The democratic system in South Korea is susceptible to populist impulses. It's still better than we had hoped for.
The country is searching for a new development paradigm. The Confucian culture, which stresses respect for ancestors and as and gender-specific family relationships, continues to be influential in the society. However, there are signs that a secularist culture is beginning to emerge.Origins
During prehistoric times the ancestors of the modern Koreans survived by hunting and gathering wild food. About 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet, beans and other crops. They also raised livestock, and made furs. They formed tribal states in Manchuria and later on the Korean peninsula. They also established an industry of metallurgy, which produced iron tools and bronze. They traded with other states and introduced cedon paper making block printing, art styles and written language to Japan.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon came into existence on the southern part of the peninsula. The state adopted Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy. At this time, the people of Buyeo were part of Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a hierarchical society with a monarch and high-ranking 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 join the army or take part in projects for the government like building fortifications.
At the close of the 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 expanded its territory to the southwest of the peninsula and clashed with Goguryeo and China's commanderies in the area. Baekje accepted Confucian ideas into its state beliefs system in 1390 CE and established the male-centric notion of filiopiety into a doctrine. In the name of filiopiety, fathers were responsible to their families. They were expected to be obeyed by all and respected by their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, a country that was ruled from 918 to 1392 CE and 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. Woodblock printing and movable type were also refined. In 1145 CE, the Samguk Sagi or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was the first to be recorded.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been inhabited since Neolithic times and early evidence for human settlements is evident in the form of graves lined with stone, with precious objects such as amazonite jewellery being buried alongside the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens and constructed from single large stones are widespread throughout the country.
Gojoseon was the first political state to be recognized during the first half of 1st millennium BCE. After that, the peninsula was ruled by various states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCfrom 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. Additionally, the northern part of the peninsula was occupied by the Balhae kingdom, which the majority of historians do not believe to be a legitimate Korean state.
Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Of them, Baekje was the most powerful state, but its dynasty ended with the fall of Goguryeo in 676 CE leaving the southern provinces of Manchuria and the western region around the Hwanghae Bay, while eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy flourished for a short time.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged, and the three kingdoms began to cooperate in order to expand their territorial holdings. Silla with the help of the Chinese, eventually conquered and unified the peninsula in 935.
As Korea is entering a post-crisis period the way it develops appears to be in flux. People who are shocked by the enormous costs of the old systems advocate a comprehensive program of liberalization of capital, labor and markets for products. On the other hand supporters of the old system seek to preserve it by leveraging nationalist sentiments and inflating fears over potential job losses.
Analysts and academics are divided about the extent to which Korea's evolution is being driven by these two trends. This article assesses the latest developments by analyzing five phases of Korea's political evolution: 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 significant factors that may be shaping these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. Creationists have succeeded in promoting their views to this population. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that nearly one-third of respondents were against evolution. Of those, 41% claimed that there was not enough scientific evidence to support evolution 39% claimed that the theory was in contradiction to their religious beliefs and 17% said it was difficult to understand. This level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar percentage do not believe humans evolved from earlier types of life.
In the past, the anti-evolutionist campaign in Korea was primarily focused on the education of students and the introduction of Christ to them. A significant increase in the interest in creation science occurred in the year 1980, when there was the inauguration of a four-day seminar during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that featured Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Gish of ICR as the keynote speakers. This event attracted a large number of pastors, professors, church leaders, and scientists.
The event's success resulted in the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31st in 1980. The inauguration event was widely reported in the national press, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo, and it attracted a lot of attention.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter, CREATION, where it published its activities and also published articles on the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated several slides and film strips from ICR as well as a few books on the subject of creationism, which were already published outside of Korea. KACR members taught throughout the country at universities and churches.
One instance of an KACR success story took place 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 called CREATION which covers topics in the field of 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.
Changes in South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, gave way to miniskirts and other style elements imported from overseas. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by jazz and rock & roll. In the period of this transition the famous samulnori, also known as the masked dance-dramas were very popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drums and various musical instruments.
The economic crisis has formed Korea's new development paradigm. The new regime's main challenge is to find the right balance between state-led economic policies as well as market-oriented ones. It also requires a change in the incentives, monitoring, and disciplining policies that been a part of the system before the crisis. These issues are discussed 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 regions, as well as migrants from northern China. In the early 4th century, Baekje was a major regional power, 에볼루션 사이트 and expanded its territory as far as Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do in the south. This meant that it was constantly in conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanderies on the border.
The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries resulted in the rise of powerful local factions. Gungye, a noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital. It also was in control of a portion of the present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju. He became an adversary to Goguryeo.
His rule was however only for a short time. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935, and then united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla and later joined Baekje into Goryeo without a fight as his successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centrally-run system. This marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. From then on, the Korean peninsula was controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly developed into powerful states on the peninsula, and in Manchuria.
