Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist inclinations. It's still more stable than was expected.
The country is searching for a new way of developing. A Confucian culture that values respect for ancestors as well as gendered family relations continues influence the way we live. There are indications of a secularist cultural trend emerging.
Origins
In prehistoric times the ancestors of the modern Koreans were capable of survival through hunting and gathering wild food. Around 10,000 years ago they began to cultivate crops such as millet and beans. They also raised livestock and created furs. They formed tribal states in Manchuria, and then 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, as well as written language to Japan.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon came into existence in the southern part of the peninsula. The state adopted Chinese culture that included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. In this period the inhabitants of Buyeo were incorporated into Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a hierarchical society in which a monarch and senior officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the rest of the population was peasants. The state collected taxes from these people and sometimes even required them to join the army or build fortifications.
At the end of the 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. The new kingdom expanded to the southwest part of the peninsula, and was at war with China's commandos and Goguryeo's in the region. Baekje introduced elements of Confucian beliefs into its official belief system and made the male-centric filiopiety concept as a law in 1390 CE. Under the guise of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families and they must be revered and obeyed by everyone, even their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, who ruled from 918 until 1392 CE gave the world the Hangul alphabet based on the shapes made by the mouth during pronunciation. This dramatically improved communication between people and resulted in an explosion of the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and movable metal type were also improved. In 1145 CE the Samguk Sagi, or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was first recorded.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times. Early evidence for human settlements is visible in the form of graves lined with stones, with precious objects such as amazonite jewellery being buried with the dead. Megalithic structures known as dolmens, made of enormous single stones, are also common throughout the country.
Gojoseon was the first state to be recognized during the first half of 1st millennium BCE. After that, the peninsula was ruled by several states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCfrom 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo and Silla. Additionally, the northern part of the peninsula was occupied by the Balhae kingdom, which many historians do not believe to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged during the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Baekje is the most powerful of these states, was diminished by the collapse of Goguryeo (676 CE) leaving only its southern regions in Manchuria and the the western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy, flourished 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 united the peninsula in 935.
As Korea enters the post-crisis era the development paradigm of the country is in flux. People who are shocked by the huge cost of the old system support a comprehensive program of liberalization of labor, capital and product markets. On the other hand the supporters of the old system seek to keep it alive through nationalist sentiments, and by exaggerating fears about possible job loss.
Analysts and academics are divided on the extent to which Korea's development is being driven by these two trends. This article focuses on 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 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 progress in promoting their beliefs to this segment. 에볼루션 룰렛 conducted in 2009 revealed that nearly one-third of respondents did not believe in evolution. Of those, 41% claimed that there wasn't enough scientific evidence to support evolution; 39% said the theory contradicted their religion and 17% said it was difficult to grasp. This level of disbelief is comparable to that of the United States, where a similar number of people do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced forms of life.
In the past, the anti-evolution campaign in Korea was focused on teaching students and the introduction of Christ to them. An increase in the interest in creation science occurred in the year 1980, following a four-day seminar held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that included Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Giss of ICR were the featured speakers. This event attracted a large number of professors, church leaders, and scientists.
The success of the event resulted in the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st, 1980. The inaugural event was widely reported in the national press, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo, and it received wide attention.
KACR began publishing a newsletter called CREATION. In CREATION, the organization published its own activities and published articles on the scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of slides and film strips from ICR and a few books on creationism that were already in print outside of Korea. KACR members taught throughout the country at universities and churches.
One example of a KACR success story took place at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at the KAIST university in Seoul were so keen on the concept of creationism that they raised money and secured support to build a small creationist museum on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION, which covers topics in creation science, and it has sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branch offices that offer seminars and talks to schoolchildren and community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter half of the nineteenth century and the early 20th century, Korea began to adopt a more Westernized lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced by miniskirts, and other fashion elements from abroad. Similar to the way traditional Korean music styles were replaced by modern rock and roll and jazz. In this period the samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, were loved by the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drummers and other instruments of music.
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 strike the right balance between state-led and market-oriented economic policies. It also requires a change in the incentives and monitoring policies that shaped the pre-crisis system. These issues are examined 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, a major regional power in the 4th century expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. Consequently, it came into frequent confrontation with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders across the border.
The fall of Silla in the late 8th and 9th centuries allowed powerful local factions to rise. Gungye an eminent noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital. He also exerted control over part of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival of Goguryeo.
However the rule of his was short-lived. After Gungye was defeated by a powerful local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935. Later Baekje was peacefully incorporated into Goryeo as an heir state. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the end to the Three Kingdoms Period. From then on, the Korean peninsula was under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly developed into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.