Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist tendencies. However, it's healthier than one would expect.
The country is seeking a new way of developing. A Confucian culture that stresses respect for ancestors and gendered family relations continues to influence the way we live. But there are signs that a secular culture is emerging.
Origins
During prehistoric times, the ancestors of modern Koreans survived by hunting and gathering wild food. In the tens of thousands of years after, they began to grow crops including millet and beans. They also raised livestock and even made furs. They also established tribal states in succession in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also developed an industry for metalworking, which produced bronze tools and later iron tools. They traded with other nations and introduced block and celadon printing to Japan and also art styles as well as a written language and papermaking.
Gojoseon was established in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. evolutionkr.kr adopted Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a hierarchical society that included a monarch as well as top officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the rest of the population were peasants. The state extracted taxes from these citizens, and sometimes required them to fight in the army or work on projects for the government like building fortifications.
By the end of the 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. The new kingdom expanded its territory to the southwest of the peninsula and clashed with Goguryeo and China's commandos in the region. Baekje included elements of Confucian thought into its state belief system and made the male-centric filiopiety concept an official doctrine in 1390 CE. In the name of filiopiety, fathers were accountable to their families and had to be obeyed and respected by everyone, even their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, who ruled from 918 to 1392 CE introduced the world to the Hangul alphabet that was based on the shapes formed by the mouth during pronunciation. This dramatically improved communication between people, and led to an explosion in the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and movable metal type were also improved. In 1145 CE, the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was first recorded.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula was inhabited from Neolithic times to. Early evidence of human settlements can be seen in the form of graves that were lined with stone, with precious items such as amazonite jewelry that were buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens, constructed from enormous single stones, are common throughout the country.
In the first part of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognisable political state. After that the peninsula was ruled by several states during the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCbetween 635 and 57 BC CE) including Baekje Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The northern region of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom that historians do believe to be a real Korean state.
After the Three Kingdoms arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, or Several States Period. Among them, Baekje was the most powerful of them all, but its dynasty ended by the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE, leaving Baekje with its southern territories of Manchuria and the western region around the 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 cooperate to expand their territories. In the final phase, Silla, with significant Chinese assistance, defeated the other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea enters the post-crisis era, its development paradigm appears to be in flux. Those who are horrified by the enormous cost of the old systems are in favor of a comprehensive plan for liberalization of labor, capital and markets for products. On the other hand, supporters of the old system seek to preserve it by leveraging nationalist sentiments and exaggerating fears of job loss.
Academic and policy analysts remain sharply divided on the extent to these two developments are driving Koreas development towards a new model of economic governance. This article assesses developments to date, by looking at five phases of Korea's political evolution that include illiberal democracy (1945-60) democratic authoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-87) democratic paternalism (1987-2001), and participatory democracy (2002 to present). This article also highlights key factors that seem to be influencing these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. Creationists have had success in promoting their beliefs to this population. A 2009 survey showed that nearly one-third of respondents were against evolution. Of the respondents, 41% believed there was not enough scientific evidence to support the theory 39% claimed that it did not align with their religious beliefs. 17% said they did not understand it. This level of disbelief approaches that of the United States, where a majority of people do not believe that humans evolved from earlier types of life.
In the past, the anti-evolution campaign in Korea was primarily focused on educating students and in bringing Christ to them. An increase in interest in creation science came in the year 1980, following the inauguration of a four-day seminar during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul which featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the main speakers. This event drew an impressive crowd of scientists, professors and church leaders.
The success of the event led to the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st of 1980. The inaugural meeting was widely covered in national newspapers, such as The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo and also was well-received by the public.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter called CREATION, where it published its activities and published articles about scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR and also several books on creationism that were already in print outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in universities and churches across the country.
One instance of one KACR success story occurred at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were so keen on the concept of creationism that they raised funds and received funding to construct a small museum dedicated to creation on campus.
In addition to its activities, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine, CREATION. The magazine covers subjects that pertain to the science of creation. It also sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branch offices that offer talks and seminars to schoolchildren and community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter part of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, Korea began to adopt an increasingly Westernized lifestyle. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, was replaced to miniskirts, as well as other fashion elements from overseas. In the same way, traditional Korean music styles were replaced by modern jazz and rock and roll. At this time, the famous samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, were popular with the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums as well as various types of musical instruments.
Korea's new development model is being created in the wake of the economic crisis. The biggest challenge facing the new regime is to strike the right balance between state-led and market-oriented economic policies. It also requires changing incentives, monitoring, or discipline schemes that have created the system prior to the crisis. These issues are examined in Chapters 3 and 4.
Baekje, founded by Onjo the prince and third son of Jumong of Goguryeo, was founded by people from the Hangang River area, Buyeo and other regions as well as migrant workers from northern China. In the early 4th century, 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 battle with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders across the border.
The decline of Silla in the late 8th and 9th centuries saw powerful local factions to emerge. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as the capital. He ruled a portion of today's Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Later, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.
However, his rule was short-lived. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935 and united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla and later joined Baekje into Goryeo and acted as a peaceful successor. In addition, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a centralized ruling system. This marked the end of 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 and Silla gradually grew to become powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.