Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is susceptible to populist impulses. However, it's healthier than what one might expect.
The country is in search of an alternative development model. The Confucian culture, which stresses respect for ancestors and as well as gendered family relationships, continues to influence the society. But there are signs that a secular culture is beginning to emerge.
Origins
During prehistoric times the ancestors of the modern Koreans lived on hunting and gathering wild food. Then around 10,000 years ago they began to cultivate crops including millet and beans. They also raised livestock and made furs. They also established tribal states one after another in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also created an industry for metalworking, which produced bronze tools and later iron ones. They traded with other nations and introduced block and celadon printing to Japan and also art styles and a written language and paper making.
Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. This state embraced Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian philosophy. In this period the people of Buyeo became part of Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure that included a monarch as well as top officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy while the majority of the population was peasants. The state took taxes from these citizens and sometimes even forced them to join the army or build fortifications.
Onjo, a prince from Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo established 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 took on Confucian ideas into its state belief system in 1390 CE and made the male-centered concept of filiopiety into a doctrine. In the name of filiopiety, fathers were responsible for their families, and had to be obeyed and respected by all, including their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, which would rule from 918 to 1392 CE established the Hangul alphabet that was based on the shapes formed by the mouth when it was pronounced. This greatly improved communication and led to an increase in the writing of Buddhist text. Woodblock printing and the movable metal type were also improved. In 1145 CE the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was the first to be recorded.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times. Early evidence of human settlements are evident in the form of stone-lined cist graves with precious goods like amazonite jewellery being buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens, made of massive single stones, are also widespread throughout the country.
Gojoseon was the first state to be recognized in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. After that the peninsula was ruled by a variety of states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCfrom 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo and Silla. In addition, the northern region of the peninsula was ruled by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians do not consider to be a valid Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged during the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Baekje, the most powerful of these states was weakened by the collapse of Goguryeo (676 CE) leaving only its southern territories in Manchuria, and its western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy, thrived for a time.
The Unified Silla Kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms started to collaborate to expand their territories. Silla with the help of the Chinese, eventually conquered and united the peninsula in 935.
As Korea enters the post-crisis era the development paradigm of the country appears to be changing. The people who are affronted by the immense cost of the old system would prefer a thorough program of liberalization of capital, labor, and product markets. On the other hand the people who support the old system attempt to protect it by promoting nationalist sentiments and by stoking fears of job loss.
Policy and academic analysts are in a tense debate about the extent to these two trends are driving Koreas development towards an economic model that is radically different from the one of governance. This article examines the five phases of Korea's evolution in terms of its political development including democratically illiberal democracies (1945-60), democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877), democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and democratic participation (2002). This article also identifies key factors that seem to be influencing these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. The creationists have been successful in promoting their beliefs to this group. A survey from 2009 showed that nearly a third of respondents were against evolution. Of those who voted, 41% said that there was insufficient evidence from science to support the theory; 39% said the theory contradicted their religion and 17% said it was difficult to grasp. This level of disbelief is comparable to that in the United States, where a majority of people are not convinced that humans evolved from earlier forms of life.
In the past, the anti-evolutionist campaign in Korea focused primarily on educating students and in bringing Christ to them. A significant increase in interest in creation science began in 1980, with an all-day seminar that was held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul which featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the keynote speakers. The event attracted a large audience of scientists, professors and church leaders.
바카라 에볼루션 of the event led to the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31 in 1980. The inauguration event was widely reported in national newspapers, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo and attracted a lot of attention.
KACR began publishing a newsletter titled CREATION. In CREATION, the organization presented its own work and published articles on scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR as well as a few books on the subject of creationism, which were already published outside of Korea. KACR members taught throughout the nation in universities and churches.
One instance of an KACR success story was at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were keen on the concept of creationism that they raised funds and received funding to build an enlightened museum on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine, CREATION, which covers topics in the field of creation science, and it has sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It also has branches in local offices that give talks and seminars to schoolchildren and community groups.
Changes in South Korea
In the late nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, Korea began to adopt a more Westernized lifestyle. The traditional hanbok, or Korean dress, gave way to miniskirts and other style elements from overseas. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by jazz and rock & roll. At this time the samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, were loved by the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drummers as well as other musical instruments.
Korea's new development paradigm is being developed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The biggest challenge facing the new regime is to strike a balance between state-led and market-oriented economic policies. It also involves changing incentives, monitoring, or disciplining systems that have shaped the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 & 4.
Baekje, founded by Onjo, prince and third son of Jumong of Goguryeo was founded by people from the Hangang River area, Buyeo, and other areas as well as migrant workers from northern China. Baekje, a major regional power in the early 4th century, expanded its territory to Mahan in north and Jeollanam-do south. It was therefore in constant conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders at the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries resulted in the rise of powerful local factions. Gungye an eminent noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital and was in control of a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju. He became an adversary to Goguryeo.
His rule was however only for a short time. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935, and then united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla, later incorporated Baekje into Goryeo without a fight as his successor. 바카라 에볼루션 introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the closing of the Three Kingdoms period. The Korean peninsula was then controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla gradually grew into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.