Research Trends on Soil Erosion Control Engineering in North Korea

North Korea has experienced floods and sediment-related disasters annually since the 1970s due to deforestation. It is of paramount importance that technologies and trends related to forest restoration and soil erosion control engineering be properly understood in a bid to reduce damage from sediment-related disasters in North Korea, and to effect national territorial management following unification. This paper presents a literature review and bibliometric analysis including 146 related articles published in North Korea. First, we analyzed the textual characteristics of the articles. We then employed the VOSviewer software package to classify the research topic and analyzed this topic based on the time change. The results showed that articles on the topic have consistently increased since the 1990s. In addition, research related to soil erosion control engineering has been classified into four subjects in North Korea: (i) assessment of hazard area on soil erosion and soil loss, sediment related-disasters; (ii) hydraulic and hydrologic understanding of forests; (iii) reasonable construction of soil erosion control structures; and (iv) effects and management plan of soil erosion control works. The proportion of research related to the (ii) hydraulic and hydrologic understanding of forests had been significant during the reign of Kim Ilsung. However, the proportion of research related to the (i) assessment of hazard area on soil erosion and soil loss, sediment-related disasters, increased during the reign of Kim Jongil and Kim Jongun. Using these results, our analysis indicated that an interest in and need for soil erosion control engineering in North Korea has continually increased. The results of this study are expected to serve as a basis for preparing forestry cooperation between North and South Korea, and to serve as essential data for better understanding soil erosion control engineering in North Korea.