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EMF Policies, Standards and Research Activities in KoreaEMF Policies, Standards and Research Activities in Korea

Oct. 29, 2001

Jeong-Ki Pack

Chungnam National University, KOREA

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Contents

Public Concerns and Risk Communication Efforts

EMF Organizations

EMF Policies

EMF Standards

Research Activities

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Public Concerns

Public concerns associated with power lines, mobile phones

and base stations are increasing continuously each year

Number of Petitions in 2000

Power lines : 120

Base stations : 152

A number of persons appeal that they are suffering from EMF

hypersensitivity. Some of them are very severe.

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Risk Communication Efforts

Publication of Booklets on EMF

Questions & Answers on :

Characteristics of EMF, Interaction mechanisms

Health effects, Research activities and results

Protection guidelines, etc.

Three kinds of booklets were published up to now.

Operation of EMF Website

Homepage of “EMF Bioeffect Committee”

Contains information on EMF health issues and linked to relevant sites.

Need more comprehensive contents and more frequent update.

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GovernmentGovernment

Ministry of Information and Communication

Ministry of Information and Communication

Ministry of Environment

Ministry of Environment

Radio Research Lab.

Radio Research Lab.

Ministry of Commerce, Industry

and Energy

Ministry of Commerce, Industry

and Energy

Director General for Energy Industry –

Electric Power Industry Division

Director General for Energy Industry –

Electric Power Industry Division

Air Quality Management Bureau

– Noise, Vibration and Dust Division

Air Quality Management Bureau

– Noise, Vibration and Dust Division

Radio & Broadcasting Bureau – Radio

Management Dept.

Radio & Broadcasting Bureau – Radio

Management Dept.

EMF Organizations

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Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute

National Institute of Environment

Research

National Institute of Environment

Research

Korea Instituteof Electrical Engineers

Korea Instituteof Electrical Engineers

Korea Electric Power Research

Institute

Korea Electric Power Research

Institute

Korea Electrotechnology Institute

Korea Electrotechnology Institute

Research InstitutesResearch Institutes

Korea Electromagnetics Engineering Soci

ety

Korea Electromagnetics Engineering Soci

ety

EMF Organizations (continued)

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EMF Organizations (continued)

Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC)

Supports EMF researches(mainly MF and RF)

Prepares and publishes regulations for EMF exposure limits and measurement methods

Supports International EMF Project

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy (MCIE), Ministry of Environment (ME)

Supports ELF researches only

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EMF Policies

Adoption of National Guidelines

Article 47-2 of the “Radio Wave Act” in Korea was revised and proclaimed in January 2000.

MIC of Korean government announced officially four ordinances in January 2001:

Guidelines for human protection from EMF exposure

Guidelines for measurement of electromagnetic field

Guidelines for measurement of SAR

Installations and devices to which the exposure limits apply

Will be in effective from January 1, 2002.

The ordinances for mobile phone will be mandatory, but others are just recommendations.

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EMF Policies (continued)

New Mobile-Phone Policies

SAR values of mobile phones currently on market will be measured, and the results will be published by the end of this year.

A mandatory rule to restrict the use of mobile phones in moving vehicles has been adopted.

Motorists should use hands-free devices while driving from Nov. 1, 2001.

Mobile phones must comply with SAR limits from Jan. 1, 2002.

Certifications will be issued by RRL(Radio Research Lab.)

Compliance tests can be performed at laboratories approved by government.

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EMF Policies (continued)

Main Principle of EMF Policies

Precautionary principle is not adopted yet, but it will be considered carefully if the method of implementation is well established.

Only the well-established scientific results will be taken into account for guidelines.

If new scientific evidences are found, or if EHC’s of WHO for ELF and RF are published, guidelines for exposure limits will be revised properly.

Korean government will make efforts for international harmonization of guidelines.

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EMF Standards

Exposure Limits for EMF Intensities

Regulate maximum permissible level of electric field, magnetic field, or power density, generated by stationary installations, appliances, etc.

Frequency range: 0 – 300 GHz

Two-tier standard: General public/Workers

Exceptions:

Mobile radio stations

Installations operated in an emergency or a natural disaster

Facilities installed in the area such as mountains where the general public do not enter frequently

Low-power devices

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EMF Standards (continued)

Exposure Limits for EMF Intensities (continued)

Closely follows the ICNIRP guideline

Limits for induced current, contact current, and pulsed EMF are not included.

Exposure Limit for SAR

Regulates maximum permissible level of SAR in local exposure environments.

Frequency range: 100 kHz – 10 GHz

One-tier standard: General public only

Applies only to mobile phones.

The IEEE/ANSI guideline was adopted

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Research Activities

Research Funds

MIC launched a 5-year EMF research project in 2000:

Funded by the government and mobile-phone companies

Budget amounts to 10.9 billion won(about $ 8.5 million) for 5 years

(billion won)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total

Government 0.8 1.7 2.3 2.3 2.3 9.4

Mobile-phone company

0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.5

Total 1.1 2.0 2.6 2.6 2.6 10.9

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Research Activities (continued)

Research Funds (continued)

MIC launched a 5-year EMF research project in 2000 (continued)

Epidemiological studies, in vivo and in vitro studies for MF and RF exposure, as well as dosimetry and other engineering studies

Collaborating organizations: KEES, RRL, ETRI

ME and MCIE also support several ELF research projects:

Collaborating organizations: KEPCO, KEI, KRICT, KIEE, NIER

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Research Activities (continued)

In vivo Studies

ELF-I: Mice(BALB/c) were exposed to 60 Hz electric and magnetic fie

lds up to 3 generations

For the exposure levels of the ICNIRP guideline, there was no significant

health effect.

For higher exposure level(30 kV/m, 1.5 mT), congenital abnormalities wer

e observed and possible adverse effects on immune system and reprodu

ction function were found.

ELF-2: Rat(Sprague-Dawley) were exposed to 60 Hz magnetic field d

uring pregnancy to examine teratogenesis(malformation upon gesta

tional age)

Malformation was not observed up to the exposure level of 500 μT.

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Research Activities (continued)

In vivo Studies (continued)

MF: In vivo study of mice exposed to sawtooth magnetic fields of 20 kHz is on-going and will be continued until 2002, in order to investigate the effects on subacute toxicity, malformation upon gestational age and carcinogenic effects.

RF: In vivo study of mice(normal and transgenic) exposed to electromagnetic fields of 848.5 MHz and 1762.5 MHz is scheduled for next year(Exposure systems are currently under development).

The main objective is to examine stress responses, effects on immune function and DNA synthesis rate for short-term exposure, and effects on tumorigenesis and immune function, cytopathological effects for long-term exposure.

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Research Activities (continued)

In vitro Studies

RF: Human cells(T lymphomia cell, fibroblast cell) and mouse cells

(T cell hybridoma, fibroblast cell) were exposed to electromagnetic f

ields of 848.5 MHz and 1762.5 MHz for 12hrs, in order to investigate

cell proliferation and destruction, cell transformations, chromatic ab

errations, alterations in gene expression and stress responses.

For the exposure level up to 75 W/kg, no direct short-term effect on chro

mosome was observed, but stress response and reversible suppression

of cell growth were observed.

Long-term exposure study is on-going and will be continued next ye

ar.

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Research Activities (continued)

In vitro Studies (continued)

MF: In vitro study for sawtooth magnetic fields of 20 kHz is planned

for next year, in order to investigate mechanisms for initiation and p

romotion of cancer and other effects.

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Research Activities (continued)

Epidemiological Studies

A study of cancers(leukemia, malignant lymphoma, brain tumor, breast cancer) for the residents near high power AM transmission stations was performed last year(geographical correlation study), and it is continued this year(case-control study).

Among ten exposed areas, two areas were showed significantly higher rate of incidence for leukemia and brain tumor compared to control areas.

As a pilot study for health effects of mobile-phone use, a cross-sectional symptom survey was conducted last year, and will be continued next year.

No statistical correlation was found for brain cancer and breast cancer, but a clear statistical correlation between woman thyroid cancer and mobile phone use was observed.

Dose-response relations were observed for symptoms like dizziness, nausea, eye pain, ear symptom, fatigue, heat sensation, etc.

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Research Activities (continued)

Volunteer Studies

EEG test was performed for 16 physically and mentally healthy male volunteers to investigate possible correlation between function of human brain and mobile phone use.

No significant difference was found between exposed group and control group

Further investigation are required and study for larger group of volunteers may be needed.

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Research Activities (continued)

Dosimetry

Exposure systems for in vivo and in vitro studies

Exposure assessments for epidemiological studies(measurement and numerical studies)

High resolution numerical phantom model for human head and whole body

Analysis of SAR and modeling of temperature rise in human head resulting from RF exposure

SAR measurement systems(E-field probe, 5-axis robot and measurement control SW), and measurement methods

Measurement and modeling of dielectric properties of phathological tissues

Numerical modeling of induced current due to ELF exposure

Uncertainty analysis for SAR measurement

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Research Activities (continued)

Other Engineering Studies

SAR reduction techniques for mobile phones

Mn-Zn ferrite bead inside of the helical coil of mobile-phone antenna

Array of conventional helical-coil antenna

Plane patch antenna

Several other techniques

Measurement of EMF’s from appliances, broadcasting stations, base stations, radars, power lines, medical equipments, industrial equipments

EMF levels were fairly or far below guidelines, except induction heater, MRI equipment , a few of broadcasting stations, old power lines, low-quality electrical blankets

Characterization of pulsed and near-field EMF, and studies on measurement methods

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Conclusions

EMF studies were started in late 90’s, but current research activities are quite active, especially in dosimetry and SAR reduction technology.

Five-year research project has been launched in 2000, and EMF researches become well organized with the embarkment of the Korea EMF Project.

Guidelines for exposure limits and measurement methods are announced, and SAR of mobile phones will be regulated from Jan. 1, 2002.

Facilities generating EMF will also be regulated in the near future, and exposure limits will be revised if new scientific evidences are found.