. Key Points: The first 3‐D radial anisotropy model beneath NE Asia is obtainedEast‐west structural variations in the big mantle wedge (BMW) are revealedA possible convection pattern in the BMW is proposed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a novel set of instrumental variables in a structural VAR framework, we investigate the economic impact of uncertainty shocks from geopolitical swings on the Korean Peninsula over 2003–17. We construct robust instrumental variables for these shocks based on high‐frequency changes in financial asset returns and their volatilities around the geopolitical events. The empirical results suggest that heightened geopolitical uncertainty has negative impacts on macroeconomic outcomes in South Korea. We provide evidence that financial and capital markets play a key role in the transmission of geopolitical uncertainty shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review, we introduce the geology and mineralization of the northern part of the Korean Peninsula based on recently published data in North Korea. Geological characteristics and events are described in order of geological period and the representative mineral deposits are presented according to the geologic period to show the relationship between the geology and mineralization. In particular, we rearrange the stratigraphy of the Precambrian basement and reset the timing of intrusion and mineralization based mainly on the reported zircon U–Pb age data. The Precambrian geotectonic provinces of North Korea contain continental cores and massifs, active continental margins, and rift zones. The Precambrian strata between the eastern North China Craton (NCC) and North Korea are newly correlated considering rearranged stratigraphy in this review. The Precambrian strata of North Korea are characterized by the depletion of the Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic strata compared to the NCC from 1.8 to 1.5 Ga. It may indicate that the northern part of the Korean Peninsula was the passive continental margin environment during this period. The common occurrences of bimodal igneous suites (mafic‐felsic and alkaline‐subalkaline) are also characteristic of North Korea. The bimodal magmatism is well explained by the progressive tectonic evolution from oceanic crust‐continent subduction (2.0–2.2 Ga) and island arc–continent collision (~1.9 Ga) to post collisional extension (1.82–1.87 Ga) in the NCC including North Korea. The Precambrian geological similarities between Northeastern China and North Korea would have resulted in the same or similar mineralization. For example, Algoma type banded iron formations of the Fe deposits of the Anshan–Benxi area in China and Musan Fe deposit in North Korea were formed during the Neoarchean and Paleoproterozoic. Sedimentary exhalative type Pb–Zn and metasedimentary type magnesite deposits were formed within the Jiao‐Liao‐Ji belt extending from the Liaoning Rift Zone of China (Pb–Zn deposits in the Qingchenzi orefield and magnesite deposits in Dashiqiao magnesite belt) to the Macheollyeong Rift Zone of North Korea (Geomdeok Pb–Zn deposit and Daeheung–Ryongyang magnesite deposits) during Paleoproterozoic. The geotectonic, geological and metallogenic similarities between Northeastern China and North Korea indicate that the Precambrian continental massifs of North Korea might be evolved in accordance with the NCC evolution. This review is expected to be helpful for understanding the geotectonics, geology, and related mineralization of the northern part of Korean Peninsula and correlating with those of the NCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternary faults run across the Seoul metropolitan area that is the highest population region in the Korean Peninsula. Active fault identification and seismic hazard potential assessment are crucial for public safety. Densely deployed permanent and temporal seismic stations enabled us to detect micro to small earthquakes, allowing us to identify earthquake‐spawning faults in Seoul metropolitan area. The source parameters of 455 earthquakes in 2004–2020 are refined. The Gutenberg‐Richter b value is 0.94. Dominant focal depths are 4–15 km. The focal mechanism solutions of 64 earthquakes are determined using seismic‐wave polarities and amplitude ratios. Strike‐slip earthquakes are dominant in the region. Earthquakes are clustered around the Chugaryeong fault system. The dominant strikes of fault planes range from N20°E to N45°E in the northern and southern Seoul metropolitan areas, suggesting branch fault development locally. The earthquakes in middle‐northern Seoul present N‐S directional strike‐slip motions at depths ∼7.5 km along the Chugaryeong fault, suggesting seismically active near‐vertical faults subparallel with Chugaryeong fault. Plain Language Summary: The Seoul metropolitan area is the largest population region in the Korean Peninsula. More than 20 million people live in the area where Quaternary faults run across. Historical literatures presented high seismic damages in the region. Active fault identification and seismic hazard potential assessment are crucial for public safety. Dense seismic stations were deployed to investigate the seismicity and earthquake‐spawning faults in the Seoul metropolitan area. We refined the source locations of 455 earthquakes in 2004–2020. The focal mechanisms solutions of 64 earthquakes were determined using the seismic‐wave polarities and amplitude ratios. Strike‐slip earthquakes are dominant in the region. The strikes of fault planes range from N20°E to N45°E in the northern and southern Seoul metropolitan areas. Branch faults appear to develop locally according to the ambient stress field. Microseismicity are clustered locally. The earthquakes in middle‐northern Seoul present N‐S directional strike‐slip motions at depths ∼7.5 km along the Chugaryeong fault. The Chugaryeong fault system appears to be seismically active. Key Points: Earthquake‐spawning faults run across the Seoul metropolitan areaChugaryeong fault behaves as a single continuous fault, producing earthquakesBranch faults develop locally by the ambient stress field [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on a quasi‐stationary convergence zone over the Sea of Japan (Japan Sea polar airmass convergence zone, JPCZ) in early winter and examined how the Changbai Mountains and the Korean Peninsula play an influential role in the formation and maintenance of the JPCZ and associated precipitation amounts in the coastal regions of central and western Japan. We performed numerical simulations with and without modified topography of the Changbai Mountains and the Korean Peninsula using a regional atmospheric model. The results show that the presence of the mountains is largely responsible for the JPCZ formation and usually contributes to the reduction of precipitation in the coastal regions. If specific conditions are satisfied, however, it can trigger heavy precipitation. One condition is the rapid growth of mesoscale eddies off the Sea of Japan coast under strong low‐level wind convergence. The precipitation band involved in the enhanced eddies slowly migrates southward and reaches the coastal regions, causing heavy snowfall. Another condition is the change in background monsoonal flows associated with synoptic‐scale cyclone development due to the orographic effect. The resultant background flows may help sustain a significant amount of precipitation in the coastal regions. Under the prevailing JPCZ, the mountains play two contradictory roles in modulating precipitation amounts in the coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests play an important role in both regional and global C cycles. However, the spatial patterns of biomass C density and underlying factors in Northeast Asia remain unclear. Here, we characterized spatial patterns and important drivers of biomass C density for Northeast Asia, based on multisource data from in situ forest inventories, as well as remote sensing, bioclimatic, topographic, and human footprint data. We derived, for the first time, high‐resolution (1 km × 1 km) maps of the current and future forest biomass C density for this region. Based on these maps, we estimated that current biomass C stock in northeastern China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Republic of Korea to be 2.53, 0.40, and 0.35 Pg C, respectively. Biomass C stock in Northeast Asia has increased by 20%–46% over the past 20 years, of which 40%–76% was contributed by planted forests. We estimated the biomass C stock in 2080 to be 6.13 and 6.50 Pg C under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively, which exceeded the present region‐wide C stock value by 2.85–3.22 Pg C, and were 8%–14% higher than the baseline C stock value (5.70 Pg C). The spatial patterns of biomass C densities were found to vary greatly across the Northeast Asia, and largely decided by mean diameter at breast height, dominant height, elevation, and human footprint. Our results suggest that reforestation and forest conservation in Northeast Asia have effectively expanded the size of the carbon sink in the region, and sustainable forest management practices such as precision forestry and close forest monitoring for fire and insect outbreaks would be important to maintain and improve this critical carbon sink for Northeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments around the world have implemented reforms to reduce red tape, but little evidence exists about whether they have achieved their goals. Utilizing a quasi‐experimental regression discontinuity design, this research examines the impact of a policy implemented by the Korean central government to reduce local levels of regulatory red tape. The findings show, first, that the centrally designed reform significantly reduced local levels of red tape, but the reduction occurred only among low‐performing localities. This supports the claim that organizations' responses to positive and negative performance information are asymmetric—the negativity bias hypothesis. This finding is explained by the bounded rationality view of organizational decision‐making. Second, the impact was clearest among localities with high fiscal dependence on the central government. This supports the resource dependence hypothesis, which postulates that a policy's impact depends on the power imbalance between localities and the central government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biota to analyze the distribution pattern of biogeographic regions is essential to gain a better understanding of the ecological processes that cause biotic differentiation and biodiversity at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Recently, the collection of high‐resolution biological distribution data (e.g., specimens) and advances in analytical theory have led to the quantitative analysis and more refined spatial delineation of biogeographic regions. This study was conducted to redefine floristic zones in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and to better understand the eco‐evolutionary significance of the spatial distribution patterns. Based on 309,333 distribution data of 2,954 vascular plant species in the Korean Peninsula, we derived floristic zones using self‐organizing maps. We compared the characteristics of the derived regions with those of historical floristic zones and ecologically important environmental factors (climate, geology, and geography). In the clustering analysis of the floristic assemblages, four distinct regions were identified, namely, the cold floristic zone (Zone I) in high‐altitude regions at the center of the Korean Peninsula, cool floristic zone (Zone II) in high‐altitude regions in the south of the Korean Peninsula, warm floristic zone (Zone III) in low‐altitude regions in the central and southern parts of the Korean Peninsula, and maritime warm floristic zone (Zone IV) including the volcanic islands Jejudo and Ulleungdo. Totally, 1,099 taxa were common to the four floristic zones. Zone IV showed the highest abundance of specific plants (those found in only one zone), with 404 taxa. Our study improves floristic zone definitions using high‐resolution regional biological distribution data. It will help better understand and re‐establish regional species diversity. In addition, our study provides key data for hotspot analysis required for the conservation of plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climatic suitability and driving climatic factors of forage crops are considered fluctuant, and their measurements are important for the production of high‐quality forage under the context of global climate change. Meanwhile, need for improving the domestic supply of high‐quality forage sources is increasing in the related parties of forage and livestock production in Korea. Therefore, this study analyzed the climatic suitability conditions of whole crop maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum–sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor × Sorghum sudanense) in the south area of the Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island. Furtherly, the driving climatic factors on the two summer forage crops were detected through stepwise regression analysis based on historical field experiments and climatic data. The results showed that the climatic conditions in almost all the areas of the south area of the Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island are suitable or moderately suitable for the cultivation of the two forage crops except some mountainous areas. However, since the precipitation in this region is concentrated in the growth period of the two forage crops, the accumulated precipitation was detected stressful on their yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the sedimentary basin in the South Yellow Sea that lies between the Chinese mainland and the Korean Peninsula well documents the tectonic evolution of eastern China. However, the Moho morphology and its relationship with the basin in this area remain poorly understood. Here we used high‐resolution 2D seismic lines and well data to map the geometry, structure, and distribution of the sedimentary basin in the South Yellow Sea. Our results suggest that the South Yellow Sea Basin can be divided into two distinct depressions and three uplifts. The depressions consist of eight depositional sags that are largely controlled by ENE‐, EW‐, and WNW‐striking normal faults. The basin depth reaches 9,500 m in the depressions, but is only <2000 m in the uplift zones. Calculated using a gravity stripping method, the Moho depth varies between 27.4 and 31.5 km. The basin is isostatically compensated and the Moho morphology approximately mirrors that of the basin basement. The Moho lows correspond to the uplift zones and Moho highs correspond to the depression zones, with exception of a sag in the Northern Depression. This exception is caused by the presence of a geological body of high velocity and high density beneath the sag. This body is likely to represent high‐pressure metamorphic rock that initially formed during the collision between the Sino‐Korean and Yangtze cratons and are currently overlain by the sedimentary basin. Based on the stretching factors and strain rates of the South Yellow Sea Basin, we propose that development of the basin was primarily driven by the subduction and retreat of the Pacific Plate since the Late Cretaceous, combined by far‐field effects from the convergence between the Indian and Eurasian plates during the Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean government's policy toward art in schools and educational autonomy has recently undergone major directional changes, with the Ministry of Education (MOE) encouraging individual schools to find their own ways to become more self‐regenerating, especially by developing community partnerships through art. This recently published policy direction has the potential to challenge traditional school practice as it demands an initiative role of schools and the active involvement of teachers in building partnerships with local communities. Concerned about the impact of the new school art policy on practice, this article attempts to clarify the opportunities and challenges involved in the expected collaborative reform practice by examining the outcomes reported by pilot schools based on their first year of implementing the new school art policy. To this end, this article first identifies the distinctive aspects of the new policy from previous studies on school–community partnerships developed in Korea over the past decade. This is followed by an identification of practical issues and needs by reviewing the outcomes of recent survey results on the perceptions of teachers who participated in conventional school–community partnership programmes. These results will be compared to the problems found in the outcomes reported by pilot schools. Findings will be discussed to assess implications and provide suggestions. This contextual analysis of practitioners' responses to new art‐based collaborative reform practices developing in Korea may contribute to an expansion of international discussions about educational reform through art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of heatwaves (HWs) in South Korea are studied using data from the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis Interim (ERA Interim) dataset and from automatic surface weather stations. The synoptic conditions of three specific years (1994, 2013, and 2016) during which serious HWs affected South Korea are examined. HWs in South Korea are related to the northwestwardly extension of the western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) toward the Korean Peninsula. Examination of the blocking indices revealed widespread blocking over the northern Pacific Ocean and Asia during South Korean HWs, and blocking is related to stationary weather patterns. The severe temperatures associated with HWs in this region are due to prolonged subsidence. Analysis of the moist static energy (MSE) budget indicated that the energy source of subsidence is derived from both MSE advection and the net heat flux. When compared to the synoptic situation during an HW in South Korea, the relative southward movement of the WNPSH is found before and after the HW. The blocking indices also revealed weak signals and changes in vertical motion due to MSE advection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]