Evolution Korea: 11 Things You're Not Doing
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Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist impulses. It's still better than expected.
The country is seeking an entirely new model of development. A Confucian culture that values respect for ancestors as well as gendered 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 the modern Koreans were able to survive by hunting and gathering wild food. Around 10,000 years ago they began to cultivate crops like millet and beans. They also raised livestock and even made furs. They created tribal states in Manchuria, and then on the Korean peninsula. They also established an industry of metalworking, making bronze tools, and later iron tools. They traded with other countries and introduced celadon and block printing to Japan, as well as styles of art as well as a written language and papermaking.
Gojoseon was established in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. The state adopted Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a state of hierarchy with the monarch and top officials came from the aristocracy of the land, whereas the rest of its population were peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens, and sometimes required them to join the army or take part 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 period. This new kingdom expanded into the southwest region of the peninsula, and was at war against the Goguryeo commanderies and China's in the area. Baekje took on Confucian ideas in its state beliefs system in 1390 CE, and introduced the male-centric concept of filiopiety into a doctrine. Under the cover of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families. They had to be obeyed by everyone and respected by their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, a nation that ruled from 918 until 1392 CE in the year 1392 CE, introduced to the world the Hangul Alphabet based on the shapes that were created by the mouth while pronouncing. This significantly improved communication between people, and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Additionally, movable metal type printing was introduced, and woodblock printing was improved. In 1145 CE the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was recorded for the first time.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula was habitable from Neolithic times onwards. Early evidence of human settlements can be found in the form of cist graves that were lined with stone, with precious objects like amazonite jewelry buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, referred to as dolmens and constructed of large stones in a single piece, are widespread throughout the country.
In the first second half of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognizable political state. After that the peninsula was ruled by various states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCfrom 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The northern part of the peninsula was occupied for a period 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, or Several States Period. Baekje, the most powerful of these states was weakened by the collapse of Goguryeo (676 CE) and was left with only its southern regions in Manchuria, and western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo, and the Gaya confederacy, flourished for a while.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to cooperate to expand their territories. In the end, Silla, with significant Chinese assistance, defeated all 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 appalled by the enormous cost of the old system get more info are urging an extensive program of liberalization of capital as well as labor markets. On the other hand those who support the old system want to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and inflating fears about job losses.
The academic and policy analysts remain in a tense debate about the extent to which these two developments are driving Koreas development towards a new model of economic governance. This article examines the five phases of Korea's evolution in terms of its political development: democratic democracies that are not liberal (1945-60), democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877) democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and democratic participation (2002). This article also identifies key elements that are shaping these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have made strides in promoting their beliefs to this group. A survey in 2009 found that nearly three-quarters of respondents did not believe in evolution. Of those, 41% said there was not enough scientific evidence to support the theory; 39% believed it was contrary to their religious beliefs, and 17 percent said they didn't comprehend it. This level of disbelief approaches that in the United States, where a similar percentage of people are not convinced that humans evolved from less advanced forms of life.
In the past, most of the anti-evolutionist movement in Korea was focused on educating college students and bringing them to Christ. A significant rise in interest in creation science came in the year 1980, when there was the inauguration of a four-day seminar during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul which featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Gish of ICR as the main speakers. This event attracted a huge number of church leaders, and scientists.
The success of the event led to the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st in 1980. The inaugural meeting was widely covered in national newspapers, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo and was well-received by the public.
KACR began publishing a newsletter titled CREATION. In it, the organization reported on its own activities and published articles on the scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of film strips and slides from ICR and also some books on creationism which were published outside of Korea. KACR members also gave talks in churches and universities throughout the country.
A KACR success was observed at KAIST University in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were so interested in creationism, they raised funds and received funding to construct a small museum dedicated to creation on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine, CREATION, which covers topics in creation science, and it has sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branches, which hold seminars and provide talks to school children and community groups.
Changes in South Korea
In the late 19th century and into the early the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The traditional hanbok, or Korean dress, gave way to miniskirts, as well as other fashion elements from abroad. Similar to the way traditional Korean music styles were replaced by contemporary rock and roll and jazz. At this time the samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, were loved by the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drummers as well as other instruments of music.
Korea's new development model is being formed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The new regime's main challenge is to find the right balance between the state-led economic policies and market-based ones. It also requires changing incentives, monitoring, or discipline schemes that have created the system prior to the crisis. These issues are discussed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Baekje, founded by Onjo the prince and third son of Jumong of Goguryeo was established by people from the Hangang River area, Buyeo and other areas, as well as migrants 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. The kingdom was in constant conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies on the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries led to the rise of powerful local factions. Gungye was a noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital. It also was in control of a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival of Goguryeo.
His rule was however short-lived. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935, and then united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla and later joined Baekje into Goryeo peacefully as a successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened the central government 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 and Silla gradually became powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.