Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist inclinations. It's still better than we had hoped for.
The country is searching for an alternative development model. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for ancestors as well as gendered family relationships, continues to influence the society. There are signs that a secularist culture is gaining ground.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of modern Koreans survived by hunting and gathering wild food. Around 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet and beans as well as other crops. They also raised livestock and produced furs. These people formed tribal states one after another in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also established an industry of metallurgy, which produced bronze and later iron tools. They traded with other nations and introduced block printing to Japan along with styles of art, a written language, and papermaking.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was founded in the southern region of the peninsula. The state adopted Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy. During this time, the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure in which a monarch and high-ranking officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the majority of the population were peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens, and often required them to fight in the army or work on projects of the government, like building fortifications.
Onjo, a prince from Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo and the state of Baekje at the end of the period. The new kingdom expanded its territory into the southwest of the peninsula and fought with Goguryeo and China's commanderies in the area. Baekje introduced elements of Confucian thinking into its state belief system and made the male-centric filiopiety idea an official doctrine in 1390 CE. In the name of filiopiety fathers were responsible for their families, and had to be revered and obeyed by all, including their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, who would rule from 918 to 1392 CE established the Hangul alphabet that was based on the shapes formed by the mouth during pronunciation. This greatly improved communication between people, and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Additionally, movable metal type printing was introduced and woodblock printing was refined. It was during this period that the Samguk sagi or 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first written in 1145 CE.
The evolution of Korea
The Korean peninsula was inhabited from Neolithic times until. Early evidence of human settlements can be seen in the form of graves lined with stone, and decorated with precious items such as amazonite jewelry that were buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens and built from single large stones are common in the country.
Gojoseon was the first political state to be recognized in the first half of 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was later ruled by a number of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE), including Baekje and Goguryeo. Moreover, the northern region of the peninsula was occupied by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians don't consider to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following 무료 에볼루션 arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, also known as the Several States Period. Baekje is the most powerful of these states, was weakened by the Goguryeo's fall (676 CE) and was left with only its southern territories in Manchuria, and western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo as well as the Gaya confederacy, prospered for a short period of time.
The Unified Silla Kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms started to collaborate to expand their territories. In the final, Silla, with significant Chinese assistance, defeated the other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea enters a post-crisis phase, its development paradigm seems to be changing. Those who are horrified by the cost of the old systems support a comprehensive program of liberalization of labor, capital and markets for products. On the other hand supporters of the old system want to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and exaggerating fears about job losses.
The academic and policy analysts remain starkly divided as to the extent to these two developments are driving Koreas evolution towards a new model of economic governance. This article reviews developments to date by analyzing five phases of Korea's political evolution including the illiberal democratic period (1945-60), democratic authoritarianism (1961-72), authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-87) democratic paternalism (1987-2001), and democratic participation (2002 to present). This article also identifies key factors that are driving these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have made significant progress in promoting their beliefs to this segment. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that nearly a third of respondents were against evolution. Of those who voted, 41% stated that there was insufficient scientific evidence to support the theory; 39% said it contradicted their religious beliefs, and 17 percent said they didn't comprehend it. This level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar percentage of people do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced species of life.
In the past, the anti-evolution campaign in Korea focused primarily on educating students and the introduction of Christ to them. A significant increase in the interest in creation science occurred in the year 1980, following an all-day seminar that was held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the featured speakers. This event attracted a huge number of pastors, professors, church leaders, and scientists.
The success of this event led to the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research (KACR) on January 31 1981. The event was extensively covered in the national media, including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR started publishing a newsletter called CREATION. In CREATION, the organization reported on its own activities and published articles about scientific evidence for the existence of God. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR and a few books on creationism that were published outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in churches and universities throughout the country.
One instance of one KACR success story took place at the KAIST university in Seoul. There, students were so interested in creationism that they raised the funds and support needed to build an on-campus museum showing creationist models of fossils and other exhibits.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine, CREATION, which covers topics in creation science. It has also sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also created an organization of local branch offices that host talks and seminars to children and community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and into the early the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced with miniskirts, and other fashion elements from abroad. In the same way, traditional Korean music styles were replaced by contemporary rock and roll and jazz. At this time the famous samulnori or masked dance dramas, were popular with the general public. These dramatic dances were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums and various musical instruments.
Korea's new model of development is being formed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The new regime's main challenge is the balance between state-led economic policies as well as market-oriented ones. It also involves rethinking the incentives monitoring and discipline policies that shaped the pre-crisis system. These issues are covered in Chapters 3 and 4.
Founded by Onjo, prince of Goguryeo and the third son of Jumong, Baekje was established in the middle of the Hangang River, those from Buyeo and other regions, as well as people from northern China. Baekje was an important regional power in the 4th century expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. This meant that it was constantly in conflict with Goguryeo, and the Chinese commanders on the border.
The decline of Silla in the late 8th and early 9th centuries saw powerful local factions to emerge. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as its capital. He ruled a portion of the present-day Jeolla province and Chungcheong. Later, he relocated the capital to Wansanju. He was an adversary to Goguryeo.
However, his rule was short-lived. After Gungye's defeat, he was overthrown by a powerful local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935. Later, Baekje was peacefully incorporated into Goryeo as an alternative state. Additionally, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a central ruling system. This marked the end to the Three Kingdoms Period. From then on the Korean peninsula was under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually became powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.