Evolution Korea
The democratic system in South Korea is vulnerable to populist impulses. It's still better than was expected.
The country is searching for a new paradigm of development. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for ancestors and 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 to modern Koreans were capable of surviving by hunting and gathering wild food. About 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet, beans and other crops. They also raised livestock and created furs. They established tribal states in Manchuria, and then on the Korean peninsula. They also established a metallurgy industry, producing iron tools and bronze. They traded with other nations and introduced block and celadon printing to Japan and also styles of art as well as a written language and paper making.
Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. The state adopted Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian philosophy. During this time, the people of Buyeo became part of Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure in which a monarch and top officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the majority of the population was peasants. The state extracted taxes from these citizens, and sometimes required them to fight in the army or participate in projects for the government like building 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 into the southwest of the peninsula, and fought against the Goguryeo commanderies and China's in the area. Baekje accepted 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 accountable to their families. They were expected to be obeyed by all and admired by even their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, a nation that ruled from 918 until 1392 CE, gave the world the Hangul Alphabet based upon the shapes that were created by the mouth when it pronounces. This dramatically improved the communication between people and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and the movable metal type were also refined. sell was during this time that the Samguk sagi, also known as 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first recorded in 1145 CE.
The evolution of Korea
The Korean peninsula was inhabited from Neolithic times to. Early evidence of human settlements can be found in the form of cist graves that were lined with stones, and adorned with precious items such as amazonite jewelry being buried alongside the dead. Megalithic structures known as dolmens, constructed from huge single stones, are common throughout the country.
Gojoseon was the first political state to be recognized in the first half of 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was then under the control of a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE), including Baekje and Goguryeo. In addition, the northern region of the peninsula was occupied by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians do not consider to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, also known as the Several States Period. In all of them, Baekje was the most powerful of them all but its dynasty dissolved by the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE leaving Baekje with its southern territories of Manchuria and the western region around Hwanghae Bay, while eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy thrived for some time.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to work together to expand their territorial holdings. 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 in flux. People who are shocked by the huge cost of the old system are urging a thorough program of liberalization in capital as well as labor and product markets. On the other hand, those who support the old system want to preserve it by leveraging nationalist sentiments and exaggerating fears about job losses.
Policy and academic analysts are starkly divided as to the extent to these two trends are driving Koreas evolution towards an entirely new model of economic governance. This article analyzes the five phases of the Korean evolution in terms of its political development: illiberal democracies (1945-60) democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877), democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and democratic participation (2002). This article also highlights the most important factors that appear to be the driving force behind these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have made progress 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 not enough evidence from science to support the theory 39% of respondents said that the theory was in contradiction to their religious beliefs and 17% claimed it was difficult to comprehend. This level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar number do not believe that humans evolved from earlier types of life.
In the past, the anti-evolution movement in Korea was focused on the education of students and in bringing Christ to them. A significant rise in interest in creation science began in the year 1980, when there was an all-day seminar that was held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul which included Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the keynote speakers. This event was attended by an audience of professors, scientists, and church leaders.
The success of the event led to the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31 in 1980. The meeting was covered extensively in national newspapers including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter, CREATION, where it covered its activities and published articles on the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR, as well as some books on the subject that were already in print outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in universities and churches across the country.
One instance of an KACR success story was at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at the KAIST university in Seoul were so fascinated by creationism that they raised money and got support to build a small creationist museum on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION which covers topics in the field of creation science. It also sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branch offices that give talks and seminars to children and community groups.
Changes in South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised 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. In this time the samulnori, or masked dancing-dramas were very popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums and various musical instruments.
Korea's new development model is being formed in the wake of the economic crisis. The primary challenge for the new regime is to strike an equilibrium between market-oriented and state-led policies. It also requires a change in the incentives, monitoring, and disciplining policies that been a part of the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
The Baekje was founded by Onjo, 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 areas and people from northern China. In the 4th century, in the early part of, Baekje was a major regional power and expanded its territory as far as Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do in the south. As a result, it was in frequent battle with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders along the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries led to the rise of powerful local factions. Gungye sell from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital and held control over a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.
The rule of his was, however, short-lived. After Gungye was defeated by an influential local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935, Later Baekje was peacefully incorporated into Goryeo as a successor state. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened the central government system. This marked the end to the Three Kingdoms Period. The Korean peninsula was then controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla gradually grew into powerful states on the peninsula and in Manchuria.