여론 주도 집단의 환경보건 위해물질에 대한 인식도와 그 관리 정책에 관한 연구-유전자재조합식품과 내분비계 장애물질을 중심으로

Perceptions of Opinion Leaders on Environmental HealthHazards and their Management Policies in Korea-Focusing on the Genetically Modified Organisms and Endocrine Disruptors

This study was performed to investigate the perceptions of the opinion leaders, such as government officials, researchers,NGO workers, and journalists on the risks of endocrine disrupters (EDs) and genetically modified organisms(GMOs) as well as the related policies on these two hazards or potential hazards. The opinion leaders generally consideredthe EDs as the most serious hazard among twenty-one environmental health hazards in Korea, and agreed thatthe EDs would continuously be the most serious hazard. On overall average, the GMOs were ranked the 11th amongthe twenty-one health hazards. Further investigation indicated that the GMOs were variously ranked by the group ofrespondents: they were ranked the 2nd by the NGO workers, the 7th by the journalists, the 9th by the researchers andthe 11th by the government officials. In general, the respondents considered the dioxin as a hazard with the highest riskwhile the GMOs were considered less hazardous. The opinion leaders considered that although the risks of the GMOsand EDs were not fully verified, the risks should be controlled through the legislation. The EDs and GMOs should beseparately regulated for the time being, while the EDs should put under more strengthened regulation. It is recommendedthat a web-site containing the information on the EDs and the GMOs be prepared for the journalists. In addition,a training program in relation to the EDs and the GMOs needs to be organized by the Korean Press Foundationand the Korea Food and Drug Administration to educate the journalists. A committee consisting of government officials,scientists, and NGO workers needs to be established, and it should provide framework of future policies and public relationsprograms.