Evolution Korea: What No One Is Talking About
Wiki Article
Evolution Korea
South Korea's democracy is susceptible to populist tendencies. It's still better than was expected.
The country is looking for an alternative development model. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for ancestors and as well as gendered family relationships, continues to influence the society. But there are signs that a secular culture is gaining ground.
Origins
In the early days the ancestors of the today's Koreans were capable of surviving by 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 also made furs. These people formed tribal states one after the other in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also established a metalworking industry, producing bronze tools and later iron tools. They traded with other states and introduced Celadon, paper making, block printing art styles, as well as a written language to Japan.
Gojoseon was founded in 2333 BCE on the southern peninsula. This state embraced Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian philosophy. During this time, the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure that included a monarch as well as high-ranking officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy while the rest of the population was peasants. The state imposed taxes on the citizens and often required them to fight in the army or take part in government projects such as building fortifications.
By the end of the period the state of Baekje was founded by Onjo who was a prince of Goguryeo and the son of Jumong who was the founder of Goguryeo. The new kingdom expanded its territory into the southwest of the peninsula, and was at war with Goguryeo and China's commandos in the region. Baekje incorporated aspects of Confucian thinking into its state beliefs and made the male centered filiopiety idea as a law in 1390 CE. In the name of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families and had to be revered and obeyed by all, including their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, a nation that was ruled from 918 to 1392 CE, gave the world the Hangul Alphabet, based on the patterns created by the mouth while pronouncing. This greatly improved communication between people and led to an explosion in the writing of Buddhist texts. Additionally, movable metallic type printing was introduced and woodblock printing was refined. It was during this time that the Samguk sagi or 'History of the Three Kingdoms' first appeared in 1145 CE.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Early evidence for human settlements is evident in the form graves lined with stones, with precious goods like amazonite jewelry being buried along with the dead. Megalithic structures, known as dolmens, and made of single large stones, are prevalent throughout the country.
Gojoseon became the first political state to be recognized in the first half of 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was ruled by several states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC- 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. In addition, the northern region of the peninsula was occupied by the Balhae kingdom, which many historians don't consider to be a legitimate Korean state.
After 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 but its dynasty dissolved with the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE, leaving Baekje 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 work together to expand their territories. In the final phase, Silla, with significant Chinese aid, conquered the other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea is entering the post-crisis phase, its development paradigm appears to be in flux. Those who are horrified by the huge cost of the old systems are in favor of a comprehensive plan for liberalization of labor, capital and product markets. On the other hand supporters of the old system are seeking to preserve it by leveraging nationalist sentiments and exaggerating fears over potential job losses.
Academic and policy analysts remain in a tense debate about the extent to these two developments are driving Koreas shift towards an entirely new model of economic governance. This article examines developments to date by analyzing five phases of Korea's political development including the illiberal democratic period (1945-60), democratic authoritarianism (1961-72) and authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-87) democratic paternalism (1987-2001), and democratic participation (2002 to the present). This article also identifies some important factors that appear to be influencing these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. The creationists have been successful in promoting their beliefs to this group. A 2009 survey showed that nearly a third of respondents didn't believe in evolution. Of those, 41% said there was not enough scientific evidence to support the theory; 39% said it contradicted their religious beliefs. 17 percent said they didn't understand it. This level of disbelief is comparable to that of the United States, where a majority of people do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced forms of life.
In the past, the anti-evolution movement in Korea was focused on teaching students and bringing Christ to them. In 1980 an all-day creation science seminar was held in Seoul during the World Evangelization Crusade. Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Gish of ICR as the featured speakers. This event attracted a huge number of professors, church leaders, and scientists.
The event's success resulted in the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31, 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, in which it published its activities and also published articles on the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated several film strips and slides from ICR as well as a few books on creationism which were already published outside of Korea. KACR members delivered lectures in universities and churches across the country.
One instance of a KACR success story took place at the KAIST university in Seoul. Students at KAIST in Seoul were so fascinated by creationism that they raised money and secured funding to build an enlightened museum on campus.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine website called CREATION, which covers topics in the field of creation science, and it has sponsored a series of talks by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branches that hold seminars and provide talks to school children and community groups.
Changes in South Korea
In the latter half of the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, Korea began to adopt an increasingly Westernized lifestyle. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, was replaced to miniskirts, as well as other fashion elements from abroad. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by jazz and rock & roll. During this time the famous samulnori or masked dance-dramas, were popular with the general public. These dramatic dances were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums as well as various types of musical instruments.
The economic crisis has formed Korea's new development paradigm. The new regime's main challenge lies in the proper balance between state-led economic policies as well as market-oriented ones. It also involves changing the incentives monitoring and discipline strategies that have shaped the pre-crisis system. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
Established 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. 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. The kingdom was in constant conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies on the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries resulted in the development of powerful local factions. Gungye, a noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital and exerted control over part of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju. He became a rival to Goguryeo.
The rule of his was, however, short-lived. After Gungye's defeat, he was overthrown by a powerful local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935, Later Baekje was peacefully integrated into Goryeo as a successor state. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the conclusion of the Three Kingdoms period. The Korean peninsula was then under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly developed into powerful states on the peninsula, and in Manchuria.