Research Ethics Code of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea

Enacted April 3, 2008
Revised June 5, 2009
Revised November 6, 2015
Revised March 16, 2020

 

The Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea (hereinafter referred to as the “Society”) is an academic organization dedicated to advancing national safety and public welfare through the promotion and dissemination of research and technologies related to earthquakes, earthquake engineering, and earthquake disaster prevention. The publication of academic journals presenting original research and practical insights plays a vital role in advancing both academic and industrial development in the field of earthquake engineering. This Research Ethics Code (hereinafter referred to as the “Code”) establishes the ethical principles and standards that all members of the Society (hereinafter referred to as the “Members”) must observe in conducting research and fulfilling their professional responsibilities.

Chapter 1 Research Ethics

Section 1 Ethics for Authors

Article 1. Citations and References

1. (1) When citing published academic materials, authors must ensure accuracy and clearly identify the source, except where the information constitutes common knowledge. Data obtained through the review of manuscripts or research proposals, or through personal communication, may be cited only with the explicit consent of the researcher who provided the information.
2. (2) When quoting or referring to the works or ideas of others, citations must be clearly indicated using footnotes or endnotes. Such references must distinguish prior research findings from the author’s own ideas, arguments, and interpretations, enabling readers to assess the originality of the author’s contribution.

Article 2. Authorship and Publication Credit

1. (1) Authors may claim credit only for research they have actually conducted or to which they have made a substantial contribution, and they are solely responsible for its content.
2. (2) Authorship and the order of authors must accurately reflect each contributor’s level of participation, regardless of academic rank or position. A title or role alone does not justify authorship or first authorship. Individuals who provide indirect assistance, such as administrative or technical support, should be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section.

 

Article 3. Manuscript Revisions

Authors must make sincere and reasonable efforts to address the comments provided by editors and reviewers during the evaluation process. If authors disagree with specific comments, they must clearly explain the grounds for their disagreement in their response to the Editorial Committee.

 

Article 4. Prohibition of Plagiarism

Authors must not present as their own any research, ideas, or claims that they did not conduct or develop. While others' work may be referenced multiple times with proper citation, presenting any portion of such work as one's own constitutes plagiarism.

 

Article 5. Prohibition of Duplicate or Dual Publication

Authors must not submit or attempt to publish research that has already been published, is scheduled for publication, or is under review elsewhere as new or original work. If authors intend to publish research previously released, they must disclose prior publication details to the editor. When submitting a thesis in whole or in part, the original author of the thesis must be included as an author.

 

Article 6. Authorship Criteria

Authorship shall be granted only to individuals who meet all four of the following criteria: 1) substantial contribution to conception, design, data collection, or analysis; 2) drafting or critical revision of intellectual content; 3) final approval of the version to be published; and 4) agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work's accuracy and integrity. The Society does not permit changes to authors after submission, except in exceptionally rare cases modified by reviewer comments.

 

Section 2 Ethical Code of Conduct for Editorial Board Members

Article 1

Editors shall evaluate submitted manuscripts fairly and impartially, based solely on scholarly merit and compliance with guidelines, without discrimination on the basis of gender, age, affiliation, or personal relationships.

 

Article 2

Editors shall appoint reviewers with appropriate expertise and impartial judgment. Editors must avoid appointing reviewers with close personal or hostile relationships with the author. If significant discrepancies arise among reviewers, a third expert may be consulted.

 

Article 3

Editors shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding submitted manuscripts and must not disclose information about the author or content to anyone other than the assigned reviewers until a final decision is made.

 

Section 3 Code of Ethics for Reviewers

Article 1

Reviewers shall evaluate assigned manuscripts in good faith within the specified period. If a reviewer determines they are not suitable to evaluate the content, they must promptly notify the Editorial Board.

 

Article 2

Reviewers shall assess manuscripts objectively without regard to personal academic beliefs or relationships. Reviewers must not reject a manuscript without sufficient justification or simply because the findings conflict with their own interpretations.

 

Article 3

Reviewers shall respect the author's scholarly independence. Comments should be constructive and detailed, using polite and professional language while avoiding derogatory or insulting remarks.

Article 4

Reviewers shall maintain strict confidentiality. They must not disclose or discuss the manuscript with third parties and must not quote the manuscript prior to its official publication without the author's explicit consent.

 

Chapter 2 Guidelines for the Enforcement of the Code of Ethics

Article 1. Pledge and Training

All members of the Society shall pledge to comply with this Code. The Society shall provide appropriate ethics training to authors, editors, reviewers, and all members.

 

Article 2. Reporting Violations

Members who become aware of a violation should first encourage correction by the individual concerned. If the issue is not remedied or if a serious violation is identified, it may be reported to the Ethics Committee. The whistleblower's identity shall remain confidential.

 

Article 3. Composition of the Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee shall consist of at least five members appointed by the President upon recommendation by the Board of Directors. The term of office shall be two years.

 

Article 4. Authority of the Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee shall conduct thorough investigations of reported violations through whistleblowers, respondents, and evidence. If a violation is confirmed, the committee may recommend disciplinary measures to the President.

 

Article 5. Investigation and Deliberation

Members subject to investigation must fully cooperate with the Ethics Committee. Failure to cooperate is itself considered a violation of the Code of Ethics.

 

Article 6. Opportunity to Explain

Members subject to investigation for alleged violations shall be afforded a fair and adequate opportunity to present their explanations and evidence.

 

Article 7. Confidentiality for Subjects

Until a final disciplinary decision is rendered, the committee shall not disclose the identity of the member under investigation to any external party.

 

Article 8. Disciplinary Procedures

The Board of Directors shall determine the final disciplinary action based on the committee's recommendation. Measures may include retraction of publications, removal from databases, warnings, suspension/revocation of membership, and public notice on the website.

 

Article 9. Amendments

Amendments to this Code shall follow the procedures for amending the Society's Bylaws. Upon adoption, existing members are deemed to have pledged to the amended Code.

 

Supplementary Provisions

These regulations shall take effect on April 4, 2008.

 

※ These regulations were prepared with reference to the Research Ethics Code of the Korean Society of Ethics, the Publication Ethics Code of the Architectural Institute of Korea, and Ministry of Science and Technology Ordinance No. 236.