Evolution Korea
South Korea's democracy is prone to populist inclinations. It's still more stable than was expected.
The country is looking for a new paradigm of development. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for the ancestors as and gender-specific family relationships, continues to influence the society. There are indications of a secularist culture trend that is emerging.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of modern Koreans survived by hunting and gathering wild food. About 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet and beans as well as other crops. They also raised livestock, and made furs. These people formed tribal states in succession in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also created a metalworking industry, producing bronze tools, and later iron tools. They traded with other countries and introduced block printing to Japan, as well as art styles, a written language, and papermaking.
Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. The state adopted Chinese culture which included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure in which a monarch and senior officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy, while the majority of the population was peasants. The state imposed taxes on these citizens and often required them to serve in the army or participate in government projects such as building fortifications.
Onjo the prince of Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo, founded the state of Baekje towards the end of the time. The new kingdom expanded to the southwest part of the peninsula, and was at war against Goguryeo's commanderies and China's in the area. Baekje introduced elements of Confucian thinking into its state belief system and made the male-centric concept of filiopiety an official doctrine in 1390 CE. Under the guise filiopiety, fathers were accountable to their families. They had to be obedient to everyone and respected even by their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, who would rule from 918 until 1392 CE gave the world the Hangul alphabet based on the shapes made by the mouth during pronunciation. This greatly improved communication and led to a boom in the writing of Buddhist text. Woodblock printing and movable metal type were also refined. In 1145 CE the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was the first to be recorded.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been inhabited since Neolithic times and early evidence for human settlements is evident in the form stone-lined cist graves with precious objects such as amazonite jewellery being buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, referred to as dolmens, made of huge single stones, are also common throughout the country.
In the first half of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognizable political state. The peninsula was later controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE) which included Baekje and Goguryeo. In addition, the northern region of the peninsula was ruled by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians do not believe to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, or Several States Period. Baekje, the most powerful of these states, was diminished by the Goguryeo's fall (676 CE) leaving only its southern regions in Manchuria and the its western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo, and the Gaya confederacy, prospered for a while.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to cooperate in order to expand their territories. In the end, Silla, with significant Chinese aid, conquered all other states and united the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea is entering the post-crisis phase the development paradigm of the country appears to be changing. Those who are appalled by the immense cost of the old system are urging a thorough program of liberalization of capital as well as labor and product markets. On the other hand the people who support the old system try to keep it alive through nationalist sentiments and by stoking fears of job losses.
The academic and policy analysts remain sharply divided on the extent to the extent that these two developments are driving Koreas evolution towards an entirely new model of economic governance. This article reviews developments to date by analyzing five phases of the country's political evolution that include 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 significant factors that may influence these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. Creationists have made significant progress in promoting their views to this segment. A survey from 2009 showed that almost one-third of respondents did not believe in evolution. Of the respondents, 41% stated that there wasn't enough scientific evidence to support evolution; 39% said the theory did not align with their beliefs and 17% claimed it was difficult to understand. The level of doubt is comparable to that of the United States where a similar number do not believe that humans evolved from lesser advanced types of life.
In the past, the anti-evolutionist campaign in Korea focused primarily on teaching students and bringing Christ to them. 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 Gish of ICR as the main speakers. The event attracted a large audience of scientists, professors and church leaders.
The event's success resulted in the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31, 1980. The inauguration meeting was widely covered in the national press, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo, and it attracted a lot of attention.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter called CREATION, which covered its activities and published articles about scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR and some books on the subject that were already in print outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in universities and churches across the country.
A KACR success was seen at the KAIST University in Seoul. There, there were enough students interested in the idea of creationism that they raised enough money and support needed to build a small museum on campus with creationist fossil models and other exhibits.
In addition to its work, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine, CREATION. The magazine covers a variety of topics in the creation science. 에볼루션 sponsored a series lectures by ICR staff. It has also created branches in local offices that give talks and seminars to children and other community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter part of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, Korea began to adopt a more Westernized lifestyle. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, was replaced 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 famous samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, were popular with the general public. These dramatic dances were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums as well as different musical instruments.
The economic crisis has formed Korea's new paradigm of development. The primary challenge for the new regime is to strike the right balance between market-oriented and state-led economic policies. It also requires changing incentives, monitoring or disciplining schemes which have shaped the system prior to the crisis. These issues are discussed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Founded by Onjo, prince of Goguryeo and the third son of Jumong, Baekje was established jointly by people living along the Hangang River, those from Buyeo and other areas and migrants from northern China. Baekje was one of the major regional powers in the early 4th century expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. In the process, it entered into frequent battle with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders along the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries led to the development of powerful local factions. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as its capital. He was the ruler of a large portion of the present-day Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.
His rule was however only for a short time. 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 incorporated into Goryeo as an alternative state. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. The Korean peninsula was then under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly developed into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.