북한 토지황폐화의 지형적 분포 패턴 - 산지 중심 인식의 재검토 -

초록

This study aims to identify the topographic conditions under which land degradation occurs in North Korea and to re-examine the prevailing perception that it is primarily associated with mountainous areas. To this end, land degradation data derived from MODIS NDVI and precipitation records (2001 2020) were integrated with SRTM-based topographic data, and their relationships with elevation, slope, topographic wetness index (TWI), and geomorphon-based landform types were analyzed. The results indicate that land degradation tends to be concentrated in areas characterized by lower elevation, gentler slopes, and higher TWI values compared to non-degraded areas. These patterns were consistently observed in both the core degradation areas and the extended degradation areas. Logistic regression analysis further shows that both slope and elevation have significant negative effects, suggesting that the likelihood of land degradation increases in lowland and gently sloping areas. The geomorphon analysis also reveals that land degradation selectively occurs in specific landform types where human accessibility is likely to be higher. Overall, land degradation is more prominently observed in lowland and gently sloping areas rather than in steep mountainous regions. These findings suggest that land degradation in North Korea exhibits a spatial pattern associated with topographic conditions where human land use is more likely to be concentrated. This study highlights the need to reinterpret land degradation within a social–ecological context and provides a basis for future policy development aimed at land management and agricultural productivity recovery.

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