Evolution Korea
The democratic system in South Korea is vulnerable to populist impulses. It's still more stable than we had hoped for.
The country is searching for a new way of developing. The Confucian culture, which stresses respect for ancestors as well as gendered family relationships, continues to be influential in the society. There are signs of a secularist cultural trend emerging.
Origins
During prehistoric times, the ancestors of modern Koreans lived by hunting and gathering wild food. Around 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet, beans, and other crops. They also raised livestock and made furs. They established tribal states in Manchuria, and then on the Korean peninsula. They also established a metallurgy industry, producing bronze and later iron tools. 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. 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 hierarchical state where the monarch and senior officials came from the land aristocracy, while the majority of the population were peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens and often required them to join the army or work on projects of the government, like building fortifications.
Onjo, a prince from Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo established the state of Baekje towards the end of the time. The new kingdom grew into the southwest part of the peninsula, and fought against the Goguryeo 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 tenet. Under the guise filiopiety, fathers were accountable to their families. They were expected to be obeyed by all and respected even by their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, a nation that was ruled from 918 to 1392 CE and gave the world the Hangul Alphabet based upon the shapes that were created by the mouth while pronouncing. This greatly improved the communication between people and led to an explosion in the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and movable type were also improved. It was at this time that the Samguk sagi, also known as 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first written in 1145 CE.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula was habitable from Neolithic times onwards. Early evidence of human settlements is evident in the form of graves lined with stone, with precious objects like amazonite jewelry buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens and constructed of large stones in a single piece, are widespread throughout the country.
In the first half of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognized political state. After that the peninsula was ruled by several states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCfrom 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo and Silla. In addition, the northern region of the peninsula was ruled by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians do not believe to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, or Several States Period. Baekje is the most powerful of these states, was weakened by the collapse of Goguryeo (676 CE) and was left with only its southern territories in Manchuria, and the western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy, thrived for a while.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms began to work together in order to expand their territorial holdings. Silla with the help of the Chinese, eventually conquered and unified the peninsula in 935.
As Korea enters the post-crisis period, its development paradigm appears to be in flux. The people who are affronted by the huge cost of the old system advocate an extensive program of liberalization in capital as well as labor and product markets. On the other hand the supporters of the old system seek to preserve it through nationalist sentiments, and by stoking fears of job losses.
The academic and policy analysts remain sharply divided on the extent to these two trends are driving Koreas evolution towards an economic model that is radically different from the one of governance. This article examines the five phases of Korea's development in terms of its political development: illiberal democracies (1945-60) democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877), democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and democratic participation (2002). This article also identifies the key elements that are the driving force behind these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have succeeded in promoting their views among this group. A 2009 survey showed that nearly one-third of respondents were against evolution. Of those, 41% said 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. The level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar percentage do not believe humans evolved from less advanced forms of life.
In the past, most of the anti-evolutionist movement 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 Gish of ICR as the main speakers. The event attracted a large 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 inauguration meeting was widely reported in national newspapers, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo and also attracted a lot of attention.
KACR started publishing a newsletter titled CREATION. In CREATION, the organization presented its own work and published articles about scientific evidence for the existence of God. It also translated several films and slides from ICR and also several books on creationism that were already in print outside of Korea. KACR members also gave talks at universities and churches throughout the country.
One example of a KACR success story was at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were keen on the concept of creationism that they raised money and got 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 creation science. It also hosted a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also organized local branches that hold seminars and give talks to children in schools and 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 traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced with miniskirts and other fashion elements from abroad. In the same way, traditional Korean music styles were replaced with modern jazz and rock and roll. During 에볼루션 코리아 , or masked dance-dramas, became popular with the general public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums as well as various types of musical instruments.
Korea's new model of development is being formed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The biggest challenge facing the new regime is to find the right balance between market-oriented and state-led policies. It also requires a change in the incentives and monitoring policies that created the system before 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 regions and also by a migrant from northern China. In the early 4th century, Baekje was a major regional power and expanded its territory as far as Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do in the south. It was therefore in constant conflict with Goguryeo, and the Chinese commanders at the border.
The decline of Silla in the late 8th and 9th centuries saw powerful local factions to emerge. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as its capital. He controlled a part of the present-day Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Later, he moved 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. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the conclusion of the Three Kingdoms period. From then on, 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 and in Manchuria.