Evolution Korea: What Nobody Is Talking About
Evolution Korea
South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist inclinations. It is still healthier than we had hoped for.
The country is searching for a new way of developing. The Confucian culture, which stresses respect for ancestors and as well as gendered family relationships, continues to be influential in the society. There are signs of a secularist cultural trend emerging.
Origins
In prehistoric times, the ancestors to today's Koreans were able to survive by hunting and gathering wild foods. Around 10,000 years ago they began to cultivate millet, beans, and other crops. They also raised livestock, and also made furs. These tribes formed tribal states in succession in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also created an industry for metalworking, which produced bronze tools and later iron ones. They traded with other states and introduced celadon, paper making, block printing art styles, as well as writing to Japan.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was established in the southern region of the peninsula. This state adopted Chinese culture that included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. During this period the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon had a hierarchical structure in which a monarch and top officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the rest of the population was 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.
By 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. This 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 thought into its state beliefs and made the male centered filiopiety concept 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 people, even their children and grandchildren.
Goryeo, who would rule 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 led to an explosion in the writing of Buddhist texts. In addition, movable metal type printing was introduced, and woodblock printing was refined. It was during this period that the Samguk sagi or 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first written in 1145 CE.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been continuously inhabited since Neolithic times and early evidence of human settlements are evident in the form graves lined with stones, with precious items like amazonite jewellery being buried alongside the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens and built of large stones in a single piece, are widespread throughout the country.
Gojoseon became the first political state to be recognized in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was then controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE), including Baekje and Goguryeo. The northern part of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom, which historians do not believe to be a true Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged during the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Among them, Baekje was the most powerful, but its dynasty ended by the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE, leaving Baekje with its southern territories of Manchuria and the western region around 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 collaborate 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 era the way it develops appears to be in flux. The people who are awed by the enormous cost of the old systems advocate a comprehensive program of liberalization of labor, capital and markets for products. On the other hand, people who support the old system try to protect it by promoting nationalist sentiments and by exaggerating fears about possible job loss.
Academic and policy analysts remain sharply divided on the extent to the extent that these two developments are driving Koreas shift towards an economic model that is radically different from the one of governance. This article analyzes the five phases of Korea's development 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 democratic participation (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 views to this segment. A 2009 survey showed that nearly one-third of respondents were against evolution. Of those, 41% said that there was no scientific evidence to support the theory 39% claimed that it did not align with their religious beliefs; and 17 percent said they did not understand it. 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-evolutionist campaign in Korea was focused on the education of students and bringing Christ to them. A significant increase in interest in creation science came in 1980, with an all-day seminar that was held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul which featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Gish of ICR as the main speakers. This event was attended by an audience of scientists, professors and church leaders.
The event's success resulted in the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st in 1980. click hyperlink was widely reported in the national press, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo, and it attracted a lot of attention.
KACR started publishing a newsletter titled CREATION. In CREATION, the organization reported on its own activities and published articles on the scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated a number of films and slides from ICR and also a few books on creationism that were published outside of Korea. KACR members also gave talks in churches and universities throughout the country.
A KACR success was witnessed at the KAIST University in Seoul. There, enough students were fascinated by the concept of creationism that they raised the funds and support to put up an on-campus museum with creationist fossil models and other exhibits.
In addition to its work, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine, CREATION. The magazine covers a variety of topics that pertain to the science of creation. It also sponsored a series lectures by ICR staff. It has also created an organization of local branch offices that give talks and seminars to schoolchildren and other community groups.
The evolution of South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and the beginning of 20th, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced by miniskirts, as well as other foreign fashion elements. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by rock and roll and jazz. In this time the famous samulnori, also known as masked dancing-dramas were very popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drummers and other musical instruments.
The economic crisis has formed Korea's new paradigm of development. The main challenge for the new regime lies in the proper balance between state-led economic policies as well as market-oriented ones. It also requires altering incentives, monitoring, or disciplining systems that have shaped the system prior to the crisis. These issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 4.
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 regions, as well as immigrants from northern China. Baekje, an important regional power in the early 4th century, expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do south. In the process, it entered into frequent confrontation with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders across the border.
에볼루션게이밍 of Silla in the 8th and early 9th centuries saw powerful local factions to rise. Gungye, a noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital and was in control of a portion of the present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju. He became a rival to 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 incorporated peacefully into Goryeo as a successor state. In addition, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a central ruling system. This marked the end of the Three Kingdoms Period. From that point on the Korean peninsula was ruled by the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually developed into powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.