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The trend of western migration studies in recent years is to find out not only reasons and process of migration, but also the mechanism of complex interactions between races, ethnicities, cultures, economics, politics and etc. in the processes of migration and settlement. This article aims to critically evaluate the major trends of western migration studies, and then proposes the theoretical and methodological framework for researching a North Korean refugee in the level of everyday life. In particular, this article suggests structuration theory, theorized the multifaceted relationships between agency and structure, and ethnographic method for appropriately approaching the issue of North Korean refugee in the process of migration and settlement. By applying the framework of structuration theory, we could understand how the social structures and cultural resources of North Korea society enable North Korean refugees to migrate (or to escape) to South Korea. In addition, this approach provides advantages to explore the relationship between agency and structure in the experience of North Korean refugee in the process of migration/settlement and the process of structuration corresponded to the agency of North Korean refugee within South Korean society. Furthermore, in terms of methodology, this paper suggests the merits of ethnographic method in order to research the relationship between agency and structure in the case of North Korean refugee as it would provide a chance for researcher to build up rapport with North Korean refugee and then be able to conduct a fieldwork (i.e. participant observation and in-depth interview) to grasp their complex experiences of migration/settlement.

The essay is focused upon ecologically approaching to the world-view of Zhou-yi in the context of comprehending a mode of life existence. Its foundation of methodology I call “eco-changeology”. “Eco-changeology” is a thinking way concerning a life spirit of the universe and accordingly the appearances of changes in the ecological circle of Nature. It means to comprehend the thinking way of changes attached attention to the time-space scheme of the universe and its embodiment, namely, the intrinsic dynamic of a circle of ecological Nature, and to explicate that the goodness of life community is a criterion of human existence and value. It purposes that the ecological circle of Nature is regarded as a stream of self-generating oder to be escalated into a harmonious dimension of life consciousness. Therefore, if ecology is a science concerning the harmonious relationship of the environment of Nature and human beings, then, “eco-changelogy”, furthermore, has a methodology of searching for an ontological status of human beings and its axiological understanding in this relationship. The views of “eco-changelogy” are such as that of changing penetration, of heavenly way, of supreme ultimate and yin-yang, of calm response, of exhausting the principle and extending the human nature, etc. These views include an issue how we can understand life consciousness. The unitary way of concretizing the issue has three steps: ecological recognition in the penetration of change, ecological image in the symbol of change, and ecological ethics in the way of change. These steps have a series of totalistic process. From the all-comprehensive viewpoint of “eco-changeology”, it seems to me that a human being is a human being as reality and simultaneously a reality as a human being. Therefore, “eco-changelogy” does not aim to investigate or describe human beings in relation to a structure of food chains in the ecological circle of Nature, but to comprehend the stage of experience that human beings understand their own lives in such an ecological network as the revolving order of Nature. “Eco-changeology” is a methodology stemming from the conception of changes concerning a universal idea of “the unity of the heavenly and the humane,” and results from life consciousness of recognizing the ecological circle of Nature as life community. It is consequent that “eco-changeology” is a humanistic discourse to understand the ontological significance of a human being and its ethical fundamental in the East-asian thought and culture.

Japan-Korea cultural exchange and cooperation was developed in many areas. In particular, Pusan played role of cultural gate from continent to Kyushu Island. In spite of Japan-Korea cultural exchange, there is lack of research under life of Japanese residents by that time. Aim of this essay is research under modern Japan-Korea relations regarding to opening of Pusan port and to investigate and analyze formation of Japanese residents community and its strong connection with religious activity. In 19th century Tenri and Konkokyo sects, indigenous Japanese sect, was brought by Japanese immigrants to Korea and propagated. Immigration of indigenous sects is reason why Japanese immigrants’ community was established, teaching activities was in great concern of Japanese people. Through teaching, knowledge was gradually spreading among Koreans and it was basis to establish some organizations. Even thought those indigenous sects activity was not supported by Japanese government, in the colonial system of Japanese imperialism rule, control of peoples spiritual life was promoted. To protect Koreans traditional values consciousness and style of life, different from ruling class, forced sublimation to universal belief movement cannot be overlooked, and it has historical meaning. In fact, from modern Japan-Korea cultural exchange ethnical conflict of dominating vs. dominated can be assumed, but it was not time of mutual exclusion nationalism. Co-existence and cooperation of people oriented to universalism can be recalled.

Both country of North Korea and Russia has discussed various cooperative business centering the matter of a rail connection through the summit talk of three times from the year of 2000 to 2002. And they, 3 countries have consented a foundation of the special committee of 3 countries for building of a natural gas pipeline to connect to the Korean peninsular in the summit talks in August of the year of 2011. Russia's intention which was shown from the business talks of several times between both country appeared her desire of an economic cooperation from bounding into a package of [Connection of Railway, Building of Gas Pipelines, and Power Transmission]. The project for connection to the gas pipelines among South Korea, North Korea and Russia has driven the content of which was consented in the summit talks in September 2008, as a politics aspect to enforce to the North Korea. First of all, therefore it seems that the countries formed such conditions in capable of participation in a cooperative project with an equal qualification the supreme responsible person of 3 countries gather some places in order to realize the project for connection of the gas pipelines has to start an arrangement of the systemic devices in capable of a settlement of a problems for prevention of un-noticed use from a gas pipelines, emergent situation, and safety of PNG service via North Korea, immediately.

In Korea, people call this sea ‘East Sea.’ We have not given much thought that calling it ‘East Sea’ might be strange to Japanese. Although it is a familiar name to Korean, for Japanese it would be hard to locate the sea. Considering the difference, the word ‘The studies of Hwandonghae,’ which might sound as a synthesis of researches of many areas, is very provocative. It is because ‘The studies of Hwandonghae’’ can be equipollent as The studies of Japan-Sea Rim (The Japan Sea Rim studies) for Japanese. From this kind of diametrical perspective, is it possible to expect same results for the same sea? Also doesn’t activity focusing on local government these days leave only structure for profit such as resources and development that speak for the country? Therefore, I believe that the researches of ‘the studies of Hwandonghae’ or ‘the studies of Japan-Sea Rim (The Japan Sea Rim studies)’ as multidisciplinary research based on scientific view for overcoming limitation that the research focusing on local government are open to question. As a result, I obtained several kinds of vision as the following. First, it is about a view of ocean history and history of international relations. Historic description and understanding until now were mostly focusing on the land. On the other hand, the understanding focusing on sea should stand from the open view of ocean history and history of international relations. I believe that doing so can free us from dichotomic view of land or center and provinces. Second, it is a view from description of naturalized citizen, Doraein and ruined people. The understanding on people who travels between Korea and Japan was mostly evolved around domination and subject or the relationship between subordinates and superiors. But it is proved that the people who traveled Korea, Japan and even China were actually working in interaction and view of coexistence. Third, whether East Sea, which is told in the studies of Hwandonghae, can be seen as separated sea or connected sea like seen as sea area, and it will decided the scale and content of research. On other words, the sea seen from the view of sea area history called Hwandonghae (the East Sea Rim) needs establishment of a wide view of understanding everything related to the sea instead of stories of specific sea. Finally, working on itemized discussion of the studies of Hwandonghae after establishing an overall research method will result in regular results. In order to do so, I think Japan’s research of ocean area history, which has already experienced trial and error, could function as a good model.

This thesis researches how country image and product attributes as well as brand personality influence BRICs consumers’ selection of Korean cell phones and the strategic implications of this study are as follows. First, country image has more influence on Russia consumers than three other consumers on selection of Korean cell phones and Chinese consumers have relatively more influence by Brand personality. Second, All BRICs consumers have more influences by product attributes than other two factors, and Chinese consumers have more influences by product attributes than three other consumers have. Throughout this study, it can be acutely recognized that brand personality and product attributes as well as country image influence on selection of cell phones made in Korea although there exist differences among BRICs consumers. This study suggests Korean corporates planning to extend its business in BRICs need effort to develop representative brands with a unique personality. Especially this brand image well representing country image of Korea can enhance consumers’ loyalty.

A multi-cultural policy usually involves problems of guaranteeing human rights and medical welfare of immigrants. However, there are increasing sociopolitical and sociocultural demands as the length of their residence in South Korea is becoming longer. Hence, a multi-cultural policy should be discussed in depth and prepared in a complex manner. In South Korea, transition towards a multi-cultural society is rapidly occurring and the number of immigrants lately exceeded one million. This trend seems to continue in the future, and Japan has been in a similar situation as well. Moreover, it reveals that there is a strong need to develop diverse policy programs for securing settlement of multi-cultural families and promoting understanding of multi-culture among the general public. It is also necessary to conduct a series of comprehensive research on the impacts of multi-culture on society. These policies require support not only from central government but also from local government to be established and implemented based on reality. Therefore, this paper aims to explore and compare multi-cultural policies of two local governments: Ansan city in South Korea and Kawasaki city in Japan. This approach will help promote our understanding of multi-cultural society and prepare for further policy development.

This paper tries to understand the changes in the Korean and Japanese wage structure since 2000, of which the seniority system is characteristic. We estimated the wage profile using the wage survey data by the two governments in the years of 2000 and 2007. The results are as follow:First, the seniority system doesn't be extinct in the two countries during our period of observation. Both Korea and Japan have the wage systems in which the wages are rising to 40 years old, and going down from then on. Second, comparing between the estimation results in 2007 and the ones in 2000 in Korea, the tenure effect is positive to the workers who stay at the same employer during 30 years or more. This result says that the seniority system is more stable in the Korea labor market. Third, the estimated tenure effects are directly opposed between Korea and Japan. The slope of the wage profile has been flatter since 2000 in the Japanese wage structure. We infer from our estimation results that the seniority system has been being strengthening in the Korean labor market, but has been being weekened in the Japanese labor market with the increasing similarity between the Korean wage structure and the Japanese one.

This study introduces the notion of epistemic community and the concept of multi-level governance(MLG) mostly used by researchers who deal with regional integration in Western countries such as European Union(EU) which remains politically, socially and culturally less heterogeneous and in which their civil societies remain relatively mature. In particular, this paper makes an effort to combine the notion of MLG and epistemic community in a single theoretical framework in order to relevantly explain the contrasting outcomes of MAP and NOWPAP. By doing so, this study challenges to an alternative explanation of environmental cooperation in the Northeast Asian region based upon MLG and ultimately tries to find a way of promoting MLG within the Northeast Asian region. The result of a case analysis for MAP well demonstrates that the MAP concerned parties experienced more complicated historical background and remarkable diversities in politics, society, economy and culture than the NOWPAP concerned parties did. Therefore, emphasizing such solutions as overcoming cultural underdevelopment, clearing historical debts and restoring initiatives of sovereign states are all meaningless. In order to set up a right direction of environmental cooperation in the Northeast Asian region, it is primarily necessary to make a precise diagnosis of fundamental features and problems of environmental governance structure in the Northeast Asian region.