The journal strives to uphold the highest standards of publication ethics and takes all possible measures against any publication malpractices. It also believes that ethical publishing requires the active participation of all parties (authors, reviewers, editors, and publisher) involved in the act of publishing to agree upon standards of expected ethical behaviour. Based on the guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the journal has developed international standards for publication ethics for all these parties. The journal expects all the parties to commit to these standards.
International Standards for Authors
All authors who submit their papers to the journal are expected to observe the following international standards:
1. All authors must certify that the submitted manuscript is their original research. Plagiarism, falsity, fabrication, duplicate, redundant publications or other inappropriate manipulation are strictly forbidden.
2. Authors must certify that the manuscript has not previously been published and is not currently being considered for publication elsewhere.
3. All authors must notify KIHSS of all actual or perceived conflicts of interest that might be construed to influence the results or interpretation of their manuscript.
4. All authors must conduct their research in a responsible and ethical manner, in compliance with relevant laws, institutional guidelines, and professional standards. For studies involving human participants (e.g., interviews, surveys, experiments), authors are required to obtain prior approval from their Institutional Review Board (IRB) or an equivalent ethics committee. The journal reserves the right to request supporting documentation.
5. Upon discovery or notification of inaccuracies or significant errors in the submitted manuscript, all authors must notify the Journal editor-in-chief or publisher to retract or correct the paper.
6. All authors must identify all sources used in the creation of the submitted manuscript, including proper acknowledgement of the work and/or words of others and citation of relevant publications.
7. Authors must disclose any co-authors who have a special personal relationship with them, such as minors (under the age of 19) or family members within the fourth degree of kinship (e.g., spouse, children, siblings, parents). In such cases, the corresponding author is required to clearly describe the co-author’s specific academic contribution. This policy aims to prevent unethical authorship practices and follows the Recommendations for Preventing Unjustified Authorship in Research Papers issued by Korean research institutions.
8. Authors must notify the journal of any conflicts of interest.
International Standards for Reviewers
All the journal's reviewers are also expected to meet the following international standards when they accept review invitations:
1. All reviewers must review and evaluate the submitted manuscripts in fairness based upon their originality, significance and relevance without any favoritism or bias based on the origin of the manuscript, the author’s race, gender, ethnicity, citizenship, origin, sexual orientation, religious beliefs.
2. All reviewers must provide the Editor-in-Chief with their professional credentials, education and experience that represent their expertise truthfully and accurately.
3. All reviewers must ensure sufficient time to complete a comprehensive evaluation of the submitted manuscript in a timely manner prior to consenting to the review assignment.
4. All reviewers must refuse to review the submitted manuscript that creates any potential conflict of interest to the publisher and seek advice before they proceed further with the manuscript review.
5. All reviewers must offer reviews which are impartial and constructive, devoid of any inflammatory, libelous, hostile, unfair, or derogatory comments.
6. All reviewers must preserve the confidentiality of unpublished manuscripts and refrain from discussing any details of the manuscript with anyone (including the authors) during and after the peer-review process.
7. All reviewers must decline to review any manuscript if they are affiliated with the same institution as the author(s), or if any other institutional, professional, or personal relationship could reasonably be perceived to compromise their impartiality.
8. All reviewers must serve from the time they accept the review invitation until the manuscript is either accepted for publication or formally rejected.
International Standards for Editors
All editors of the journal are expected to observe the following international standards:
1. All editors must accept or reject the submitted manuscript on the basis of its scholarly merit, which includes its originality, clarity, importance and relevance to the journal’s mission.
2. All editors must maintain objectivity when reviewing the manuscript and act without favoritism or bias based on the origin of the manuscript, the gender, national origin, race, ethnicity, political or religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or the age of the author, or on the grounds of any commercial considerations.
3. All editors must adhere to the regulations which govern any conflict of interest and improper use of unpublished manuscripts as peer reviewers.
4. All editors must oversee the performance of both authors and peer reviewers, and ensure that authors and peer reviewers understand their roles in the process of reviewing manuscripts.
5. All editors must follow editorial policies which promote honest, comprehensive, and ethical reporting.
6. All editors must guarantee the confidentiality of unpublished articles and the anonymity of peer reviewers.
7. All editors must pursue serious and alleged misconduct in the process of writing, submitting, accepting and/or rejecting, reviewing the submitted manuscript, for the purpose of protecting the integrity of the journal. Editors must also reject any manuscripts that raise any concerns about potential misconduct, making considerable efforts to ensure a full investigation is carried out and the issue resolved.
8. All editors must communicate corrections, retractions and/or revisions, if any, to the publisher, and in the case of an unpublished article also to the author upon identifying major errors or material omissions in the submitted manuscript.
International Standards for Publisher
The publisher is expected to observe all international standards.
1. The publisher must uphold strict standards of publication ethics to preserve the integrity of the journal.
2. The publisher must offer the institutional support and provide useful resources needed to publish original and accurate manuscripts, including, as necessary, specialized legal counsel and review for issues of libel, infringement and copyright.
3. The publisher must ensure clear policies are in place to give guidance, address and resolve editorial conflicts of interest.
4. The publisher must stop publishing any content that is not in accordance with these Standards for Publication Ethics.
5. If and when the need arises, the publisher must publish corrections, revisions, clarifications, retractions, and apologies promptly, and with due prominence.
Research Ethics Committee Policy
To maintain academic integrity and uphold ethical standards, the Korea Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences (KIHSS) operates a Research Ethics Committee responsible for investigating and addressing potential violations of research ethics. The committee may be established as either a standing or ad hoc body, depending on the decision of the KIHSS Director. It is composed of one chair and approximately five members with relevant academic expertise. The committee functions independently and must be free from any external interference during its operations.
The committee is authorized to review suspected ethical breaches such as plagiarism, duplicate or redundant publication, improper authorship (including unwarranted inclusion or omission of contributors), data fabrication or falsification, and misconduct in research, submission, peer review, or publication. Allegations may arise through signed verbal or written reports, credible anonymous submissions, or voluntary disclosures by authors or participants.
Once convened by the chair or at the request of two or more members, the committee must complete its review within two months of receiving the allegation. Individuals under investigation must be given an opportunity to respond. If an individual fails to respond after three notices, this may be interpreted as a waiver of the right to defend.
For decisions to be valid, a quorum of committee members must be present, and all resolutions must be approved by at least two-thirds of the members through anonymous voting. Sanctions may include verbal or written warnings, temporary bans on manuscript submissions, suspension of editorial privileges, or retraction of published work. In particularly serious cases, individuals may be permanently banned from submitting to the journal. If retraction is required, the journal must issue a public notice, and all digital records must be corrected or removed accordingly.
In cases where authorship-related misconduct involves a special personal relationship—such as a minor or close family member—and the individual has received material benefits (e.g., school admission, employment, research grants) as a result of the misrepresented authorship, the committee may notify the relevant institutions that granted such benefits. These may include academic schools, admissions offices, or research organizations. This action is taken in order to uphold academic fairness and prevent unjust advantages gained through unethical publication practices.
All investigations and outcomes must be properly documented and preserved for a minimum of five years. Decisions regarding the disposal of records after this retention period rest with the committee. Confidentiality is required throughout the process, and information must not be disclosed to any unauthorized parties.
For any matters not specified herein, the committee shall refer to recognized international standards of publication ethics and prevailing academic norms.
Privacy
Upon submission of articles, the author’s name and email address will be used exclusively for the purpose of review, and will not be made available to other parties.
*We are dedicated to fair treatment, diversity, and inclusion. The KIHSS not discriminate on the basis of race, language, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national or ethnic origin, handicap, sexual orientation, or age.
