Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist impulses. It's still more stable than expected.
The country is searching for a new paradigm of development. The Confucian culture, which stresses respect for ancestors as and gender-specific family relationships, continues to influence the society. There are indications of a secularist cultural trend emerging.
Origins
In the prehistoric era, the ancestors of modern Koreans survived by hunting and gathering wild food. Then around 10,000 years ago they began to cultivate crops such as millet and beans. They also raised livestock, and also made furs. These people formed tribal states one after another in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also developed a metallurgy business, making iron tools, including bronze. They traded with other nations and introduced block printing to Japan along with styles of art and a written language and paper making.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was established in the southern part of the peninsula. The state adopted Chinese culture that included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a hierarchical society that included a monarch as well as senior officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy while the rest of the population was peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens and sometimes even required them to join the army or to build fortifications.
At the end of the period, the state of Baekje was established by Onjo who was a prince of Goguryeo and was the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo. This new kingdom expanded its territory to 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 beliefs and made the male centered concept of filiopiety an official doctrine in 1390 CE. Under the cover of filiopiety fathers were responsible to their families. They were expected to be obeyed by all and respected by 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 when it was pronounced. This significantly improved communication between people, and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and movable metal type were also refined. It was at this time that the Samguk sagi, or 'History Of the Three Kingdoms' was first recorded in 1145 CE.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula was habitable from Neolithic times to. Early evidence of human settlements is evident in the form of graves that were lined with stone, and decorated with valuable items like amazonite jewelry buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, referred to as dolmens, and made of large stones in a single piece, are common in the country.
Gojoseon was the first state to be recognized in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was later controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE), including Baekje and Goguryeo. Moreover, the northern region of the peninsula was ruled by the Balhae kingdom, which most historians don't consider to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Baekje is the most powerful of these states, was diminished by the collapse of Goguryeo (676 CE) leaving only its southern regions in Manchuria, and western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy, thrived for a while.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to work together to expand their territorial holdings. In the end, Silla, with significant Chinese assistance, defeated all other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea is entering the post-crisis phase the development paradigm of the country is in flux. Those who are appalled by the enormous cost of the old system would prefer the need for a comprehensive program of liberalization in capital, labor, and product markets. On the other hand, supporters of the old system try to preserve it through nationalist sentiments, and by exaggerating fears about possible job loss.
Academic and policy analysts remain starkly divided as to the extent to the extent that these two trends are driving Koreas evolution towards an economic model that is radically different from the one of governance. This article examines developments to date, by looking at 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 participatory democracy (2002 to present). This article also identifies significant factors that may influence these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. The creationists have been successful in promoting their views to this group. A 2009 survey showed that nearly a third of respondents didn't believe in evolution. Of the respondents, 41% stated that there was not enough scientific evidence to support evolution 39% claimed that the theory did not align with their beliefs and 17% said it was difficult to understand. The level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar number do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced forms of life.
In the past, the anti-evolutionist campaign in Korea was primarily focused on educating students and the introduction of Christ to them. A significant rise in the interest in creation science occurred in 1980, with a four-day seminar held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the main speakers. This event was attended by an audience of scientists, professors and church leaders.
The event's success led to the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31, 1980. 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 it, the group reported on its own activities and published articles about scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated slides and film strips from ICR as well as some books on the subject of creationism, which were published outside of Korea. KACR members taught throughout the country in churches and universities.
One example of an KACR success story occurred at the KAIST university in Seoul. There, there were enough students fascinated by the concept of creationism that they raised the money and support needed to build a small museum on campus featuring creationist fossil models and other exhibits.
In addition to its activities, KACR has published a bimonthly publication called CREATION. The magazine covers a variety of topics that pertain to the science of creation. It also hosted a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also organized local branches, which hold seminars and provide talks to schoolchildren and other community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter part of the nineteenth century and the early 20th century, Korea began to adopt an increasingly Westernized lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced by miniskirts and other foreign fashion elements. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by rock and roll and jazz. During this period the samulnori, or the masked dance-dramas were very popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the beat of shaman drums and other instruments.
Korea's new development paradigm is being formed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The main challenge for the new regime is the balance between state-led economic policies and market-based ones. It also involves rethinking the incentives monitoring and discipline strategies that have shaped the system before the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Established by 에볼루션사이트 , prince of Goguryeo and the third son of Jumong, Baekje was established jointly by the people who lived along the Hangang River, those from Buyeo and other regions, as well as people from northern China. In the 4th century, in the early part of, Baekje was a major regional power, and expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do in the south. As a result, it was in frequent conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies across the border.
The fall of Silla in the 8th and early 9th centuries allowed powerful local factions to rise. Gungye an eminent noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital. He also was in control of a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Later, he relocated the capital to Wansanju. He was an adversary to Goguryeo.
However, his rule was short-lived. After his defeat, Gungye was replaced by an influential local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935. Later Baekje was peacefully integrated into Goryeo as a successor state. In addition, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a centralized ruling system. This marked the end to the Three Kingdoms Period. From that point, the Korean peninsula was under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly grew into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.