Measuring the Economic Value of the Negative Externality of Livestock Malodor in South Korea.

The South Korean livestock industry has increased in scale and production, generating positive impacts on the national economy. However, livestock externalities, primarily malodor, have subsequently led to increased conflicts between producers and affected communities. This study estimated Korean households' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for government subsidies to help address livestock malodor using a contingent valuation method (CVM) derived from a double-bounded dichotomous choice model. The annual average household WTP was estimated at 29,206 Korean won (KRW) (USD 25). This was slightly higher than the respondents' self-reported average amount of KRW 25,457 (USD 22). The estimated economic value nationally is KRW 628 billion (USD 546 million) annually, for a total of KRW 3.14 trillion (USD 2.73 billion) over a proposed five-year period. The public's estimated WTP can be leveraged to improve livestock management practices, more efficient waste disposal techniques, and improved husbandry methods to address conflicts between producers and surrounding communities.

Effects of Spatial Characteristics on the Spread of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Korea.

This paper examines the effects of regional characteristics on the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during Korea's 2016-2017 outbreak. A spatial econometric model is used to determine the effects of regional characteristics on HPAI dispersion using data from 162 counties in Korea. Results indicate the existence of spatial dependence, suggesting that the occurrence of HPAI in a county is significantly influenced by neighboring counties. We found that larger size poultry, including laying hens, breeders, and ducks are significantly associated with a greater incidence of HPAI. Among poultry, we found ducks as the greatest source of the spread of HPAI. Our findings suggest that those regions that are spatially dependent with respect to the spread of HPAI, such as counties that intensively breed ducks, should be the focus of surveillance to prevent future epidemics of HPAI.

Do Dietary Supplements Improve Perceived Health Well-Being? Evidence from Korea.

This study analyzes the self-reported intake of dietary supplements (DS) and their effects on perceived health well-being from a survey with 1210 adult respondents in Korea. To account for selectivity bias from observable confounders, we use a propensity score matching (PSM) model. Our findings show that demographics, health concerns, family history of disease, frequency of hospital visits, and regular exercise are positively associated with intake of DS among consumers. Results from PSM show that the intake of DS leads to significant improvements in perceived health well-being among DS takers relative to DS non-takers regardless of gender, urban residence, having self-reported diseases or not. The paper concludes with implications for policies that promote intake of DS in Korea.