Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist inclinations. However, it's healthier than might be expected.
The country is looking for an innovative development paradigm. A Confucian culture that emphasizes respect for ancestors and gendered family relationships continues to influence the way we live. There are signs that a secular culture is beginning to emerge.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of modern Koreans lived by hunting and gathering wild food. Around 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet and beans as well as other crops. They also raised livestock, and also made furs. These tribes formed tribal states one after the other 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 states and introduced cedon, paper making, block printing, art styles and writing to Japan.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon came into existence in the southern part of the peninsula. The state embraced Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian philosophy. In this period the people of Buyeo were part of Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a state of hierarchy where the monarch and senior officials came from the aristocracy of the land, while the rest of the population was peasants. The state imposed taxes on these citizens and often required them to fight in the army or participate in projects for the government like 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. The new kingdom grew into the southwest of the peninsula, and was at war against Goguryeo's commanderies and China's in the region. Baekje took on Confucian ideas in its state beliefs 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, and had to be respected and obeyed by all, including their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, who ruled from 918 to 1392 CE gave the world the Hangul alphabet that was based on the shapes formed by the mouth when it was pronounced. This greatly improved communication and led to an increase in the writing of Buddhist text. Woodblock printing and movable type were also improved. In 1145 CE, the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was recorded for the first time.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been habitable since Neolithic times and early evidence of human settlements are evident in the form stone-lined cist graves with precious goods like amazonite jewelry being buried along with the dead. Megalithic structures, referred to as dolmens, and made of large stones in a single piece, are prevalent throughout the country.
In the first second half of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognized political state. The peninsula was ruled by a variety of 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 time by the Balhae Kingdom which historians do not consider to be a genuine Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). In all of them, Baekje was the most powerful state but its dynasty dissolved when Goguryeo was defeated in 676 CE leaving the southern provinces of Manchuria and the western region surrounding the Hwanghae Bay, while eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy prospered for a period of time.
에볼루션 블랙잭 emerged, and the three kingdoms began to work together 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 a post-crisis period its development model appears to be in flux. People who are shocked by the costs of the old systems are in favor of a comprehensive plan for liberalization of labor, capital and markets for products. On the other hand, champions of the old system are seeking to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and inflating fears over potential job losses.
Policy and academic analysts are in a tense debate about the extent to the extent that these two developments are driving Koreas shift towards an economic model that is radically different from the one of governance. This article analyzes the five phases of Korea's evolution in terms of its political development that include illiberal democracies (1945-60) democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877) democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and participatory democracy (2002). This article also identifies important factors that appear to be shaping these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. Creationists have made strides in promoting their beliefs to this segment. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that almost a third of respondents did not believe in evolution. Of those who voted, 41% stated that there was no scientific evidence to support the theory 39% of respondents believed it was contrary to their religious beliefs. 17 percent said they did not understand it. This level of doubt is similar to that in the United States, where a majority of people are not convinced that humans evolved from earlier species of life.
In the past of the anti-evolution movements in Korea was focused on teaching 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 featured speakers. This event drew an audience 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 inauguration meeting was widely covered in the national press, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo, and it attracted a lot of attention.
KACR started publishing a newsletter called CREATION. In it, the group published its own activities and published articles on scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated several films and slides from ICR, as well as a few books on creationism that were published outside of Korea. KACR members also gave talks in universities and churches across the country.
One instance of an KACR success story occurred at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were interested in creationism, they raised funds and received support to build a small creationist museum on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine, CREATION, which covers topics in the field of creation science, and it has sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branch offices that host talks and seminars to children and community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter half of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, Korea began to adopt a more Westernized style of life. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced with miniskirts, and other foreign fashion elements. Similarly, traditional Korean music styles were replaced by contemporary rock and roll and jazz. At this time the famous samulnori or masked dance dramas, were popular with the public. These dramatic dances were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums as well as various types of musical instruments.
The economic crisis has shaped Korea's new paradigm of development. The new regime's main challenge is the balance between the state-led economic policies and market-based ones. It also requires a change in the incentives, monitoring, and disciplining policies that been a part of the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Baekje was founded by Onjo, prince and third son of Jumong of Goguryeo was founded by people from the Hangang River area, Buyeo and other areas, as well as migrants from northern China. Baekje, one of the major regional powers in the early 4th century expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. As a result, it was in frequent conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies across the border.
The fall of Silla in the late 8th and 9th centuries saw strong local factions to emerge. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as its capital. He ruled a portion of today's Jeolla province and Chungcheong. Later, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.
However the rule of his was short-lived. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935 and united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla, later incorporated Baekje into Goryeo without a fight as his 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 controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually developed into powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.