Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is prone to populist tendencies. However, it is more stable than might be expected.
The country is looking for an entirely new model of development. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for the ancestors as and gender-specific family relationships, continues to be influential in the society. But there are signs that a secular culture is gaining ground.
Origins
In prehistoric times the ancestors of the modern Koreans lived by hunting and gathering wild food. Then around 10,000 years ago they began to cultivate crops like millet and beans. They also raised livestock and created furs. They formed tribal states in Manchuria, and then on the Korean peninsula. They also created a metallurgy business, making iron tools, including bronze. They traded with other nations and introduced block printing to Japan along with art styles, a written language, and paper making.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was established in the southern part of the peninsula. This state embraced Chinese culture that included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. In this period the people of Buyeo were incorporated into Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a hierarchical society with a monarch and high-ranking officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy while the majority of the population was peasants. The state collected taxes from these people and sometimes even required them to join the army or build fortifications.
By the end of this period the state of Baekje was founded 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 accepted Confucian ideas into its state belief system in 1390 CE, and introduced the male-centric concept of filiopiety a doctrine. In the name of filiopiety, fathers were accountable to their families. They were expected to be obedient to everyone and respected even by their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, a nation that was ruled from 918 to 1392 CE in the year 1392 CE, introduced to the world the Hangul Alphabet based upon the shapes created by the mouth when pronouncing. This dramatically improved the communication between people and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and movable type were also refined. It was during this period that the Samguk sagi, also known as 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first recorded in 1145 CE.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula was inhabited from Neolithic times until. Early evidence of human settlements can be found in the form of graves that were lined with stone, and decorated with precious objects like amazonite jewelry that were buried with the dead. Megalithic structures known as dolmens, built from enormous single stones, are prevalent throughout the country.
Gojoseon became the first political state to be recognized during the first half of 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was ruled by various states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC- 635 CE) including Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla. The northern portion of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom that historians do believe to be a true Korean state.
After the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged during the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Baekje is the most powerful of these states was diminished by the Goguryeo's fall (676 CE) and was left with only its southern regions in Manchuria, and the western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo as well as the Gaya confederacy, thrived for a time.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to collaborate in order to expand their territories. Silla, with the help of the Chinese, eventually conquered and unified the peninsula in 935.
As Korea enters the post-crisis period, its development paradigm appears to be in flux. Those who are appalled by the immense cost of the old system would prefer an extensive program of liberalization of capital, labor, and product markets. On the other hand, champions of the old system are seeking to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and inflating fears of job loss.
Academic and policy analysts remain sharply divided on the extent to these two trends are driving Koreas development towards an entirely new model of economic governance. This article focuses on the five phases of Korea's development 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 participatory democracy (2002). This article also highlights important factors that appear to influence these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have succeeded in promoting their views to this group. A 2009 survey showed that nearly a third of respondents were against evolution. Of those, 41% claimed that there was insufficient evidence from science to support the theory 39% claimed that the theory was in contradiction to their religious beliefs and 17% claimed it was difficult to grasp. This level of doubt is similar to the United States where a similar percentage do not believe humans evolved from earlier types of life.
In the past, the anti-evolutionist campaign in Korea was primarily focused on teaching students and in bringing Christ to them. In 1980 an all-day creation science seminar was held in Seoul during the World Evangelization Crusade. Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the main speakers. This event was attended by a large audience of scientists, professors, and church leaders.
The event's success led to the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st, 1980. The event was extensively covered in the national media, including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter, CREATION, which reported on its activities and published articles on the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated a number of film strips and slides from ICR as well as some books on creationism which were already published outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures at universities and churches throughout the country.
One instance of an KACR success story occurred at the KAIST university in Seoul. 에볼루션 사이트 at KAIST 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 activities, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine, CREATION. The magazine covers subjects in the creation science. It also hosted a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also created an organization of local branch offices that offer seminars and talks to schoolchildren and other community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the late 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 and other fashion elements imported from overseas. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by rock and roll and jazz. During this time the samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, were loved by the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums as well as different musical instruments.
The economic crisis has formed Korea's new development paradigm. talks about it facing the new regime is to strike the right balance between market-oriented and state-led policies. It also involves rethinking the incentives and monitoring policies that shaped the system before 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 in the middle of the Hangang River, those from Buyeo and other areas and immigrants from northern China. Baekje was a major regional power in the early 4th Century, expanded its territory to Mahan in north and Jeollanam-do south. This meant that it was constantly in conflict with Goguryeo, and the Chinese commanderies on the border.
The fall of Silla in the late 8th and early 9th centuries saw powerful local factions to emerge. Gungye an eminent noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital. He also held control over a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju. He was an adversary to Goguryeo.
However the rule of his was short-lived. After Gungye was defeated 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. In addition, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a central ruling system. This was the end of the Three Kingdoms Period. The Korean peninsula was later controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly developed into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.
