The Gap between Korean Esports and Educational Gaming

While some research suggests South Korea has fallen behind other developed nations with regard to publishing and using serious games in the classroom, Korean interest in video games remains extremely high. Due to a number of cultural, social, and technological factors, esports was primed to become a significant force in Korean culture and received significant support from the Ministry of Culture. The Korean Ministry of Education, meanwhile, is resistant to adopting educational games as a part of its accepted pedagogy. This resistance has created a significant gap between the interest in video games as a learning tool and that of video games as an industry and career path in Korea. While a number of factors play a role in the languishing serious games market, based on evidence analyzed through educational gaming literature it is unlikely educational gaming will be able to significantly advance without the support of the primary governing body controlling educational policy.

Shadow Education Policy in Korea During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: This study systematically reviews Korea’s shadow education policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and the implications for shadow education policy development in the future. Design/Approach/Methods: In terms of approach, this policy review analyzes selected documents using the analytical framework of shadow education policies. Selected documents comprise recently revised decrees, policies, and regulations issued by the Korean Ministry of Education, as well as policy notices issued by the Korea Association of Hagwon. Data are supplemented by triangulation with news media content. Findings: This study identifies tutoring policies at the legal level in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Government debate regarding shadow education largely centers on the closing of tutoring organizations and ensuring that online tuition fees adhere to government regulation. In respect to the expansion of the government-led shadow education partnership, the government’s increasing role in education has served to restrict the shadow education market. Originality/Value: The Korean government has adjusted its shadow education policies in response to COVID-19, altering its legal and economic status. An examination of Korea’s recent shadow education policies suggests future trends in the revision and development of shadow education in the country.

Psychological Responses Among Korean Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Survivors and Bereaved Families

Objective: In 2015, the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in South Korea affected 186 patients and led to 38 bereaved families. This study aimed at investigating the nature and related factors of the psychological responses of MERS victims during the acute phase of disaster. Methods: The MERS Psychological Support Team under the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare provided counseling services to MERS survivors and bereaved families for 4 weeks, based on crisis intervention. In this study, we reviewed the counseling records of 109 survivors and 80 bereaved family members, and analyzed their epidemiological and MERS-related information along with psychological responses. Results: Somatic symptoms and anxiety related to social stigmatization or disease transmission were common in MERS survivors, whereas grief reactions such as sadness, and anger were frequently observed in bereaved families. Bereaved MERS survivors showed more avoidance/isolation than non-bereaved MERS survivors. Females, those with an underlying physical or psychiatric health condition, and those having experienced longer duration of hospitalization and non-healthcare workers were more at risk of suffering from psychological problems. Conclusions: Survivors and bereaved families of epidemics can experience various psychological distresses depending on individual characteristics and the inherent features of the epidemic. Therefore, mental health in epidemics should be approached and considered more seriously.

Assessment of Tropospheric Concentrations of NO2 from the TROPOMI/Sentinel-5 Precursor for the Estimation of Long-Term Exposure to Surface NO2 over South Korea

Since April 2018, the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) has provided data on tropospheric NO2 column concentrations (CTROPOMI) with unprecedented spatial resolution. This study aims to assess the capability of TROPOMI to acquire high spatial resolution data regarding surface NO2 mixing ratios. In general, the instrument effectively detected major and moderate sources of NO2 over South Korea with a clear weekday–weekend distinction. We compared the CTROPOMI with surface NO2 mixing ratio measurements from an extensive ground-based network over South Korea operated by the Korean Ministry of Environment (SKME; more than 570 sites), for 2019. Spatiotemporally collocated CTROPOMI and SKME showed a moderate correlation (correlation coefficient, r = 0.67), whereas their annual mean values at each site showed a higher correlation (r = 0.84). The CTROPOMI and SKME were well correlated around the Seoul metropolitan area, where significant amounts of NO2 prevailed throughout the year, whereas they showed lower correlation at rural sites. We converted the tropospheric NO2 from TROPOMI to the surface mixing ratio (STROPOMI) using the EAC4 (ECMWF Atmospheric Composition Reanalysis 4) profile shape, for quantitative comparison with the SKME. The estimated STROPOMI generally underestimated the in-situ value obtained, SKME (slope = 0.64), as reported in previous studies.

Clinical Evaluation of an Immunochromatographic-Based IgM/IgG Antibody Assay (GenBody™ COVI040) for Detection of Antibody Seroconversion in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

There is a need for accurate diagnostic tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an immunochromatography-based immunoglobulin G (IgG)/immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody assay (GenBody™ COVI040) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroconversion in COVID-19 patients. A total of 130 samples, serially collected from patients with confirmed COVID-19, and 100 negative control samples were tested for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgM and IgG using the GenBody™ COVI040 assay following the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety guidelines on the review and approval of in vitro diagnostic devices for COVID-19. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction results were used as the comparator. The overall sensitivity of the GenBody™ COVI040 assay was 97.69% (95% confidence interval (CI): 93.40–99.52%). The sensitivity of the assay increased with time post symptom onset (PSO) (sensitivity ≤6 days PSO: 78.57%, 95% CI: 49.20–95.34%; sensitivity 7–13 days PSO: 100%, 95% CI: 87.23–100%; and sensitivity ≥14 days PSO: 100%, 95% CI: 95.94–100%). The specificity of the assay was 100% (95% CI: 96.38–100%). The GenBody™ COVI040 assay showed high sensitivity and specificity, making it a promising diagnostic test to monitor COVID-19.

Detecting Underground Geospatial Features for Protection of Rights in 3D Space: Korean Cases

Interest in underground space development is increasing owing to overcrowding in urban areas, and this trend is expected to continue in the future. Therefore, there exists a need to systematically establish and manage information on underground spaces. This information includes both the physical status, that indicates the location or shape of the space, and the status of property rights related to the ownership and use of the space. In this study, a technique to register an entire underground shopping center space including individual store spaces along with the relationship with the above-ground parcels is proposed. The study considers the current management and operation system of the underground shopping center. 3D data were acquired from the Gwangbok Underground Shopping Center in Busan Metropolitan City, Korea using terrestrial LiDAR equipment. The VWorld data of the Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport were also used as pre-built data. Furthermore, a spatial information-based management system was implemented. The data used comprise registration information for establishing property rights. These have the physical status and rights status information of the ground parcels as attribute information.

Neutral pH Formulation for 6-[18F]fluoro-ʟ-DOPA With High Radiochemical Stability

6-[18F]Fluoro-L-DOPA(FDOPA) has always been generally produced under strong acidic conditions, i.e. as an injectable solution of pH 2~3, due to its low stability at a higher or neutral pH. This necessitates the pre-treatment neutralization of this agent with an injectable NaHCO3 solution. We have developed a neutral pH formulation for [18F]FDOPA using ethanol (EtOH) and phosphate buffer to overcome the radioactive and enantiomeric stability problems at a higher pH. Upon [18F]FDOPA generation by nucleophilic substitution methods, we investigated its radiochemical and enantiomeric purity in accordance with the various pH after 6 hours. After EtOH and three kinds of buffer were added, we further examined this purity at pH 6 ~ 7 after 6 hours. The ascorbic acid did not stabilize the radiochemical purity at the higher pH. A 5% EtOH and PBS buffer matrix produced the best stability for radiochemical and enantiomeric purity at pH 6.5 at the 6 hour time point. This combination maintained a > 95% radiochemical and enantiomeric purity at 6 hours after EOS (end of synthesis). Our new formulation for [18F]FDOPA thus showed a high stability at neutral pH and satisfied QC requirements which was listed in European Pharmacopeia. It has also been approved by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Thermo-Chemical Treatment for Carcass Disposal and the Application of Treated Carcass as Compost

A mechanized thermo-chemical treatment system was developed to treat the undecomposed carcass and remediate livestock burial sites. Animal carcasses were thus processed via crushing, mixing, and treatment with quicklime treatment, heat treatment (200–500 °C), and mixing with sawdust. The machinery was applied to two sites where 16,000 chickens and 418 pigs had previously been buried in fiber-reinforced plastic storage bins. No dioxins were detected in the gas discharged during processing, and the concentration of total volatile organic compound, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and styrene were 430.3, 139.0, 18.3, 21.4, and 10.4 μg/m3, respectively, which were below the air pollutant emission standards issued by the Korean Ministry of Environment. Korean standards stipulating the use of treated carcasses as compost (C, N, and P content, heavy metal concentration, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella) were met, but the germination index value was less than 70, not satisfying the criteria. Plant height, leaf length, leaf width, and dry weight of lettuce grown in soil amended with treated carcass product were significantly lower than those grown in low nutrient soil due to the poor germination index of the treated carcass. These results indicate that a composting process is required before the use of the treated carcass as a fertilizer. The addition of zeolite retarded the elution of ammonia from the carcasses and its efficiency was about 87.9%. It is expected that the mechanized thermo-chemical treatment process developed in this study could replace other technologies for the remediation of livestock burial sites.

The Manufacturer’s Deliberate Modification of the Shell Structure of the BellaGel® SmoothFine in Violation of the Regulatory Requirement

The BellaGel® SmoothFine (HansBiomed Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea) is the only fifth-generation of a silicone gel-filled breast implant from a Korean manufacturer. The BellaGel® SmoothFine with a 5-layered shell structure was approved for clinical use, but the manufacturer deliberately modified the shell structure in violation of the regulatory requirement of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. This was hidden by both plastic surgeons and the manufacturer. With the use of high-resolution ultrasound, however, we confirmed that both 4-layered and 5-layered devices were circulated in the Korean market. Further investigations are warranted to disclose a relationship between plastic surgeons and the manufacturer.