Research Ethics Policy

The Journal aims to foster advancements in production systems, encompassing manufacturing technology, science, and production engineering. It is imperative that all submitted manuscripts and published articles are original and of high quality. The publication process of the Journal involves the collaborative efforts of authors, reviewers, editors, and Staff in the Society, all of whom are expected to uphold the ethical standards set by the Society.

Ethical Standards

1. Publication and authors
1) Authors should not duplicate content across multiple publications. Authors should not divide a single research study into multiple publications merely to increase the number of publications.
2) Authors must cite all the original publications and works in their references, particularly their own, if cited.
3) Authors must acknowledge research sponsors if the results of the article can be seen as benefiting from their support.
4) Plagiarism and data manipulation are strictly prohibited.

2. Authors' responsibilities
1) The decision to publish submitted manuscripts is made through peer review, with authors responsible for resolving any discrepancies or revising the manuscript according to reviewers' feedback.
2) Contributions from all authors must be significant to the research activities discussed in the article. Acknowledgments should be used to recognize minor assistance or discussions.
3) All experimental data presented must be genuine, without unauthorized additions, deletions, or modifications during processing.
4) Authors have the right to request corrections of typographical errors, make additional remarks, withdraw, or issue apologies for an article by contacting the publisher at ksmpe@ksmpe.or.kr.

3. Reviewers' responsibilities
1) Reviewers must ensure they have no conflicts of interest concerning the research, authors, or sponsors involved.
2) Assessments of manuscripts should be made objectively, without personal bias.
3) Reviewers are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts under review or withdrawn, and must not distribute them.
4) Reviewers should identify relevant publications not cited by the authors.
5) Upon detecting any unethical behavior, reviewers must provide editors with sufficient proofs and information to support further investigation into the matter.

4. Editors' responsibilities
1) Editors have the authority and responsibility to accept or reject a manuscript for publication.
2) Editors should not exploit their position concerning the acceptance and rejection of manuscripts.
3) Editors should accept a manuscript for publication only if the content and results are solid.
4) Editors are responsible for advising authors to revise or withdraw their submission, upon identification of critical errors.
5) Editors must ensure the anonymity of reviewers.
6) Editors must take allegations of unethical behavior sincerely and address them in accordance with established regulations, until its conclusion and necessary disciplinary action, if any.

5. The others
1) The standards of publication ethics should be consistently monitored, revised, and documented by the editorial staff.
2) Editorial staff should identify and mitigate any risk to KSMPE and the Journal, which may compromise intellectual property and ethical standards.
3) Ethical standards and management of unethical behaviors should be conducted concurrently.
4) Upon receiving requests for corrections, clarifications, withdrawals, or apologies regarding an article, publishers and editors must assess the legitimacy of these requests and formally address them in the Journal.
5) Suspicions of fraud or unethical conduct can be reported by anyone to the editors during the review process or to the Editor-in-Chief at ksmpe@ksmpe.or.kr post-publication. Reports should include adequate evidence and information to facilitate a fact-finding process. Such cases will be handled according to established regulations.
6) Any amendments, retractions, or withdrawals in publications are to be documented and tracked to ensure the integrity of the record in all databases.

Dealing with Unethical Behavior

Accusations must be fair and evidence-based, avoiding unfair judgment or punishment. The Society does not impose judgments or punishments but will reconsider and adjudicate cases if the accused presents evidence. Fraudulent acts and unethical behaviors extend beyond the ethical standards suggested by Society.

1. Accusation
1) Allegations of fraudulent acts and unethical behavior require adequate evidence to initiate a fact-finding process.2) The decision to investigate the matter lies with the reviewing editors and the Editor-in-Chief (ksmpe@ksmpe.or.kr) post-publication, based on the evidence provided.

2. Examination
1) Initial decisions are made by the editors or the Editor-in-Chief, categorizing affairs as either simple or critical violations.
2) Advice may be sought from the publisher if necessary.
3) Accusations must remain confidential, with limited disclosure to relevant parties, and all evidence must be handled confidentially.

2-1. Simple Violations
1) Simple violations are disclosed only to relevant parties to avoid undue punishment.
2) Authors should be given opportunities to clarify matters and respond to accusations.

2-2. Critical Violations
1) Critical violations can be reported to the employer of the accused and a joint examination can be made if necessary.
2) Editors and the Editor-in-Chief can verify evidence by consulting the publisher of the Journal.
3) Editors and the Editor-in-Chief may establish a small expert committee to thoroughly investigate and deliberate on accusations.

3. Judgment and punishment
Critical violations may result in severe disciplinary actions, including individual or combined measures.

3-1. Minor mistakes or misunderstandings of ethical standards result in educating the accused about the reported issue.

3-2. Upon admission of mistakes or fraudulent acts by authors or reviewers, the corresponding errors are communicated to the accused with emphasis, accompanied by an email stressing on recurrence prevention measures.

3-3. Official notices regarding the occurrence and handling of corresponding fraudulent acts are published in the Journal.

3-4. An official document detailing the occurrence and handling of fraudulent acts is sent to the department chair, manager, sponsors, or the director of the research of the accused.

3-5. An official document describing the occurrence and treatment of fraudulent acts and requesting appropriate action against the accused is sent to the head of the accused individual's institution.

3-6. The fraudulent acts are reported to readers, and abstract and indexing databases are officially updated to reflect the cancellation of the publication.

3-7. Publication by the accused is prohibited for a period of three years.

3-8. Cancelled publications should be openly accessible and archived on the homepage and in the Journal, along with details of the occurrence and treatment.

Research Ethics Committee

Article 1 (Purpose)
A Research Ethics Committee is established to prevent unethical behavior and widely promote ethical conduct.

Article 2 (Constitution)
1) The Research Ethics Committee comprises 10 members selected from the Editorial Board.
2) The Editor-in-Chief serves as the chair of the Research Ethics Committee.

Article 3 (Function)
1) Conduct research ethics workshops at least twice a year to promote widespread awareness.
2) Investigate, adjudicate, and apply sanctions for unethical behavior in accordance with the Journal policies.

Article 4 (Evidence)
Judgments should be based solely on objective evidence.

Article 5 (Responsibility)
The Journal bears no responsibility for judgment or punishment. However, it will reconsider and adjudicate upon request by the accused with new evidence.