International Journal of Human & Disaster

Purpose: Terrorism, such as sabotage, leads to national disasters such as war, and the response system has changed over time. As defined by William Sturgiss Lind immediately after the end of the Cold War in 1989, it has changed from people, weapons, and information to irregular threats encompassing all of these. Now, with the 4th Industrial Revolution, it is expected that false information such as videos, images, texts, and voices will be utilized through artificial intelligence (AI) deep-fake technology, and quantum computers, biotechnology and gene editing, robotics and AI drones, and artificial neural networks will develop into new threats. Method: This study is an English extension of a paper published in Korean, and expands the national terrorism response system from the perspective of civilian cooperation to the perspective of war following a national disaster. Results: This study first identified relative poverty and radicalization as the causes of sabotage terrorism that lead to national disasters. Furthermore, it categorized the network structure of terrorist organizations through recent Internet use into security maintenance, belief systems, support groups, and organizational structure. Second, it proposed a plan to introduce CPTED, voluntary neighborhood watch groups, and detective activities as a basis for national disaster response systems, citing beneficiary pays theory, pooling theory, and economic reductionism. Furthermore, from a Northeast Asian perspective, it discussed the need for national disaster preparedness in Northeast Asia in light of the Russia-North Korea military alliance. Conclusion: First, based on the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States, national counterterrorism strategies are categorized into a "threat-based approach" and a "vulnerability-based approach." Second, by revisiting the case of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA), we introduce the social conflict surrounding counterterrorism agencies' intelligence activities and the dilemma of the conflicting values of "threat intelligence" and "personal information." Third, we examine the relationship between counterterrorism agencies and domestic politics, drawing on the examples of the FBI and CIA and proposing a model for the U.S. Office of the National Intelligence Service (ODNI).

Purpose: Korean Wild-simulated Ginseng is designated as a Specially Managed Forest Product by the Korea Forest Service. However, systematic research and standard cultivation guidelines often differ from the actual cultivation practices. Therefore, this study conducted an experimental study to determine the effects of ginsenoside content on the environmental conditions of wild Ginseng cultivation sites in the Pyeongchang region of Korea. Method: Ten 10-year-old Wild-simulated Ginseng samples were collected from each of four Pyeongchang cultivation sites. Six factors were examined to determine the location of Wild-simulated Ginseng: slope, slope direction, elevation, tree type, diameter at breast height, and tree height. Soil physicochemical properties were analyzed according to topographic conditions, including pH, electrical conductivity, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, exchangeable calcium, exchangeable magnesium, exchangeable sodium, and cation exchange capacity. Results: Soil physicochemical properties of Wild-simulated Ginseng cultivation sites generally showed higher ginsenoside content in broadleaf areas than in coniferous areas. Statistical analysis results showed statistically significant differences between coniferous and broadleaf regions in cultivation sites A, B, and C, while cultivation site D showed little difference between coniferous and broadleaf regions. Ginsenoside content analysis revealed high levels of Re, Rb1, and Rg1, in that order, confirming the main components of Pyeongchang cultivated Ginseng. Conclusion: These research results suggest that selecting cultivation sites similar to the optimal growth environment for Wild-simulated Ginseng is essential for producing high-quality Wild-simulated Ginseng. We hope that the comparative analysis of ginsenoside content across different cultivation sites presented in this study can contribute to the production of high-quality wild Ginseng and increased income for forestry workers.

Purpose: A mountain village refers to a settlement in a mountainous region, defined by the Forest Basic Act as an area where forest land covers at least 70% of the administrative district, with low population density and arable land ratio. Mountain villages in Gyeongsangbuk-do face challenges such as population decline and aging, with a high proportion of elderly residents exceeding the national average. Moreover, most new settlers are in their 50s and 60s, increasingly choosing these areas for their natural environment. This study aims to propose strategies for regenerating mountain villages into sustainable residential and stay environments. Method: Survey results indicate a shared recognition among residents and visitors of the need for regeneration. Residents prioritize community revitalization and policies encouraging population inflow, while visitors highlight the need for improved accommodations and residential infrastructure. Based on these findings, three regeneration models are proposed: (1) the population influx model, promoting sustainable settlement and better living conditions; (2) the forest healing model, enhancing recreational and therapeutic functions of forest resources; and (3) the community happiness model, fostering economic and social sustainability. Results: Each model suggests specific pilot projects. The population influx model is demonstrated by Dumari Mountain Village in Pohang, focusing on new accommodation facilities and forest-based pro-grams. The forest healing model is exemplified by Jukpari Mountain Village in Yeongyang, utilizing its birch forest for healing spaces and residential improvements. The community happiness model applies to Noryuri Mountain Village in Sangju, aiming at facility renovations and community-led economic development. Conclusion: Beyond environmental improvements, mountain village regeneration must ensure economic and communal sustainability. Active support from both central and local governments, along with coordinated efforts from the Korea Forest Service and related institutions, is essential. This study provides a foundation for future policies in Gyeongsangbuk-do, contributing to strategies for countering regional population decline and fostering sustainable rural development.

Purpose: More and more people are seeking forests to escape the complexities of urban competition and soothe their weary minds by walking along forest trails. This study aimed to provide basic data for providing better opportunities for forest trail users by identifying the spatial characteristics and usage patterns of forest trails, as well as their satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Method: Data for this study were collected from March to April 2025. The self-administered questionnaire was administered by respondents, who were asked to check their responses. A total of 300 questionnaires were collected, but 35 were excluded due to statistical limitations. A total of 265 valid questionnaires were used for analysis. The analysis was conducted using the statistical programs SPSS 28.0 and Amos 28.0, including frequency analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis, initial probability analysis (IPA), and path analysis. Results: Forest trail spatial characteristics had a positive effect on satisfaction with forest trail use, while forest trail usage behavior had no effect on satisfaction with forest trail use. forest trail usage satisfaction had a positive effect on behavioral intention, while forest trail spatial characteristics had a positive effect on behavioral intention. forest trail usage behavior did not appear to influence behavioral intention. Conclusion: As significant differences were found among forest trail users' usage behavior, spatial characteristics, forest trail satisfaction, and behavioral intentions, it is expected that policy measures can be suggested to meet the expectations of forest trail users in terms of creating future forest trails and operating them appropriately.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present a plan to respond well to disasters by using the Korean disaster safety communication network. The only well-established Korean disaster safety communication network in the world will be used to minimize damage to people's lives and property by exerting synergy between agencies dispatched to the disaster site by allowing various related agencies to respond to disasters in a linked manner. To ensure this, research should be conducted to make the best use of the Korean disaster safety communication net-work. Method: In order to suggest a way to make good use of the disaster safety communication network, research methods such as literature research, on-site inspection, and opinion collection were applied. The literature survey studied the actual state of domestic and foreign construction related to the disaster safety communication net-work, and the research method was applied so that the current state of use of the disaster safety deep-seated network could be confirmed through on-site surveys and opinion collection, and problems could be analyzed to suggest alternative measures. This is a research conducted in the direction of strengthening the field utilization of the disaster safety communication network. Results: As a result of the previous study, it was identified that the Korean disaster safety communication net-work has a well-established infrastructure and is partially utilized by disaster officials, but some of them are not properly utilized due to a lack of understanding of wireless communication between various organizations through group communication. To overcome this, communication procedures for group wireless communication should be established, disaster management should be performed using the disaster safety communication net-work, and disaster safety communication network training scenarios should be developed for each type of disaster so that they can be actively implemented. Conclusion: Once established, the disaster safety communication network is not complete in itself. In order for a well-established disaster safety communication network to function properly, it is necessary to develop a group wireless communication procedure for the disaster safety communication network and continue communication training in accordance with the developed communication procedure. To ensure this, continuous communication training should be conducted by actively utilizing the disaster safety communication network communication training scenario developed through this study. Since these efforts are not made in a moment, disaster management activities of disaster management officers should be established as a culture. Continuous and in-depth re-search should be continuously conducted to this end.

Purpose: In this study, the relationship between each factor and soil erosion is evaluated in order to simply approximate the amount of soil erosion and sediment runoff in small-scale watersheds or disaster impact assessments. Method: In this study, Linear regression analysis between soil runoff, soil erosion, and topographic factors results in the following criteria: curve number, flow length, bare soil percentage, sand composition ratio, 30-minute maxi-mum rainfall intensity, surface sand, maximum daily probability rainfall, and catchment area between Cor-relations were analyzed, and the relationship between soil runoff was analyzed and compared. Results: In the correlation analysis of soil erosion and soil runoff for each factor, it was analyzed that the correlation between the basin area and the slope was high. The results of the correlation analysis between the RUSLE equation and the factors did not show a high correlation. Conclusion: The regression equation presented in this study can be applied to the comparative re-view of the simple estimation and examination of soil runoff in small-scale disaster impact assessment.

Purpose: Korean police officers play an important role in disaster situations through initial response, rescue and first aid for the injured, control and maintain order at the scene, traffic control, reporting and conveying in-formation, and using alternative communication methods. They also continue to influence the safety of residents after disasters by guiding citizens to evacuate, protecting vulnerable groups, and supporting recovery at the scene. As such, the police are important to the safety of citizens in disasters, and this study aims to explore the perception of disaster response and followership according to police rank and career path. Method: The data processing of this study was conducted using the statistical package program SPSS 23.0 Program, and statistical verification was performed as follows according to the purpose of data analysis. First, frequency analysis was conducted using the SPSS/PC+23.0 Program to identify general characteristics. Second, One Way ANOVA was conducted to identify differences in police disaster response awareness according to police rank and career path. Fourth, cross-analysis (Chi-Square) was conducted to identify the correlation between police rank and career path. Fifth, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the followership of police organizations. Results: The higher the police rank, the higher the awareness of disaster response, and those who were police officer candidates had the highest awareness of disaster response. Rank and career path were statistically related, and the followership factors of police organizations were structured as ‘exemplary followership’, ‘creative followership’, and ‘active followership’. Conclusion: Followership of police is very important in disaster situations. The importance of followership in disaster situations is dealt with in various aspects such as rapid and efficient response of the organization, maintaining consistency and integration, conveying information and communication, managing stress and uncertainty, strengthening cooperation and teamwork, maximizing the effectiveness of leadership, and improving resilience after disasters. Through followership, police officers effectively support their superiors in disaster situations and play an important role in helping the entire organization achieve its goals.

Purpose: Research on countermeasures against social disasters by analyzing the Itaewon disaster that shocked Korean society. Method: In order to study how to respond to social disasters considered as the Itaewon disaster, we analyze domestic laws and compare overseas cases. Results: Until the Framework Act on Disaster and Safety Management is revised to resolve legal issues for events without organizers, local governments should be responsible for planning, controlling, and safety. In addition, even if there is no organizer, the contents and risks of the event should be shared among related agencies and systematically responded by sharing roles through the "Regional Safety Management Committee" organized by the head of the local government under the law. Conclusion: The Itaewon disaster has many implications. It should be an opportunity to identify public safety problems such as crowd accidents and check social disaster response systems to move toward a properly established "Safe Korea" through revision of related laws and system and system maintenance.

Purpose: A large-scale complex disaster refers to a disaster that develops on a huge scale outside the predictable range as natural disasters and social disasters occur serially or simultaneously. The local community must take into account the diversity of residents' situations and organize an evacuation cooperation system in advance in order to respond to such large-scale, complex disasters. The purpose of this paper is to present a direction for improving community response to disasters through a review of large-scale complex disasters. Method: This study examines the large-scale flood damage evacuation plan in the 5th district of Koto, Tokyo, Japan, which established an evacuation plan led by the local community after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Evacuation was divided into vertical evacuation, evacuating within the community, and wide area evacuation, evacuating outside the community. Results: The main features of these evacuation plans were that they encouraged local residents to make independent judgements, to implement the plans, and to proactively request and prepare for administrative support for the parts that were insufficient. Conclusion: First of all, for efficient evacuation from large-scale-complex disasters, various stakeholders need to be recognized and systematically organize, and cooperation with relevant and upper-level administrative agencies is needed to solve problems that are beyond the capacity of local governments. It is also necessary for residents to recognize their own role in disaster response along with the proper implementation of disaster prevention administration, and for the administration to support factors that residents cannot do as much as possible, as the basic structure of the crisis.

Purpose: The Kishida administration’s proposed Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping plan is very controversial both domestically and internationally. This paper examines the risks and consequences of the plan with a special focus on human rights concerns. It argues that, as the Kishida administration commences the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it should only consider approaches that are consistent with a human-centric policy that is supportive of human rights. Method: This paper employs politics of responsibility theory to examine the Kishida administration’s proposed Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping plan. In light of the current body of research on the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station by international scholars, scientists, and experts, it argues that the Kishida administration’s implementation of the proposed radioactive wastewater dumping plan represents a failure to govern with an eye to the politics of responsibility. Results: This paper finds that application of the Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping plan under the Kishida administration will induce immense political, economic, social, and environmental consequences for Japanese citizens as well as citizens in neighboring countries and beyond. The Kishida administration is presently failing to pursue policies that reinforce a human-centric policy that would be more supportive of human rights. Conclusion: The Kishida administration must suspend the current plan to dump Fukushima’s radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean and consider alternative methods that will not result in the radioactive pollution of the ocean. As it proceeds with the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, it should focus on principles of governance emphasizing the politics of responsibility and take steps to abide by relevant international legal standards and human rights norms.