Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist inclinations. It's still better than we had hoped for.
The country is searching for a new paradigm of development. A Confucian culture that values respect for the ancestors and gendered family relationships continues to influence society. There are indications of a secularist cultural trend that is emerging.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of modern Koreans lived on hunting and gathering wild food. About 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet, beans and other crops. They also raised livestock and made furs. They formed tribal states in Manchuria and later on the Korean peninsula. They also established an industry of metalworking, making bronze tools and later iron ones. They traded with other states and introduced Celadon paper making, block printing art styles, and writing to Japan.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was established in the southern part of the peninsula. This state embraced Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure with a monarch and top officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the rest of the population was peasants. The state extracted taxes from these citizens and often required them to serve in the army or take part in projects for the government like building fortifications.
At the end of this period, the state of Baekje was established by Onjo who was a prince of Goguryeo and was the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo. This new kingdom expanded its territory into the southwest of the peninsula, and was at war with Goguryeo and China's commanderies in the region. 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 guise filiopiety, fathers were responsible to their families. They were expected to be obeyed by everyone and respected even by their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, who ruled from 918 until 1392 CE introduced the world to 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. In addition, movable metal type printing was introduced and woodblock printing was refined. It was during this period that the Samguk sagi, also known as 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first recorded in 1145 CE.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times. The earliest evidence for human settlements is evident in the form graves lined with stone, with precious items like amazonite jewellery being buried along with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens, made of enormous single stones, are widespread throughout the country.
Gojoseon was the first political state to be recognized during the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was later controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE), including Baekje and Goguryeo. 에볼루션 사이트 of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom that historians do believe to be a true Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states arose in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Among them, Baekje was the most powerful however, its dynasty ended by the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE leaving the southern provinces 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. Silla, with the help of the Chinese, eventually conquered and unified the peninsula in 935.
As Korea enters a post-crisis phase its development model appears to be in flux. The people who are affronted by the enormous cost of the old system are urging an extensive program of liberalization of capital, labor, and product markets. On the other hand those who support the old system are seeking to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and generating fear of job loss.
Analysts and academics are divided about the extent to which Korea's development is being driven by these two trends. 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 participatory democracy (2002). This article also identifies significant factors that may influence these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have succeeded in promoting their views among this population. A survey in 2009 found that nearly a third of respondents did not believe in the theory of evolution. Of those who voted, 41% stated there was not enough scientific evidence to support the theory 39% of respondents claimed that it did not align with their religious beliefs, and 17 percent said they did not comprehend it. This level of disbelief approaches 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 movement in Korea was focused on educating college students and bringing them to Christ. A significant rise in interest in creation science began in the year 1980, following a four-day seminar held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that included Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Gish of ICR as the keynote speakers. This event attracted a large number of church leaders and scientists.
The event's success led to the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31 in 1980. The inauguration 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 monthly newsletter, CREATION, which reported on its activities and published articles about the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated a number of films and slides from ICR and some books on the subject that were published outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in universities and churches across the country.
One instance of one KACR success story took place at the KAIST university in Seoul. There, students were so interested in the idea of creationism that they raised the funds and support to put up an on-campus museum showing creationist models of fossils and other exhibits.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION which covers topics in the field of creation science, and it has sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also created a network of local branch offices that offer talks and seminars to schoolchildren 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, was replaced to miniskirts and other fashion elements from abroad. Similar to the way traditional Korean music styles were replaced with modern jazz and rock and roll. During this period the famous samulnori, also known as dance-dramas with masks were extremely popular. These dramatic dances were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums and various musical instruments.
The economic crisis has formed Korea's new development paradigm. The new regime's main challenge is to find the right balance between the state-led economic policies and market-oriented ones. It also requires altering incentives, monitoring, or discipline schemes that have shaped the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Baekje, 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. In the 4th century, in the early part of, Baekje was a major regional power and expanded its territory as far as Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do in the south. As a result, it was in frequent confrontation with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders across the border.
The fall of Silla in the 8th and early 9th centuries saw powerful local factions to rise. 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, 에볼루션 사이트 relocated the capital to Wansanju and became a rival of Goguryeo.
His rule was however short-lived. After his defeat, Gungye was replaced by a powerful local leader Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935, Later Baekje was incorporated peacefully into Goryeo as an alternative state. Additionally, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a centralized ruling system. This marked the conclusion of the Three Kingdoms period. From that point the Korean peninsula was under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly grew into powerful states on the peninsula, and in Manchuria.