We have analyzed 42 research papers regarding on the solar astronomy written by North Korea scientists to investigate the current status of astronomical activities in North Korea. The papers are surveyed from the ‘Bulletin of Astronomy’, the ‘Physics’, the ‘Bulletin of Academy of Science’, and the ‘Natural Science’ in North Korea, and SCI journals. In addition, we refer to the presentation material announced in the 2015 IAU by director of Pyongyang Astronomical Observatory (PAO) and the 2013 OAD/IAU reports. We have analyzed the papers statistically according to three criteria such as research subject, research field, and research members. The main research subjects are the sunspot (28%), observation system (21%), and space environments (19%). The research fields are distributed with data analysis (50%), numerical method (29%), and instrument development (21%). There have been 25 and 9 researchers in the solar astronomy and space environment, respectively since 1995. North Korea’s solar research activities were also investigated in three area: instrument, solar physics, and international research linkage. PAO has operated two of sunspot telescope and solar horizontal telescope for spectroscopy and polarimetry, but there is no specific information on solar radio telescopes. North Korea has cooperated in solar research with Europe and China. We expect that the results of this study will be used as useful resource in supporting astronomical cooperation between South and North Korea in the future.

We have investigated the North Korean astronomical articles published in five media such as the Rodong Sinmun (노동신문), Minju Choson (민주조선), Tongil Sinbo (통일신보), Munhak Sinmun (문학신 문), and Choson Sinbo (조선신보) for 15 years from 2005 to 2019. The astronomical articles were classified by subject to study the astronomical activity in North Korea. We have examined the perceptions of astronomy in North Korean society through the temporal variation of astronomical articles according to four subjects. As a result, we have found that there are many articles in the subject of Historical Astronomy and Astronomical News in the media. In the era of Kim Jong-un, the articles on the Historical Astronomy decreased while the Astronomy news tended to increase. We have also summarized the specific issues and topics including the change of the standard meridian, launch of satellites, astronomical news, and so forth. The North Korean astronomical article is a valuable resource to examine the current status of North Korea's astronomy and astronomical education. We expect the results of this study to be a useful resource in preparing for inter-Korean astronomical cooperation.

We compared and analyzed the astronomy terms currently used by astronomers in the two Koreas to promote inter-Korean astronomy cooperation. We analyzed a total of 2716 pairs of terms common in both Koreas glossaries, using the astronomical terminology contained in the South Korean source, the ‘Terminology of Astronomy’, and the North Korean source, ‘Mirror 2.0’. For each pair of terms, their morphological features and meanings were compared. We categorized into 11 groups for comparison of astronomical terms. We found that most of the terms are used similarly in the two Koreas. About 47% of the total is similar in form. Although terms are different, meanings communicate about 37% of the total. As a result, similar terms used by the two Koreas correspond to about 85% of the total. However, 15% of terms are difficult to understand because they have different forms or meanings such as diffraction (회 절/에돌이), flare (플레어/요반) etc. Further research on terms that are used differently by the two Koreas, and the conversion of appropriate terms through mutual understanding should be made in the future.

In order to encourage collaboration with North Korea in astronomy research field, we have studied the astronomical almanacs published in South and North Korea. The almanac contains fundamental astronomical data including not only daily calendar data but also unique characteristics selected by necessity in each country. We compared the South and North Korean astronomical almanacs in terms of contents, detailed descriptions, unique items, and so forth. We used the 2017 almanac for South Korea and 1993 almanac which is useful for this research for North Korea. We found that there were several differences between South and North Korean almanacs. The North Korean almanac is published for the astronomer or navigator, thus it has supplementary information about spherical astronomy such as precession of the north pole and position of celestial bodies. Whereas the South Korean almanac is published for the general public, and it distinctively contains luni-solar calendar, 24 solar terms, national holidays, etc. This study could be helpful for research cooperation between South and North Korea in astronomy.

We summarize our preliminary study on the research cooperation method in the astronomy field between Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). To investigate the recent astronomical activities of North Korea, we have surveyed the published records of research papers and international collaborations associated with North Korean astronomers. We found only 4 astronomical papers among the identified 260 SCI papers related to North Korean researchers for the past 11 years. North Korean astronomers had very few interactions with the international astronomical society before rejoining IAU in 2012. Recently, North Korea made several astronomical research exchanges with China and Netherlands. They seemed to attend several international conferences and present their research results. We have studied possibilities to establish international networks to encourage the cooperation between South and North, and suggest to start collaboration in the historical astronomy. The collaboration can be expanded gradually to other fields in astronomy. There are many obvious political difficulties to have interactions with North Koreans. However, it will be necessary to make a long-term plan considering the reunification.

A number of middle and high school students are selected at the Korea Astronomy Olympiad (KAO) in every year. In the first stage of the selection, the resume, school transcript, and recommendation letters from teachers are referred. In the second stage, after video lectures and weekend observation classes, students are tested with on-line homeworks, and interviewed through internet. For 118 students who have gone through the second stage of the 2012 KAO, we have conducted a questionnaire survey, which asks the students the motivation and preparation for the KAO. The survey has also included inquiries for the selection process and education program of the 2012 KAO; the replies will be used as feedbacks for the next year's KAO. The survey has revealed that the first stage worked well, while the second stage needs to be improved in terms of fairness and objectivity. We have found that most students received private tutorings for the KAO, so we suggest efforts should be made for students to be able to prepare the KAO without receiving private tutorings.

We have carried out a follow-up study on the students who have participated or are going to participate in either the International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO), the Asia Pacific Astronomy Olympiad (APAO) or the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) from 2002 to 2011. The survey questionnaires returned from ten high school students including five who are to participate in 2011 as well as fourteen college students have been analyzed in various aspects of their backgrounds and personal characteristics. In family life, their parents tend to have high educational background along with high expectations for their children. In regard to the academic environment, most students express a general satisfaction in school life, including their relationship with teachers and classmates. In personal characteristics, they describe themselves as inquisitive, perseverant, competitive, creative, self-motivated and goal-oriented, in addition to many other traits. Most students have a strong interest in astronomy which usually begins in middle schools through exposure to astronomy books. On top of it, the astronomy olympiad has provided them with an opportunity to strengthen their self-esteem, problem-solving ability and conviction about scientific careers. Accordingly, the experience in astronomy olympiad has led a considerable number of students to continuously studying in astronomy related fields or otherwise in other science and engineering areas. In conclusion, the astronomy olympiad plays such an important role that it can make a significant contribution to astronomy as well as science in general by having positive impact on the potential career path of its participants.

The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) initiated by the Thailand Astronomical Society in 2007 is an annual competition for high school students. One of its aim is to enhance the development of international exchange in the field of school education in astronomy and astrophysics. This paper first provides the overview of the IOAA in terms of key regulations based on its statutes, history and current status. Secondly, the published syllabus of the IOAA is used for content analysis according to subject areas regarding the exam questions of the IOAA in theoretical, observational and data analysis parts from 2007 to 2010. Also, a scientific inquiry framework is applied to the same questions for assessment based on scientific inquiry in the cognitive aspect with two sub-classes of scientific knowledge and scientific reasoning. Among a dozen astronomy subject areas listed on the syllabus, the theoretical part of the IOAA makes more frequent use of the Sun, the solar system, properties of stars, and concept of time. In content knowledge, a factor of scientific knowledge, the IOAA questions, especially in the theoretical part have a lesser degree in difficulty than the IAO (International Astronomy Olympiad) exam questions for the same period whose degree in difficulty is comparable to college level. With regard to scientific reasoning, the IOAA questions tend to involve convergent rather than divergent thinking. Lastly, in light of these findings, discussions are given on the outcome of Korean participation in the previous IOAAs and ways to help better in preparing Korean students for future astronomy Olympiads.

We present results of a test-study of the large-scale survey using the multi-beam receiver system recently installed on the 14 m telescope at Taeduk Radio Astronomy Observatory (TRAO). We have tested several modes of mapping, and found suitable (time-saving) mapping parameters of 'ON-SOURCE' = 8, 'OFF-SOURCE' = 1 when using 'RPT' = 3 as a position-switching mode. We observed 504 spectra towards the NGC 7538, a star forming molecular cloud in the transition of J = 1 - 0 of 12CO . From the Outer Galaxy Survey database (Heyer et al., 1998) we obtained 504 spectra for the same region. We compared integrated intensities, line profiles of two databases, and found that they are consistent to each other. From the intensity ratio of these two databases we also found that the value of forward spillover scattering of the TRAO telescope system is 0.58.

본 연구의 목적은 망원경에서 별빛이 결상되는 원리를 교사들이 어떻게 이해하고 있는지를 알아보고자 하는 것이다. 경기도와 서울지역의 지구과학 교사 101명을 대상으로 설명식 지필문항 검사를 수행하고, 지구과학교육 전공자 3명이 교차분석을 실시하였다. 대부분의 교사들이 볼록렌즈에서 상이 형성되는 과정에 대한 체계적인 개념을 가지고 있지 않았고, 특히 상의 개념과 스크린의 역할에 대한 이해가 많이 부족하였다. 또한 망원경에서 별빛이 결상되는 원리에 대한 과학적 개념을 가지고 있는 교사는 참여교사의 3%로 극히 낮았으며 거의 대부분의 교사들이 볼록렌즈나 빛의 단편적인 성질을 이용하여 별빛의 결상을 이해를 시도하는 비과학적 혹은 대체개념을 가지고 있는 것으로 나타났다.

The International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO) was established by the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society in order to disseminate astronomical knowledge, promote international cooperation in astronomical education area and recognize the importance of astronomy in far-reaching field of science and human culture. The first IAO competition was held at the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences located in the north Caucasus of Russia in 1996. Since then, it has been held every year. This paper describes the present status of the IAO main regulations regarding its operation and major results by year, related institutions, and organizations. We created a scientific inquiry framework to analyze past IAO problems in the recognitive aspect in order to measure levels of the scientific knowledges and the scientific thinking abilities. Through this analysis, we can understand the current status of the IAO, and examine the future direction of Korea Astronomy Olympiad. Also, we can make preparation for the IAO competition and the education of delegates.