Evolution Korea
South Korea's democracy is prone to populist tendencies. However, it is more stable than what one might expect.
The country is looking for an alternative development model. A Confucian culture that stresses respect for ancestors and gendered family relationships continues to influence society. There are signs of a secularist cultural trend that is emerging.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of the modern Koreans survived 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 made furs. These people formed tribal states one after the other in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. our homepage created a metallurgy industry, producing iron tools and bronze. They traded with other states and introduced Celadon paper making block printing, art styles and written language to Japan.
Gojoseon was established 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 was a state of hierarchy where the monarch and senior officials were from the aristocracy of the land, while the rest of the population were peasants. The state took taxes from these citizens, and sometimes forced them to serve in the army or to build fortifications.
Onjo the prince of Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo, founded the state of Baekje at the end of the time. This new kingdom expanded into the southwest of the peninsula, and fought against the Goguryeo commanderies and China's in the area. Baekje incorporated aspects of Confucian thought into its state beliefs and made the male centered filiopiety idea as a law in 1390 CE. Under the guise filiopiety, fathers were responsible to their families. They were expected to be obedient to everyone and respected by their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, who would rule from 918 until 1392 CE established the Hangul alphabet that was based on the shapes formed by the mouth during pronunciation. This greatly improved communication and led to a boom in the writing of Buddhist text. In addition, movable metal type printing was introduced and woodblock printing was improved. It was during this time that the Samguk sagi, also known as 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first recorded in 1145 CE.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula was inhabited from Neolithic times until. Early evidence of human settlements is evident in the form of graves lined with stones, and adorned with precious items such as amazonite jewelry that were buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens, and made of single large stones, are common in the country.
Gojoseon was the first political state to be recognized during the first half of 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was then controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE) which included Baekje and Goguryeo. The northern region of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom, which historians do not believe to be a real Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, also known as the Several States Period. Baekje, 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 the the western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy, prospered for a time.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged, and the three kingdoms began to collaborate in order to expand their territory. Silla with the aid of the Chinese, eventually conquered and united the peninsula in 935.
As Korea is entering the post-crisis phase its development model is in flux. Those who are horrified by the huge cost of the old system support a comprehensive program of liberalization of capital, labor and markets for products. On the other hand those who support the old system are seeking to protect it by using nationalist sentiments and exaggerating fears over potential job losses.
Policy and academic analysts are starkly divided as to the extent to the extent that these two developments are driving Koreas evolution towards a new model of economic governance. This article assesses developments to date, by looking at five phases of Korea's political evolution: democratic illiberalism (1945-60) democratic authoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-87), democratic paternalism (1987-2001) and participatory democracy (2002 to the present). This article also identifies key factors that seem to be shaping these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have made progress in promoting their beliefs to this segment. A 2009 survey revealed that nearly one third of respondents do not believe in the theory of evolution. Of the respondents, 41% stated that there was insufficient evidence from science to support the theory 39% of respondents said that the theory did not align with their beliefs; and 17% said it was difficult to understand. This level of doubt is comparable to that of the United States where a similar percentage of people do not believe that humans evolved from lesser advanced species of life.
In the past, most of the anti-evolution movement in Korea was focused on educating college students and in bringing them to Christ. In 1980 the year 1980, a four-day creation science seminar was held in Seoul during the World Evangelization Crusade. Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the keynote speakers. This event was attended by an impressive crowd of scientists, professors, and church leaders.
The success of this event resulted in the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research (KACR) on January 31st, 1981. The event was widely covered in national newspapers including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR began publishing a newsletter titled CREATION. In it, the organization published its own activities and published articles on the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated a number of films and slides from ICR and several books on creationism that were published outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in churches and universities throughout the country.
One example of a KACR success story occurred at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were interested in creationism, they raised money and got support to build an enlightened museum on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION, which covers topics in creation science. It also sponsored a series of talks by ICR staff. It also has branches in local offices that give talks and seminars to children and community groups.
Changes in South Korea
In the latter half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, Korea began to adopt a more Westernized style of life. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, gave way to miniskirts, as well as other fashion elements from overseas. Similarly, traditional Korean music styles were replaced by contemporary jazz and rock and roll. In the period of this transition the famous samulnori, also known as dance-dramas with masks were extremely popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the beat of shaman drummers as well as other instruments of music.
Korea's new development paradigm is being formed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The main challenge for the new regime is to strike an equilibrium between state-led and market-oriented economic policies. It also involves changing the incentives monitoring and discipline strategies that have created the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Established 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 immigrants from northern China. Baekje, a major regional power in the early 4th Century extended its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. As a result, it was in frequent battle with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies along the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries resulted in the development of powerful local factions. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as the capital. He controlled a part of today's Jeolla province and Chungcheong. Later, he relocated the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.
The rule of his was, however, short-lived. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935, and then united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla, later incorporated Baekje into Goryeo peacefully as a successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This was the end of the Three Kingdoms Period. The Korean peninsula was later ruled by the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually became powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.