Outstanding issues in bilateral economic relations between Australia and South Korea
This article examines and analyses the main issues in the current bilateral economic relations between Australia and South Korea, particularly focusing on the Korean perspective. Above all, the trade imbalance continuously favouring Australia has been an issue of great concern on the part of South Korea. Australia and South Korea have shown disagreement over the lopsided trade issue, regarding attitude, approach and standpoint in addressing it. While the Korean side broadly converges on the view that the bilateral trade imbalance needs to be redressed, there are four differing viewpoints on explaining the lopsided bilateral trade: (i) the Korean government's view; (ii) the Korean business sector's view; (iii) the relevance of culture; (iv) Korea's favourable perception of Australia. This paper seeks to answer an important question in the context of the two nations' economic/trade relationship: why South Korea has ever engaged with Australia on good terms, albeit with disadvantageous trade relations. In this case, the nexus of economics and politico‐security is largely in action. That is, on one plane, South Korea is ranked as an important trading partner and a major export market of Australia. On another plane, South Korea politically needs strong allies like Australia which can give an unswerving support for it in both the regional and international arenas.
Travel risk perception : a study of the factors affecting risk perception of tourism destinations
The perception that travel can be a risky activity has taken hold amongst tourists in the last 
decade in response to the occurrence of various catastrophic events. As a result, travelers are 
now paying greater attention to potential risks at destinations when making their travel plans. 
A proper understanding of how such perceptions are formed will be useful for the travel 
industry when forecasting and planning for tourism. The current investigation identifies the 
factors determining traveller risk perception using an exploratory design, focusing on the risk 
perceptions of potential travelers from South Korea to Australia.
Revalidation in Australia and New Zealand: approach of Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Maintaining standards of practice and ensuring that doctors remain up to date with medical developments are assuming increasing importance in Western healthcare systems. The language used to express this, however, differs. In the United Kingdom the process is now referred to as revalidation and continuing professional development, whereas in Australia and New Zealand the terms maintenance of professional standards, recertification, and continuing medical education remain in more common use.1

Within Australasia, only the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has a true recertification procedure in that there is a three year time limit applied to the award of the fellowship diploma (FRACOG). Other colleges give certificates for participation in maintenance of standards programmes that are not tied directly to the fellowship diploma, which is awarded at the completion of advanced training. Most programmes, including that of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, are based on collecting points for continuing medical education and quality assurance activities. Most do not have practice related components The programmes are all voluntary, except for that of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The incentives to take part vary. For example, failure to participate in the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners' programme leads to a lower level of government rebate on consulting fees. Increasingly, hospitals are requiring specialists to participate in order to be accredited to practice. This article reflects on the first five years of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians' maintenance of professional standards programme, which has several innovative components and is currently undergoing internal and external evaluation.

The maintenance of professional standards programme was introduced in 1994.2 The college's council intended the programme to focus primarily on the maintenance and improvement of clinical standards and not on identifying underperforming doctors. It wished to ensure that …