Ukraine and Responsibility to Protect (R2P): Present and Future Implications

Jina Choi(Jina Choi) J-INSTITUTE 2022 International Journal of Terrorism & National Secu Vol.7 No.2

Purpose: The war crimes allegedly committed against the civilian population in Ukraine by Russian military forces has generated multiple detrimental outcomes. Due to these war crimes, Russia was suspended from the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) as of April 2022. Russia’s alleged war crimes currently are under-going thorough investigations by the UNHRC’s Commission of Inquiry. The current humanitarian situation in war-devastated Ukraine has been somewhat under researched. Method: This paper employs the Responsibility to Protect(R2P) theory to examine the present and future of potential application of R2P in Ukraine. Based on resources from the R2P and human rights related research by the US government, the UN and its agencies, scholars, and experts, This article analyzes the failure of Russia to observe the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants as required by the Geneva Conventions, war-affected citizens in Ukraine, as well as potential application of the Responsibility to Protect(R2P) and its im-plication that the international community has a duty to protect civilians against Russian aggressions. Results: The paper finds that the potential application of R2P in Ukraine will likely face some operational chal-lenges within the UNSC, the potential application of R2P seems feasible as it is both legitimate and justifiable action in accordance with the international law. The actual application of R2P should however carefully be con-sidered since the nature of use of force- often does more harm than good. The potential application of R2P might result in more harm to civilians if additional casualties are generated. Conclusion: The international community should employ additional countermeasures such as added eco-nomic sanctions. Pressure should be brought to bear until Russia decides to refrain from war and negotiate a peace between Russia and Ukraine. The potential application of R2P in Ukraine should therefore be most carefully considered and maybe used as a last resort, to avoid and prevent a potential Third World War in coming months.

The Nuclear Matrix Protein, NRP/B, Acts as a Transcriptional Repressor of E2F-mediated Transcriptional Activity

Jina Choi,Eun Sung Yang,Kiweon Cha,John Whang,Woo-Jung Choi,Shalom Avraham,김태억 대한암예방학회 2014 Journal of cancer prevention Vol.19 No.3

Background: NRP/B, a family member of the BTB/Kelch repeat proteins, is implicated in neuronal and cancer development, as well as the regulation of oxidative stress responses in breast and brain cancer. Our previous studies indicate that the NRP/B-BTB/POZ domain is involved in the dimerization of NRP/B and in a complex formation with the tumor suppressor, retinoblastoma protein. Although much evidence supports the potential role of NRP/B as a tumor suppressor, the molecular mechanisms of NRP/B action on E2F transcription factors have not been elucidated. Methods: Three-dimensional modeling of NRP/B was used to generate point mutations in the BTB/Kelch domains. Tet-on inducible NRP/B expression was established. The NRP/B deficient breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, was generated using lentiviral shNRP/B to evaluate the effect of NRP/B on cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Immunoprecipitation was performed to verify the interaction of NRP/B with E2F and histone deacetylase (HDAC-1), and the expression level of NRP/B protein was analyzed by Western blot analysis.Changes in cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry. Transcriptional activities of E2F transcription factors were measured by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity. Results: Ectopic overexpression of NRP/B demonstrated that the NRP/B-BTB/POZ domain plays a critical role in E2F-mediated transcriptional activity. Point mutations within the BTB/POZ domain restored E2-promoter activity inhibited by NRP/B. Loss of NRP/B enhanced the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Endogenous NRP/B interacted with E2F and HDAC1. Treatement with an HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), abolished the NRP/B-mediated suppression of E2-promoter activity. Gain or loss of NRP/B in HeLa cells confirmed the transcriptional repressive capability of NRP/B on the E2F target genes, Cyclin E and HsORC (Homo sapiens Origin Recognition Complex). Conclusions: The present study shows that NRP/B acts as a transcriptional repressor by interacting with the co-repressors, HDAC1, providing new insight into the molecular mechanisms of NRP/B on tumor suppression.

Acrylamide Degradation of Probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MKSK, MKSE in Fermented Coffee Bean

Jina Choi,Jiwon Yoon,Min-Ji Kim,Soo-Jeong Lee,Youngseung Lee,Yoonhwa Jeong,Misook Kim 한국식품영양과학회 2019 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2019 No.10

Human Rights Concerns on Fukushima Radioactive Wastewater Dumping Plan in Kishida Era

Jina Choi J-INSTITUTE 2023 International Journal of Human & Disaster Vol.8 No.-

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.

[P8-58] Protective Effects of HemoHIM against UVB-Induced Suppression of Antigen Presenting Function

Jina Choi,Young-Ran Jeong,Sung-Kee Jo,Uhee Jung,Hae-Ran Park,Sung-Tae Yee 한국식품영양과학회 2008 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2008 No.10

The Challenges of Good Governance: The Case of Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

Jina Choi(최지나) 경희대학교 인류사회재건연구원 2020 OUGHTOPIA Vol.34 No.4

후쿠시마 원전재난은 지난 2011년도에 일어났다. 그러나, 일본의 아베 정부는 좋은 거버넌스 (Good Governance)의 원칙들을 따르는데 실패했고, 국제 인권 규범들을 준수하는데 에도 실패했다. 본 논문은 아베 정부의 이러한 좋은 거버넌스 실패들에 의해 특히 여성, 아동, 그리고 원전 근로자들이 얼마나 취약했는지를 증명해 보고자 한다. 현재 일본의 아베 정부는 좋은 거버넌스 (Good Governance)의 원칙들을 따르고 국제 인권규범들을 준수함으로써 원전 재난 이후 거버넌스를 총제적으로 개선시켜 나가야만 한다. The Fukushima nuclear disaster happened back in 2011, but the Japanese government under the Abe administration has failed to follow the principles of good governance, and it has also failed to abide by international human rights standards. This paper demonstrates how women, children, and workers have been particularly vulnerable to these governmental failures. The current Abe administration should seek to improve post-nuclear disaster governance by following the principles of good governance and international human rights standards.

Photocatalytic production of hydrogen on Ni/NiO/KNbO₃/CdS nanocomposites using visible light

Choi, Jina,Ryu, Su Young,Balcerski, William,Lee, T. K.,Hoffmann, Michael R. Royal Society of Chemistry 2008 Journal of materials chemistry Vol.18 No.20

<P>The photocatalytic production of H<SUB>2</SUB> from water splitting was demonstrated on Ni/NiO/KNbO<SUB>3</SUB>/CdS nanocomposites using visible light irradiation at wavelengths >400 nm in the presence of isopropanol. The inherent photocatalytic activity of bulk-phase CdS was enhanced by combining Q-sized CdS with KNbO<SUB>3</SUB> and Ni deposited on KNbO<SUB>3.</SUB> Enhanced activity is most likely due to effective charge separation of photogenerated electrons and holes in CdS that is achieved by electron injection into the conduction band of KNbO<SUB>3</SUB> and the reduced states of niobium (<I>e.g.</I>, Nb(<SMALL>IV</SMALL>) and Nb(<SMALL>III</SMALL>)) are shown to contribute to enhanced reactivity in the KNbO<SUB>3</SUB> composites by mediating effective electron transfer to bound protons. We also observed that the efficient attachment of Q-size CdS and the deposition of nickel on the KNbO<SUB>3</SUB> surface increases H<SUB>2</SUB> production rates. Other factors that influence the rate of H<SUB>2</SUB> production including the nature of the electron donors and the solution pH were also determined. The Ni/NiO/KNbO<SUB>3</SUB>/CdS nanocomposite system appears to be a promising candidate for possible practical applications including the production of H<SUB>2</SUB> under visible light.</P> <P>Graphic Abstract</P><P>A new nanocomposite material, Ni/NiO/KNbO<SUB>3</SUB>/CdS, is shown to be an efficient photocatalyst for the production of H<SUB>2</SUB> from water with visible light illumination (<I>λ</I> > 400 nm). <IMG SRC='http://pubs.rsc.org/services/images/RSCpubs.ePlatform.Service.FreeContent.ImageService.svc/ImageService/image/GA?id=b718535a'> </P>

Combinatorial doping of TiO₂ with platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), and nickel (Ni) to achieve enhanced photocatalytic activity with visible light irradiation

Choi, Jina,Park, Hyunwoong,Hoffmann, Michael R. Cambridge University Press (Materials Research Soc 2010 Journal of materials research Vol.25 No.1

<P>Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was doped with the combination of several metal ions including platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), vanadium (V), and nickel (Ni). The doped TiO2 materials were synthesized by standard sol-gel methods with doping levels of 0.1 to 0.5 at.%. The resulting materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface-area measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The visible light photocatalytic activity of the codoped samples was quantified by measuring the rate of the oxidation of iodide, the rate of degradation of methylene blue (MB), and the rate of oxidation of phenol in aqueous solutions at λ > 400 nm. 0.3 at.% Pt-Cr-TiO2 and 0.3 at.% Cr-V-TiO2 showed the highest visible light photocatalytic activity with respect to MB degradation and iodide oxidation, respectively. However, none of the codoped TiO2 samples were found to have enhanced photocatalytic activity for phenol degradation when compared to their single-doped TiO2 counterparts.</P>

[P8-76] Effect of γ-Irradiation on the Extraction Yield of Immune-acti­vating Factor in the Asterina pectinifera Extract

Jina Choi,Jung-Eun Park,Sung-kee Jo,Sung-Tae Yee 한국식품영양과학회 2007 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2007 No.10

Minorities at Risk: Koreans in Japan

Jina Choi 한국문화융합학회 2019 문화와 융합 Vol.41 No.5

최근 한국과 일본의 외교관계는 점점 긴장되고 있는 현실이다. 현재 일본 정부는 과거 한반도에서 일본 식민지 지배하에 (1910-1945) 일어난 전시 잔학행위와 부당행위에 대한 배상을 제공하는 합의에 도달하는 것을 거부하고 있다. 이러한 역사적 기록에는 한국인들이 즉결 처형, 강제 노동, 그리고 강제적 일본군 위안부 동원의 대상이 되었었다는 것을 포함하고 있다. 또한, 한국인들은 일본으로 강제이주의 대상이 되었고, 그곳에서 전쟁 이후에도 계속 착취를 당했다. 세계이차대전이 끝난 이후부터, 한국인들은 주로 빈민가나 작은 촌락에 거주하며, 인권침해에 준할만한 체계적인 차별을 당해왔다. 일본의 국가 주도적 차원에서의 한인소수민족에 대한 차별행위들은 수십 년 동안 지속되어 왔다. 이러한 역사의 그늘 안에서, 현재 일본의 배상동의 거부 행위는 주변 국가들과의 관계까지도 훼손시키고 있을 뿐만 아니라, 심지어 모든 회원국들에 의해 마땅히 지켜져야 하는 국제 인도주의법의 기초가 되는 국제인권규범을 약화, 훼손시키는 행위임이 분명하다. 본 논문은 세대를 거슬러 지속된 차별과 소외를 겪고 있는 일본에 있는 한인소수민족을 중심으로 다룬다. 마땅히 당사국인 일본정부로부터 보호받아야할 한인소수민족의 기본적 권리들은 현시점까지도 전혀 존중 받지 못하고 있는 것이 현실이다. 따라서, 본 논문은 현재 한인소수민족에 대한 일본국가 주도의 인권규범위반에 준하는 차별적 행위들이 얼마나 이뤄지고 있는지에 대해 분석 한다. 현재 일본에 있는 한인소수민족들은 그들의 기본적 권리들이 지속적으로 침해되는 위험에 처해 있지만, 일본정부는 이러한 상황의 해결을 위한 적절한 법적 조치들은 없는 현실이다. 현재 일본의 정책들과 관행들은 국제인권규범들에 명백히 위배되는 것이며, 이는 인종적 다양성을 포용하는 소위 다문화주의 접근방식의 정책을 지향하고 있는 대부분의 민주주의 국가들에 반대되는 것이라고 볼 수 있다. 국제인권규범들과 그에 따른 기준들을 준수하기 위해 일본정부가 자국에 거주하고 있는 한인소수민족의 권리를 완전히 인식해야 할 필요성이 시급하다. 현재 일본정부는 한인소수민족의 인권 상황을 개선하고, 동시에 국제인권규범과 기준에 따라 고안된 정책들을 도입하는 국가 정책적 변화의 촉진을 위해 최선을 다해야 한다. Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan have become increasingly tense. The current Japanese administration refuses to reach an agreement that could provide reparations for its wartime atrocities and injustices, which happened on the Korean peninsula under Japanese colonial rule (1910 1945). The historical record includes Koreans being subjected to summary execution, forced labor, and the forced slavery of comfort women. Korean people were also subject to forced migration to Japan, where their exploitation continued, even after the war. Since the end of World War II, Korean ethnic minorities, often living in slums and hamlets, have been systematically discriminated against. These abuses amount to human rights violations. Japan’s stateled discrimination of the Korean ethnic minority group has remained unchanged for decades. In the shadow of this history, Japan’s refusal to agree to reparations strains its relationships with other countries in the region, and undermines the international human rights norms that form the basis of international humanitarian laws, which all member states must abide by. This paper considers the Korean ethnic minority group in Japan, whose experience of discrimination and marginalization extends across generations. Even in the current era, the fundamental rights of those with Korean ancestry have not been respected. Accordingly, this paper examines the extent to which state-led discrimination against Koreans amounts to human rights violations. The Korean minority population in Japan is currently at risk of having their fundamental rights continuously violated, while the Japanese government lacks adequate legal measures to resolve the situation. This paper finds that current Japanese policies and practices violate international norms pertaining to human rights, thus reversing the trend of many liberal democracies to embrace multiculturalism and ethnic diversity. There is an urgent need for the Japanese government to fully recognize the rights of the Korean minority in Japan in an effort to abide by international human rights norms and standards. The Japanese government should thus make utmost efforts to improve the human rights conditions of the Korean minority, and simultaneously bring Japanese policies into accordance with international human rights standards.