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Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in Korean American (KA) women. In view of its high prevalence in these women, their low screening rates, and the cultural influence of BC risk factors in their lifestyles, we developed a community-based culturally tailored BC prevention program, the Korean Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program (KBCRRP). Guided by the PRECEDE-PROCEDE and health belief models, the KBCRRP was developed to achieve four goals: (1) healthy weight, (2) physically active lifestyle, (3) healthy diet, and (4) BC screening and adherence. KBCRRP combines effective multicomponent strategies for BC screening and a group-based lifestyle intervention incorporating traditional Korean health beliefs and is tailored for BC risk reduction. In this paper, we provide an overview of the program, the process of program development, implementation, and evaluation, and modification during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initial program involved 8 weeks of in-person group education sessions led by interdisciplinary healthcare professionals and 16 weeks of follow-up involving smartphone applications, phone calls, and text messaging from trained lifestyle coaches. Participants received opportunities to obtain free mammography during the program. After feasibility testing, the program was modified by incorporating participants' feedback. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided the program using the Zoom video platform. Participants' recruitment and retention during the pandemic was successful, reflecting the fact that virtual delivery of group-based education was a feasible and acceptable alternative to in-person sessions. Collaboration with community organizations serving the target population is the key to developing and sustaining a successful community-based educational program.
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People's willingness to get vaccinated determines whether the campaigns against the COVID-19 pandemic can be successful in part. Considering the fact that both foreigners and its nationals are exposed to the risk of infection in China, the Chinese government has taken measures favorable to foreigners in terms of the vaccination, yet South Korean sojourners were reluctant to get China-developed COVID-19 vaccines. This study employed the trust in institutions and trust in media as a theoretical framework and seeks to analyze how these two affect South Korean sojourners' intention to get Chinese COVID-19 vaccines. 25 South Korean sojourners living in Beijing participated in semi-structured interviews. The results showed that the mistrust South Korean sojourners have in China's institutions and media, both traditional and social media, led to their reluctance to get Chinese COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, South Korean sojourners' higher interpersonal trust in their peers also influenced their willingness to get vaccines. This study further interpreted such results from the perspective of cultural traits and national properties.
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Background: Prolonged use of visual display terminal (VDT) can cause eyestrain, dry eyes, blurred vision, double vision, headache and musculoskeletal symptoms (neck, shoulder, and wrist pain). VDT working hours among workers have greatly increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between VDT working hours and headache/eyestrain in wage workers using data from the sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) (2020-2021) conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We analyzed the sixth KWCS data of 28,442 wage workers aged 15 years or older. The headache/eyestrain that occurred in the last year was assessed. The VDT work group included workers who use VDT always, almost always, and three-fourth of the working hours, while the non-VDT work group included workers who use VDT half of the working hours, one-fourth of the working hours, almost never, and never. To analyze the relationship between VDT working hours and headache/eyestrain, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the non-VDT work group, 14.4% workers experienced headache/eyestrain, whereas 27.5% workers of the VDT work group experienced these symptoms. For headache/eyestrain, the VDT work group showed adjusted OR of 1.94 (95% CI: 1.80-2.09), compared with the non-VDT work group, and the group that always used VDT showed adjusted OR of 2.54 (95% CI: 2.26-2.86), compared with the group that never used VDT. Conclusions: This study suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, as VDT working hours increased, the risk of headache/eyestrain increased for Korean wage workers.
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During the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, South Korean men exhibited greater affective risk perceptions than women, displaying anxiety and fear of COVID-19 infection as well as emotional distress. Such negative psychological states can be reduced through exposure to natural environments. Natural settings often provide restorative environments promoting individual mental health, psychological stability, and well-being. Therefore, this study aims to examine the roles of restorativeness as perceived by men in mitigating the affective risk perception of COVID-19, improving well-being, and increasing the willingness to pay a premium to camp in the context of nature-based camping. An online survey was conducted with South Korean men who experienced camping during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 208 responses were used for data analysis. The results of structural equation modeling indicated significant relationships between affective risk perception and perceived restorativeness, perceived restorativeness and well-being, and well-being and willingness-to-pay-a-premium. The mediating effect of well-being was also significant. The findings of a multi-group analysis indicated a significant moderating effect of having children on the relationship between perceived restorativeness and well-being, but not on the relationship between well-being and willingness-to-pay-a-premium. The results of this study provide enhanced insight into restorative experiences in nature as a coping mechanism for increased affective risks as perceived by men during the pandemic. In particular, this study examined the psychological benefits of a natural environment in the context of camping and empirically identified the role of camping in promoting a feeling of restorativeness and inducing men's well-being perception by easing negative emotions. This study also provides practitioners with an understanding of changes in men's perceptions and emotional and behavioral responses through positive restorative experiences.Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by MRE Press.
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Using digital technology to adapt to their host country is an integral part of social inclusion for migrant and refugee populations. However, researchers have not empirically examined how digital technology use may affect subjective well-being among migrant populations. This study aimed to examine the association between increased digital technology use, technological self-efficacy, and subjective well-being. Using the 2020 Digital Divide Survey in Korea, our sample consists of 6520 native South Koreans and 699 North Korean migrants aged 18 years and older. We examined the three-way interaction of technological self-efficacy and being North Korean migrants in the relationship between the increase in the use of five types of digital technology, technological self-efficacy, and subjective well-being, using hierarchical linear regressions. North Korean migrants were statistically lower than South Korean natives in all types of increased digital technology use. Moderation analysis showed that technological self-efficacy positively moderated the relationship between increased digital technology use and subjective well-being. A three-way interaction showed that this relationship was stronger in North Korean migrants for three types of utilization, networking, information sharing, and life services. Considering the potential benefits of technological self-efficacy for North Korean migrants and what psychosocial digital technology education would be considered. © The Author(s) 2023.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has prompted the implementation of social distancing policies worldwide, limiting participation in exercise and substantially impacting health behaviors. In accordance with the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the present study aimed to develop a model for predicting the intent to participate in exercise and engage in health behaviors among Korean men using the perception of COVID-19 risk as an exogenous variable. We analyzed data obtained from 374 Korean men who had completed a 32-item, online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was performed to evaluate the effect of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC) on the intention to participate in exercise and health behaviors using COVID-19 risk perception as an antecedent variable. COVID-19 risk perception exerted significant negative effects on the attitude toward exercise participation (beta = -0.857, p < 0.001), subjective norms associated with exercise participation (beta = -0.862, p < 0.001), and PBC related to exercise (beta = -0.738, p < 0.001). In addition, both attitude (beta = 0.213, p < 0.001) and subjective norms (beta = 0.168, p = 0.001) exerted significant effects on the intention to participate in exercise. PBC also exerted significant effects on the intention to participate in exercise (beta = 0.580, p < 0.001) and health behaviors (beta = 0.461, p < 0.001). Lastly, the intention to participate in exercise exerted a significant effect on health behaviors (beta = 0.400, p < 0.001). The data indicated that, among TPB variables, PBC exerted the greatest influence on the intention to participate in exercise and had a significant effect on engagement in health behaviors. The current findings support TPB as an important theoretical model for predicting the intention to participate in exercise and patterns of health behavior among Korean men during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study also highlights the importance of addressing PBC when designing interventions to promote exercise participation and health behaviors among Korean men.Copyright ©2023 The Author(s).
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This study examined how resilience is connected to psychological distress among Korean Americans (both U.S. born and foreign-born). Specifically, we explored the mediating role of perceived racial discrimination and the association between resilience and perceived racial discrimination moderated by different levels of social support. A structural equation model (a moderated mediation model) was employed with a sample of 781 participants. The data were obtained through online surveys for variables of interest. We employed this structural equation model to examine the association between variables using the bootstrapping method. We found that the indirect association of resilience with psychological distress through perceived racial discrimination was statistically significant. We also found that the mediating association of perceived racial discrimination was moderated by the extent of social support, especially when the level of social support was low and moderate. We discovered the roles of social support and perceived racial discrimination during the COVID-19 pandemic and the link between resilience and psychological distress for Korean Americans. The findings suggested that social services and culturally sensitive/responsive resilience-focused treatments (including a mindfulness program) alleviate heightened psychological distress among Asian Americans who experienced racial discrimination during the pandemic. Policy implications are also discussed.
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INTRODUCTION: Geriatric assessment (GA) is widely used to detect vulnerability in older patients. As this process is time-consuming, prescreening tools have been developed to identify patients at risk for frailty. We aimed to assess whether the Geriatric 8 (G8) or the Korean Cancer Study Group Geriatric Score (KG-7) shows better performance in identifying patients who are in need of full GA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of patients aged ≥ 60 years with colorectal cancer were included. The sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for the G8 and the KG-7 using the results of GA as the reference standard. ROC(Receiver Operating Characteristic) was used to evaluate the accuracy of the G8 and the KG-7. RESULTS: One hundred four patients were enrolled. A total of 40.4% of patients were frail according to GA, and 42.3% and 50.0% of patients were frail based on the G8 and the KG-7, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the G8 were 90.5% (95% CI: 77.4-97.3%) and 90.3% (95% CI: 80.1-96.4%), respectively. For the KG-7, the sensitivity and specificity were 83.3% (95% CI: 68.6-93.0%) and 72.6% (95% CI: 59.8-83.1%), respectively. Compared to the KG-7, the G8 had a higher predictive accuracy (AUC: (95% CI): 0.90 (0.83-0.95) vs. 0.78 (0.69-0.85); p < 0.01). By applying the G8 and the KG-7, 60 and 52 patients would not need a GA assessment, respectively. CONCLUSION: Both the G8 and the KG-7 showed a great ability to detect frailty in older patients with colorectal cancer. In this population, compared to the KG-7, the G8 had a better performance in identifying those in need of a full Geriatric Assessment.
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Colorectal Neoplasms , Frailty , Neoplasms , Aged , Humans , Frailty/diagnosis , Frail Elderly , Early Detection of Cancer , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Sensitivity and Specificity , Geriatric Assessment/methods , Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosisABSTRACT
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the bio-industry is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, it is necessary to respond to the changed environment after COVID-19 by analyzing the bio-industry situation before the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Korean bio-industry is a very important industry for Korea's economic growth, so huge investments are being made in the development of bio-companies. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the effect of innovation capabilities on the performance of the Korean bio-industry. Korea's bio-industry has been developing under the leadership of the government. Thus, Korea's bio-companies need various forms of innovation to achieve sustainability through competitive advantage on their own. The objective of this research is to find the competitive advantage factors that improve the innovation ability of the Korean bio-industry. Therefore, the elements that increase a company's innovation capability were studied in order to uncover competitive advantage factors that improve the Korean bio-industry's innovation capability, and the effect on corporate performance was analyzed. Using samples from the ‘Korean Bio-industry Survey', the current state of the Korean bio-industry was examined through a review of all bio-industry enterprises. In addition, each of the eight bio-industries was examined using Korea's industrial classification system. As an analysis method, multiple regression analysis of SPSS 25 was performed to analyze how the six input factors have a complex effect on the output factor. This study discovered that R&D intensity, machine investment, and human resource characteristics all had an impact on the business performance of Korean biotech enterprises. In eight bio-sectors, elements affecting company success were defined differently. Therefore, through this study, Korean bio-companies must understand their own industrial characteristics, and develop factors that affect business performance through strategic operational management. In addition, based on the results of this study, companies should strengthen the innovation capabilities of the bio-industry to survive post-COVID-19, analyze changes in innovation capabilities, and promote sustainable growth by strengthening key innovation factors.
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BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there was a shortage of medical resources and the need for proper treatment guidelines for brain tumor patients became more pressing. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, has undertaken efforts to develop a guideline that is tailored to the domestic situation and that can be used in similar crisis situations in the future. As part II of the guideline, this consensus survey is to suggest management options in specific clinical scenarios during the crisis period. METHODS: The KSNO Guideline Working Group consisted of 22 multidisciplinary experts on neuro-oncology in Korea. In order to confirm a consensus reached by the experts, opinions on 5 specific clinical scenarios about the management of brain tumor patients during the crisis period were devised and asked. To build-up the consensus process, Delphi method was employed. RESULTS: The summary of the final consensus from each scenario are as follows. For patients with newly diagnosed astrocytoma with isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant and oligodendroglioma with IDH-mutant/1p19q codeleted, observation was preferred for patients with low-risk, World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2, and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) ≥60, while adjuvant radiotherapy alone was preferred for patients with high-risk, WHO grade 2, and KPS ≥60. For newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma, the most preferred adjuvant treatment strategy after surgery was radiotherapy plus temozolomide except for patients aged ≥70 years with KPS of 60 and unmethylated MGMT promoters. In patients with symptomatic brain metastasis, the preferred treatment differed according to the number of brain metastasis and performance status. For patients with newly diagnosed atypical meningioma, adjuvant radiation was deferred in patients with older age, poor performance status, complete resection, or low mitotic count. CONCLUSION: It is imperative that proper medical care for brain tumor patients be sustained and provided, even during the crisis period. The findings of this consensus survey will be a useful reference in determining appropriate treatment options for brain tumor patients in the specific clinical scenarios covered by the survey during the future crisis.
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BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the need for appropriate treatment guidelines for patients with brain tumors was indispensable due to the lack and limitations of medical resources. Thus, the Korean Society for Neuro-Oncology (KSNO), a multidisciplinary academic society, has undertaken efforts to develop a guideline that is tailored to the domestic situation and that can be used in similar crisis situations in the future. METHODS: The KSNO Guideline Working Group was composed of 22 multidisciplinary experts on neuro-oncology in Korea. In order to reach consensus among the experts, the Delphi method was used to build up the final recommendations. RESULTS: All participating experts completed the series of surveys, and the results of final survey were used to draft the current consensus recommendations. Priority levels of surgery and radiotherapy during crises were proposed using appropriate time window-based criteria for management outcome. The highest priority for surgery is assigned to patients who are life-threatening or have a risk of significant impact on a patient's prognosis unless immediate intervention is given within 24-48 hours. As for the radiotherapy, patients who are at risk of compromising their overall survival or neurological status within 4-6 weeks are assigned to the highest priority. Curative-intent chemotherapy has the highest priority, followed by neoadjuvant/adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy during a crisis period. Telemedicine should be actively considered as a management tool for brain tumor patients during the mass infection crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: It is crucial that adequate medical care for patients with brain tumors is maintained and provided, even during times of crisis. This guideline will serve as a valuable resource, assisting in the delivery of treatment to brain tumor patients in the event of any future crisis.
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Journal of the International Network for Korean Language and Culture 19-3, 161-197. This study aims to understand the current situation of Korean language education in American K-12 schools and to propose future objectives by interviewing World Language Korean Teachers. Focus group interviews were conducted with nine teachers in eight American states, and the findings are as follows: 1) the World Language Korean Teachers have an identity as teachers who teach Korean to achieve the educational goals of American society and local school districts among numerous non-Korean students in K-12 schools in the U.S.;2) Korean language is fiercely competing for survival among World Language subjects, and several variables affect the set up and maintenance of classes, including regional and school specificity, Hallyu, North Korean issues, determination of principals, efforts of local Korean and private organizations, support from the Korean government, and the COVID-19 pandemic;and 3) against this background, Korean language teachers are burdened with not only classes but also curriculum design, instructional design, and educational material development. Based on the above interview results, we propose support at the Korean government level, active participation in local universities, institutions, private organizations, and academic societies in the United States, and close cooperation between the two sides.(Sogang University, Korean Language Foundation Korean Curriculum Development Committee)
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Purpose - Vietnam has the fastest growing digital economy in Southeast Asia and is emerging as a critical overseas market for Korean banks in the post-COVID-19 era. Accordingly, many Korean banks entered the Vietnamese market to overcome the limitations of the saturated domestic financial market and create new revenue sources. This study examined the current status of digital finance in Vietnam and the cases of Korean banks that have succeeded in the Vietnamese market. Then, importance-performance analysis (IPA) was conducted on local customers, managers and staff members of Korean banks in Vietnam. Design/methodology - In this study, we analyzed the importance and satisfaction factors of mobile banking app usage in Vietnam through IPA. In particular, we identified the differences between the two groups by considering the viewpoint of customers who use mobile banking apps and that of managers and staff members who provide mobile banking services. Findings - The IPA results from the customer group and managers and staff members group were generally similar, but differences were observed in Ease of Use (Technology), Innovativeness (Organization), and Increase in Revenue (Economic). In the case of the customer group, Ease of Use (Technology) is located in the second quadrant, which shows low satisfaction compared to high importance. However, in the managers and staff members group, Ease of Use (Technology) is located in the first quadrant, which indicates high importance and high satisfaction. This difference in perception can cause complaints from local customers;thus, it is necessary to change the perception of the technological aspect for ease of use of mobile banking apps in consideration of the customer's position. In addition, it is necessary to allocate the resources invested in the Innovativeness (Organization) and Increase in Revenue (Economic) to Ease of Use (Technology). Originality/value - In this study, based on the HOTE framework, factors for using mobile banking apps were derived, and IPA was conducted targeting local customers (app user) and managers and staff members (app provider) of Korean banks in Vietnam. Through this, we presented the results of empirical analysis that can help Korean banks efficiently utilize limited resources and budgets.
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Purpose: This study aimed to translate the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale into Korean and validate the translated instrument. Patients and Methods: After translating the instrument, seven items of two factors (preparedness and perinatal infection stress) were selected for content validity testing. Validity and reliability were evaluated using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 26.0. An online survey, via Google Forms, was conducted from January 20 to January 26, 2022. Participants were 283 pregnant women in Korea who consented to participate in the study. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed factor loadings on two factors of 0.64-0.87 with a total variance explained of 69.77%. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit (RMR = 0.03, RMSEA = 0.06, GFI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.03), and convergent and discriminant validity were established. Concurrent validity was established based on the correlation with the Revised Prenatal Distress Questionnaire (r = 0.45), and the reliability of the final instrument was indicated by Cronbach's α = 0.87. Conclusion: The Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale was validated for use in the Korean population. The Korean version of the Pandemic-Related Pregnancy Stress Scale can be utilized to measure pandemic-related stress in pregnant women.
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This article examines the Japanese and South Korean governments' reshoring and diversification policies of supply chains especially away from China since the early 2010s, with particular attention to the measures taken under the 2020–21 pandemic. The article also explores how much Japanese and South Korean reshoring from China, a subset of foreign economic policy, counts as economic statecraft as a deliberate government attempt to achieve geopolitical objectives using ‘economic' means. One would expect these governments, which innovated proactive industrial policies and guided the private sector to catch up with developed economies in the 20th century, to have an easy time encouraging businesses to re-shore. While these two governments have employed various policy instruments to shift their economic dependence away from China, there is only limited success in motivating businesses to return to their homeland. This leads to an intriguing departure in our understanding of the capacity of those two Asian nations, which used to be considered prototypical ‘developmental states' where governments have significant influence over business behaviour. This research brings more nuance and complexity to prevailing state-as-unitary-actor assumption of the economic statecraft literature and advocates closer attention to domestic sources of foreign economic policy. © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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Despite the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine-induced responses decline over time; thus, booster vaccines have been approved globally. In addition, interest in natural compounds capable of improving host immunity has increased. This study aimed to examine the effect of Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) on virus-specific antibodies after COVID-19 vaccination. We conducted a 24 week clinical pilot study of 350 healthy subjects who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and a booster vaccination (third dose). These subjects were randomized 1:2 to the KRG and control groups. We evaluated antibody response five times: just before the second dose (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks after the second dose, and 4 weeks after the third dose. The primary endpoints were changes in COVID-19 spike antibody titers and neutralizing antibody titers. The antibody formation rate of the KRG group was sustained higher than that of the control group for 12 weeks after the second dose. This trend was prominently observed in those above 50 years old. We found that KRG can help to increase and maintain vaccine response, highlighting that KRG could potentially be used as an immunomodulator with COVID-19 vaccines.
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COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19 , Panax , Humans , Middle Aged , Antibodies , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , Longitudinal Studies , Pilot Projects , VaccinationABSTRACT
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of U.S. universities transitioned from face-to-face classes to remote classes after March 2020. Despite this sudden transition, the number of students taking Korean language courses online increased. Many attribute this surge in Korean language learners to the spread of Korean popular culture and the influence of Hallyu (Korean Wave). This article examines the experiences and motivations of 14 non-Korean heritage language (non-KHL) learners who took online Korean language courses at a U.S. university after March 2020, using participants' written responses and interviews. This study's findings suggest that a desire to connect with Korean people and culture influenced non-KHL learners to initiate Korean language learning. Results also showed that learners' orientations and motivations were complex, as they overlapped and emerged simultaneously. Additionally, participants reported the benefits and challenges of learning Korean online, pointing out the importance of the teacher, learner autonomy, and Korean popular culture as factors that influenced their learning journeys and helped sustain their motivation of language learning. These findings suggest a need to further explore the diversity of Korean language learners, learner motivations, and how various aspects of Korean culture interplay in the process of Korean language learning. © 2022 The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
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In modern society, interest in health is increasing, and more consumers are taking care of their health due to COVID-19. As a result, immunity enhancement and antioxidant foods help to promote health, and the intake rate is increasing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate quality characteristics and antioxidant activity by adding 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% and 12% pistachios to rice cake, a traditional Korean food. The moisture content and pH decreased as the amount of pistachio added and the chromaticity L and a values tended to decrease, but the b values increased. It was confirmed that the polyphenol, ABTS a DPPH significantly increased as the amount of pistachio added increased. As a result of confirming the functionality and overall preference, it is suggested that the 9% content is the best, and this experiment is expected to improve the quality of rice cake and improve the nutritional balance, so that it can become an antioxidant functional food. As far as we know, it is the first study to prove that pistachios and rice cakes are combined, suggesting that rice cakes with added pistachios, a physiologically active substance, are healthful foods © 2022, Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture.All Rights Reserved.
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Since the outbreak of COVID-19, tourists have been increasingly concerned over various risks of international travel, while knowledge of the pandemic appears to vary significantly. In addition, as travel restrictions continue to impact adversely on international tourism, tourism efforts should be placed more on the domestic markets. Via structural equation modeling, this study unearthed different risk factors impacting Korean travelers' choices of alternative local destinations in the post-pandemic era. In addition, this study extended the goal-directed behavior framework with the acquisition of perceived risk and knowledge of COVID-19, which was proven to hold a significantly superior explanatory power of tourists' decisions of local alternatives over foreign countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, desire was found to play an imminent mediating role in the conceptual mod-el, maximizing the impact of perceived risk on travel intentions. Henceforth, this research offers meaningful theoretical implication as the first empirical study to deepen the goal-directed behaviour framework with perceived risk and knowledge in the context of post-COVID-19 era. It also serves as insightful knowledge for Korean tourism authorities and practitioners to understand local tourists' decision-making processes and tailor effective recovery strategy for domestic tourism.”. © 2023, Tech Science Press. All rights reserved.
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Sexual minorities are increasingly gaining social visibility and legal rights guarantees at the constitutional level across much of the world, from South America, the United States, and Europe to Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought on significant mental health challenges for the public due to accompanying social and economic impact and measures, most of them adverse. Given pre-existing studies highlighting the minority demographic's vulnerability to depression and other mental health symptoms, and the increasing availability of accessible NLP tools, datasets, and models, this paper uses an emotional classification model to analyze emotional trends in queer communities on social media. Using KoBERT with a pre-labelled dataset containing some forty thousand scraped social media posts labelled with emotions, patterns of emotional expression on Twitter in the queer community is revealed. Resulting data provided a validation of the viability of this method of analyzing trends in negative and positive emotional expression as well as the impact COVID-19 had on online queer communities in early 2020 but revealed limitations. © 2023 IEEE.