Protection Convergence

Overview

Protection Convergence (ISSN 2436-1151) is an international academic journal that explores complex and convergent issues related to protection from an interdisciplinary perspective, with human protection as its core theme. Starting with Vol. 5, no. 2, 2019, the journal changed its name from “International Journal of Protection, Security & Investigation” (ISSN 2423-8368) to “Protection Convergence” to more clearly reflect its research scope and academic orientation. This name change represents an academic declaration that protection research is expanding beyond the simple areas of safety, security, and investigation to encompass human dignity, rights, and quality of life.

Protection Convergence aims to provide a forum for academic discussion that comprehensively understands and explains the increasingly complex and multifaceted protection issues evolving in modern society, transcending traditional academic boundaries. Recognizing that issues related to human protection cannot be adequately addressed by a single academic discipline, this journal actively encourages interdisciplinary research across various academic fields. This approach illuminates the concept of protection from an integrated perspective, combining theoretical analysis and practical application.

The convergence research pursued by this journal does not simply involve the parallel adoption of research findings from individual disciplines. Protection Convergence pursues limited, purpose-driven research centered on the concept of human protection. It maintains academic rigor while also aiming to address real-world social problems and contribute to the public interest. This approach reflects the editorial policy of simultaneously ensuring both academic consistency and practical utility in protection research while conceptually expanding the scope of protection research.
Furthermore, this journal focuses on public issues related to protection and seeks to expand its social value and public interest through international academic exchange. Published research findings can serve as supporting data for policymaking and institutional improvement, contributing to comparative and analytical discussions on protection issues facing the international community beyond national and regional boundaries.

Protection Convergence aims to establish itself as an international academic platform that presents new academic horizons for protection research by integrating research findings from diverse academic fields within a common analytical framework of human protection. Furthermore, it aims to develop into a sustainable journal that balances academic rigor, interdisciplinary collaboration, and public value.

Aims & Scope

Publishing Schedule

• Effects of Hydrogen-ionized Silica Intake on Blood Biomarkers in Adults: Multinational Exploratory Study of Korea, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan

  Purpose: Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation have recently been recognized as major underlying mechanisms of various chronic diseases, leading to growing interest in antioxidant materials capable of modulating these processes. Although hydrogen and silica have individually been reported to exhibit antioxidant and physio-logical effects, human studies investigating Hydrogen-ionized Silica, a combined aqueous formulation of these substances, remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Hydrogen-ionized Silica intake on physiological blood biomarkers in adults and to explore potential metabolic and physiological responses, including differences according to country. Method: This study employed a single-group pre–post intervention design involving adults from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. A total of 32 participants consumed Hydrogen-ionized Silica for 6 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention blood test results were analyzed to assess hematological parameters, immune and inflammatory markers, liver and renal function markers, and metabolic and lipid-related indicators. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis test following normality testing. Results: The findings indicated that most blood biomarkers did not show significant pre–post changes following Hydrogen-ionized Silica intake. However, significant changes were observed in fasting glucose and eosinophil levels. In addition, analyses according to sex, age, and country demonstrated no significant differences for most variables. Conclusion: Hydrogen-ionized Silica intake appeared to demonstrate limited changes in specific metabolic and immune-related biomarkers rather than broad effects across overall blood biochemical parameters. These findings provide exploratory baseline evidence regarding the physiological effects of Hydrogen-ionized Silica and may serve as preliminary data for future systematic investigations.

  2026.06.30

  Keyword:Hydrogen-ionized Silic, Blood Glucos, Blood Biomarkers, Antioxidants, Oxidative Stress
  Abstract PDF Links
• A Study on the Establishment Approaches for a National Intelligence Community

  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present policy measures for establishing a "future-oriented national intelligence community" that can effectively respond to rapidly evolving new security threats by overcoming the limitations of the current NIS-centered intelligence system. To this end, the study analyzes cases of intelligence reform in major advanced nations and critically examines the deep-seated bureaucratic rivalries and factors hindering intelligence sharing among South Korean intelligence agencies. Moving beyond political logic, this re-search focuses on the core value of national security to derive fundamental institutional reform plans, including the evolutionary restructuring of the NIS. Ultimately, it seeks to propose a mid-to-long-term development model for a Korean-style intelligence community that can safeguard national interests and public safety through a systematic mechanism for organic cooperation. Method: Due to the inherent secrecy and closed nature of intelligence agencies, which limit empirical surveys, this study employs a "reflexive literature review" focusing on previous research and policy documents. Leveraging the researcher’s 30 years of practitioner experience, the study uses the gap between field reality and theory as an analytical starting point, cross-validating these insights with literature and normative standards. Methodological-ly, rather than analyzing correlations between variables, it adopts a normative approach combined with case studies to diagnose the limitations of the current system. By conducting a comparative analysis of intelligence community models in major advanced nations—such as the U.S., the U.K., and Japan—this research derives implications tailored to the South Korean context. Ultimately, these multifaceted analyses are synthesized to propose practical and strategic policy measures for establishing a future-oriented Korean intelligence community. Results: This research argues that the establishment of a "National Intelligence Office" (tentative name) by separating the NIS’s planning and coordination functions, alongside the creation of a highly capable, advanced intelligence community is critical to overcome South Korea’s structural intelligence limitations. To achieve this, a phased roadmap was established; Phase 1 involves a "Preparatory Task Force" led by the NIS to lay the legal and technical foundations, while Phase 2 features a "Promotion Task Force" led by the National Security Office to finalize government-wide integrated governance. Conclusion: This study concludes that Establishing a future-oriented Korean intelligence community requires a long-term roadmap and unified leadership from the legislative and executive branches to ensure consistent re-form regardless of government changes. A national commission should be formed for a rigorous diagnosis, focusing on strengthening the National Security Office’s coordination and fostering a trust-based community culture. To secure democratic legitimacy, a multifaceted oversight system and strategic public communication must be established. Lastly, improving the declassification system and fostering academia-practitioner collaboration are essential to create a research ecosystem that ensures the continuous evolution of national intelligence capabilities.

  2026.06.30

  Keyword:National Security, Intelligence Reform, National Intelligence Community, Intelligence Sharing, Intelligence Integration
  Abstract PDF Links
• The Effects of Social Comparison Orientation on Turnover Intention among Beauty Professionals: The Role of Job Stress

  Purpose: This study aims to examine the effects of social comparison orientation on job stress and turnover intention among beauty workers, and to verify the mediating effect of job stress. In particular, this study focuses on psychological protection and emotional labor issues experienced by beauty workers in highly competitive organizational environments. As the beauty industry is characterized by emotional labor, customer interaction, and performance-based evaluation, workers are frequently exposed to psychological pressure and stress. Therefore, this study seeks to provide foundational data for establishing psychologically safe and sustainable work environments in the beauty industry. Method: A survey was conducted among beauty workers, and a total of 200 questionnaires were used for the final analysis. The questionnaire consisted of social comparison orientation, job stress, turnover intention, and demographic variables, and all items were measured using a 5-point Likert scale. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 29.0 program, including factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and mediation regression analysis. In addition, this study attempted to identify the relationship between social comparison behavior and psychological stress in the workplace environment of beauty workers. Results: First, among the sub-factors of social comparison orientation, upward comparison was found to influence task-related stress. Second, regarding the effect of social comparison orientation on turnover intention, downward comparison tended to decrease turnover intention, whereas upward comparison tended to increase turnover intention. Third, job stress was found to influence turnover intention. Fourth, the mediating effect of job stress was generally not significant. The findings indicate that excessive upward comparison may negatively affect psychological stability and emotional well-being among beauty workers working in competitive organizational environments. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that, in a competitive environment such as the beauty industry, social comparison orientation can influence workers’ job stress and turnover intention. Therefore, at the organizational level, it is necessary to establish fair evaluation systems and foster a positive organizational culture, as well as to implement management strategies to reduce job stress. Furthermore, psychological protection systems and emotional labor management strategies should be strengthened to improve psychological safety and sustainable working conditions for beauty workers. These findings suggest that organizational strategies for reducing job stress are necessary not only for turnover prevention but also for the protection of workers’ mental health and psychological safety. Future research should expand by including diverse groups and additional variables related to emotional labor protection and organizational safety.

  2026.06.30

  Keyword:Social Comparison Orientation, Job Stress, Emotional Labor, Turnover Intention, Psychological Safety
  Abstract PDF Links
• Reliability Test Framework for EV Power Electronic Modules Based on Recall Case Analysis for Protection Safety

  Purpose: This study aims to analyze global recall cases involving electric vehicle (EV) power electronic modules and propose a structured reliability test framework for improving protection reliability and safety performance. EV power electronic modules, such as OBCs, LDCs, ICCUs, and traction inverters, are essential for charging, voltage conversion, propulsion control, and power distribution. Failures in these modules may cause charging malfunction, low-voltage power loss, propulsion interruption, insulation degradation, or fire hazards. Therefore, this study focuses on reliability assurance for safety-critical automotive power electronic systems. Method: A qualitative analytical approach was applied based on recall case analysis and reliability engineering principles. Publicly available recall cases related to EV power electronic systems were reviewed to identify failure symptoms, affected modules, failure mechanisms, and safety consequences. The identified failures were classified according to major stress factors, including thermal stress, electrical overstress, vibration-induced fatigue, and environmental exposure. Based on this classification, a stepwise framework integrating Highly Accelerated Life Testing (HALT), screening tests, and Design Verification (DV) testing was developed. Results: The analysis indicates that thermal stress, electrical overstress, vibration-induced fatigue, and environmental exposure are major contributors to failures in EV power electronic modules. These stress factors can accelerate degradation in semiconductor devices, solder joints, insulation structures, connectors, and thermal paths. The proposed framework supports early detection of design weaknesses through HALT, removal of latent defects through screening tests, and verification of environmental durability through DV testing. Conclusion: The proposed framework provides a practical methodology for enhancing protection reliability in EV power electronic module development. By integrating HALT, screening tests, and DV testing, the framework supports reliability assurance across design, manufacturing, and validation stages. It can contribute to reducing recall risks, improving protection performance, and strengthening reliability evaluation strategies for next-generation electric mobility systems.

  2026.06.30

  Keyword:Electric Vehicle, Power Electronic Module, Recall Case Analysis, Reliability Test Framework, Protection Reliability
  Abstract PDF Links
• Policy Proposals for Safe Livestock Product Consumption and Zero Waste Realization

  Purpose: This study analyzes the structural limitations of Korea's existing livestock product certification systems and proposes a novel certification framework the Livestock Product Safety Grading System—that comprehensively integrates multi-dimensional sustainability factors, including carbon emissions, animal welfare, food safety, and waste management. Method: A review study was conducted using KCI-indexed journal articles published over the past 15 years on livestock certification, sustainability, and consumer behavior in Korea, along with government policy documents. Data were collected through face validity verification centered on thematic elements and analyzed using an inter-rater agreement method. Results: The existing certification systems, operating under a binary pass/fail structure, fail to provide consumers with integrated, comparable information on food safety, environmental impact, animal welfare, and packaging and waste management. This information gap distorts consumer decision-making and prevents producers who in-vest in sustainability from being adequately rewarded by the market. A 1-to-5 grading framework, bench-marked against the Energy Efficiency Grading System, can substantially improve information resolution com-pared to binary pass/fail certifications and better support consumer-oriented decision-making. Furthermore, the integration of QR code, blockchain, cold-chain data, and packaging information into the grading system can significantly enhance information transparency from the perspectives of food safety protection and public safety. Conclusion: The Livestock Product Safety Grading System proposed in this study should be understood not merely as a labeling tool, but as a protection-oriented certification framework that integrates consumer protection, food safety protection, environmental safety, and public safety. By resolving the structural limitations of the cur-rent pass/fail format, the system can support comparative consumer decision-making and incentivize producers to invest continuously in sustainability. Immediate legislative mandates are not recommended; instead, the system should be introduced through phased pilot implementation, followed by evaluation of market acceptance, administrative burden, and producer feasibility before moving toward formal institutionalization.

  2026.06.30

  Keyword:Livestock Product Certification, Sustainability, Zero Waste, Grading System, Consumer Trust
  Abstract PDF Links

Editorial Board

History