Evolution Korea
South Korea's democracy is susceptible to populist inclinations. However, it's healthier than might be expected.
The country is looking for an innovative development paradigm. A Confucian culture that values respect for ancestors and gendered family relationships continues to influence the way we live. However, there are signs that a secular culture is emerging.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of the modern Koreans survived by hunting and gathering wild food. In the tens of thousands of years after, they began to grow crops like millet and beans. They also raised livestock, and also made furs. They also established tribal states one after the other in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also developed a metallurgy industry, producing iron tools and bronze. They traded with other states and introduced Celadon paper making block printing, art styles and written language to Japan.
Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. This state adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. In this period the inhabitants of Buyeo were incorporated into Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure that included a monarch as well as senior officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy while the majority of the population were peasants. The state imposed taxes on these citizens and sometimes required them to serve in the army or participate in government projects such as building fortifications.
At the end of this period the state of Baekje was founded by Onjo who was a prince of Goguryeo and was the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo. The new kingdom grew its territory to the southwest of the peninsula, and was at war with Goguryeo and China's commanderies in the region. Baekje adopted Confucian ideas in its state beliefs system in 1390 CE and introduced the male-centric concept of filiopiety a tenet. In the name of filiopiety fathers were responsible for their families and had to be revered and obeyed by all, including their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, a country that was ruled from 918 to 1392 CE, gave the world the Hangul Alphabet, based on the patterns created by the mouth when it pronounces. This dramatically improved the communication between people and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Additionally, mouse click the up coming post was introduced, and woodblock printing was refined. In 1145 CE the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was first recorded.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times. Early evidence of human settlements is visible in the form of graves lined with stone, with precious objects such as amazonite jewellery being buried along with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens, constructed from enormous single stones, are widespread throughout the country.
Gojoseon became the first political state to be recognized during the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was later under the control of a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE) which included Baekje and Goguryeo. Moreover, the northern region of the peninsula was ruled by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians do not consider to be a valid Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states arose in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). In all of them, Baekje was the most powerful of them all, but its dynasty ended by the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE and left it with its southern territories of Manchuria and the western region surrounding the Hwanghae Bay, while eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy prospered for a period of time.
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 the other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea enters the post-crisis period, its development paradigm appears to be in flux. People who are shocked by the enormous cost of the old system support a comprehensive program of liberalization of capital, labor and product markets. On the other hand, supporters of the old system want to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and generating fear over potential job losses.
Academics and analysts are divided over the extent to which Korea's growth is being driven by these two trends. This article focuses on the five phases of Korea's evolution in terms of its political development: democratically illiberal democracies (1945-60) democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877), democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and participatory democracy (2002). This article also highlights the most 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 nearly a third of respondents didn't believe in evolution. Of the respondents, 41% stated that there was not enough evidence from science to support the theory; 39% said the theory contradicted their religion; and 17% said it was difficult to comprehend. This level of disbelief approaches that in the United States, where a similar number of people are not convinced that humans evolved from less advanced types of life.
In the past, the anti-evolution campaign in Korea was focused on educating students and in bringing Christ to them. In 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 keynote speakers. This event was attended by an audience of scientists, professors and church leaders.
The success of this event led to the establishment of the Korea Association of Creation Research (KACR) on January 31st, 1981. The event was extensively covered in the national press, including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR began publishing a newsletter titled CREATION. In it, the group presented its own work and published articles on scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR, as well as several books on creationism that were already in print outside of Korea. KACR members gave lectures in universities and churches across the country.
A KACR success was witnessed at the KAIST University in Seoul. Students at the KAIST university in Seoul were so interested in creationism, they raised money and secured funding to build a small museum dedicated to creation on campus.
In addition to its activities, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine, CREATION. This magazine covers topics in the field of creation science. It also hosted a series of lectures by ICR staff. It also has an organization of local branch offices that offer talks and seminars to schoolchildren and other community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and into the early 20th, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, was replaced to miniskirts, as well as other fashion elements from abroad. Similar to the way traditional Korean music styles were replaced by contemporary jazz and rock and roll. In the period of this transition the samulnori, or the masked dance-dramas were very popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums and different musical instruments.
Korea's new development paradigm is being developed in the wake of the economic crisis. The primary challenge facing the new regime lies in the proper balance between state-led economic policies and market-based ones. It also involves changing incentives, monitoring, or disciplining systems that have created the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 & 4.
The Baekje was founded by Onjo, prince of Goguryeo and the third son of Jumong, Baekje was established jointly by the people who lived along the Hangang River, those from Buyeo and other areas and immigrants from northern China. Baekje was a major regional power in the 4th century, expanded its territory to Mahan in north and Jeollanam-do south. As a result, it was in frequent conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies along the border.
The fall of Silla in the late 8th and early 9th centuries enabled powerful local factions to emerge. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as the capital. He controlled a part of the present-day Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.
However, his rule was short-lived. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935, and then united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla, later incorporated Baekje into Goryeo peacefully as a successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the end to the Three Kingdoms Period. From that point on the Korean peninsula was controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually grew to become powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.