Evolution Korea
The democratic system in South Korea is susceptible to populist impulses. It's still better than we had hoped for.
The country is searching for an entirely new model of development. A Confucian culture that stresses respect for the ancestors and gendered family relations continues influence the society. There are signs that a secular culture is emerging.
Origins
In prehistoric times 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 made furs. They also established tribal states one after the other in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also established an industry of metalworking, making bronze tools, and later iron ones. They traded with other countries and introduced block and celadon printing to Japan, as well as art styles and a written language and papermaking.
Gojoseon was established in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. The state embraced Chinese culture which included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a state of hierarchy where the monarch and senior officials were members of the aristocracy of the land, whereas the rest of its population was peasants. The state collected taxes from these people, and sometimes forced them to join the army or construct fortifications.
Onjo Prince Onjo, a prince from Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong the founder of Goguryeo and the state of Baekje towards the end of the time. The new kingdom expanded its territory to the southwest of the peninsula, and was at war with Goguryeo and China's commandos in the region. Baekje adopted Confucian ideas in its state beliefs system in 1390 CE and made the male-centered concept of filiopiety into a doctrine. In the name of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families and they must be respected and obeyed by all people, even their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, who would rule from 918 until 1392 CE established the Hangul alphabet based on the shapes made by the mouth when it was pronounced. This greatly improved communication between people, and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and the movable metal 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 was habitable from Neolithic times until. Early evidence of human settlements is evident in the form of cist graves paved with stone, and decorated with valuable items like amazonite jewelry that were buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens and constructed of large stones in a single piece, are common in the country.
In the first half of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognizable political state. After that the peninsula was ruled by a variety of states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC- 635 CE) including Baekje, Goguryeo, and Silla. The northern part of the peninsula was occupied for a period by the Balhae Kingdom that historians do believe to be a real Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged during the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). In all of them, Baekje was the most powerful state however, its dynasty ended when Goguryeo was defeated in 676 CE and left it with its southern territories of Manchuria and the western region around the Hwanghae Bay, while eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy flourished for a short time.
The Unified Silla Kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to collaborate to expand their territories. In the final phase, Silla, with significant Chinese aid, conquered all other states and united the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea enters the post-crisis era the development paradigm of the country appears to be in flux. The people who are affronted by the huge cost of the old system advocate a thorough program of liberalization in capital, labor, and product markets. On the other hand, people who support the old system seek to preserve it through nationalist sentiments and by exaggerating fears about possible job loss.
Academic and policy analysts remain starkly divided as to the extent to these two trends are driving Koreas evolution towards a new model of economic governance. 에볼루션 examines the five phases of Korea's development in terms of its political development that include democratic democracies that are not liberal (1945-60) democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877) democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and participatory democracy (2002). This article also highlights significant factors that may be shaping these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have had success in promoting their views to this population. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that almost one-third of respondents were against evolution. Of those who voted, 41% said that there was not enough 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 comprehend. The level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar number do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced types of life.
In the past, the majority of the anti-evolution movements in Korea was focused on educating college students and bringing them to Christ. A significant increase in interest in creation science came in the year 1980, following an all-day seminar that was held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the main speakers. The event attracted an impressive crowd of scientists, professors and church leaders.
The event's success resulted in the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st of 1980. The event was widely covered in the national press, including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter called CREATION, which covered its activities and published articles on scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR and also some books on creationism that were already published outside of Korea. KACR members gave lectures across the nation in universities and churches.
A KACR success was observed at the KAIST University in Seoul. There, enough students were fascinated by the concept of creationism that they raised the funds and support needed to build an on-campus museum showing creationist models of fossils and other exhibits.
In addition to its activities, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine called CREATION. The magazine covers subjects that pertain to the science of creation. It also hosted a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established an organization of local branch offices that offer talks and seminars to children and community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced with miniskirts and other foreign fashion elements. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by jazz and rock & roll. During this period the famous samulnori, also known as the masked dance-dramas were very popular. These dramatic pieces were performed with the accompaniment of shaman drums and various types of musical instruments.
Korea's new development paradigm is being created in the wake of the economic crisis. The main challenge for the new regime is to find the right balance between state-led economic policies and market-based ones. It also involves changing the incentives monitoring and discipline schemes that have shaped 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 and also by a migrant from northern China. Baekje was one of the major regional powers in the early 4th century extended its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. Consequently, it came into frequent confrontation with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders along the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries led to the rise of powerful local factions. Gungye an eminent noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital and was in control of a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Later, he relocated 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 unified Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla and later joined Baekje into Goryeo and acted as a peaceful successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened the central government system. This marked the closing 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 Silla slowly grew into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.