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Article History

Received: 24 October 2023

Accepted: 23 September 2024

First Online: 5 October 2024

Competing interests

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: In compliance with the South Korean “Bioethics and Safety Act Implementation Rules” Enforcement from July 19, 2016, Ministry of Health and Welfare Order No. 419, our study was exempt from formal ethical review and approval. According to Article 13 of these rules, research that utilizes publicly available information or does not collect or record personal identification information, and does not involve direct manipulation of the research subject or their environment in ways that could be invasive or induce physical changes, is exempt from the requirement for institutional review board (IRB) review. Specifically, our research falls under the exemption criteria as it did not collect sensitive personal information as defined under the "Personal Information Protection Act," Article 23. Despite this exemption, our study was conducted with strict adherence to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, ensuring the highest ethical standards were maintained. Participants were informed about the study's purpose, their voluntary participation, and the anonymous and confidential handling of their responses. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, emphasizing their right to withdraw from the study at any time without consequence. We committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal information of participants, with data being securely stored and accessible only to the research team for analysis purposes. This approach ensured the dignity, rights, and welfare of participants were respected, reflecting our dedication to ethical research practices in the absence of formal ethical review requirements.

: All participants and interviewers involved in this study provided their informed consent before participating in any research activity. Before obtaining consent, all individuals were thoroughly briefed about the nature, purpose, and potential impacts of the research. They were made aware of what kind of data would be processed, how it would be used, and for what purpose.

: Participants (or their legal guardians, where applicable) were informed about all aspects of the research in detail, and their freely-given, informed consent to participate in the study was obtained. No participants were coerced, and all had the autonomy to withdraw at any stage of the research.

: Beyond participation, individuals were also consulted regarding the publication of their data and disclosure of their names in this journal, ensuring their rights and wishes are respected in the publication of the study’s findings. All individuals, including the interviewers, consented to having their names and anonymized data published. The ethical considerations and the rights of the individuals, including the disclosed names of the interviewers, were prioritized and respected throughout the research process, adhering strictly to the ethical guidelines and standards of research integrity.