Evolution Korea

South Korea's democracy is prone to populist impulses. However, it's healthier than one would expect.

The country is in search of an innovative development paradigm. A Confucian culture that stresses respect for the ancestors and gendered family relations continues influence the way we live. However, there are signs that a secular culture is emerging.

Origins

In prehistoric times, the ancestors to today's Koreans were capable of surviving 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 even made furs. These people formed tribal states one after the other in Manchuria and on the Korean peninsula. They also created a metallurgy industry, producing iron tools and bronze. They traded with other countries and introduced block printing to Japan, as well as art styles as well as a written language and papermaking.

In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was founded in the southern part of the peninsula. The state adopted Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian philosophy. During this time, the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a state that was hierarchical with the monarch and top officials came from the aristocracy of the land, while the rest of the population was peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens, and sometimes forced 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 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 region. Baekje took on Confucian ideas into its state beliefs system in 1390 CE and introduced the male-centric concept of filiopiety into a doctrine. Under the guise of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families and had to be respected and obeyed by everyone, even their children and grandchildren.

Goryeo, a country that was ruled from 918 to 1392 CE, gave the world the Hangul Alphabet, based on the patterns created by the mouth when pronouncing. This greatly improved communication and led to an increase in the writing of Buddhist text. Additionally, movable metal type printing was introduced and woodblock printing was improved. It was during this time that the Samguk sagi or 'History of the Three Kingdoms' was first written in 1145 CE.

The evolution of Korea

The Korean peninsula has been habitable since Neolithic times and early evidence of human settlements is evident in the form of stone-lined cist graves with precious items such as amazonite jewellery being buried along with the dead. Megalithic structures known as dolmens, built from enormous single stones, are also common throughout the country.

Gojoseon was the first state to be recognized in the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. After that the peninsula was ruled by various states during the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC- 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo and Silla. Additionally, the northern part of the peninsula was ruled by the Balhae kingdom, which many historians do not consider to be a proper Korean state.

Following the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). In all of them, Baekje was the most powerful state but its dynasty dissolved when Goguryeo was defeated in 676 CE and left Baekje with its southern territories of Manchuria and the western region around the Hwanghae Bay, while eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy thrived for some time.

The Unified Silla Kingdom then emerged and the three kingdoms started to cooperate to expand their territories. Silla, with the help of the Chinese eventually conquered and united the peninsula in 935.

As Korea enters the post-crisis period, its development paradigm is in flux. The people who are affronted by the immense cost of the old system would prefer an extensive program of liberalization of capital as well as labor and product markets. On the other hand, people who support the old system attempt to keep it alive through nationalist sentiments, and by stoking fears of job losses.

Academic and policy analysts remain in a tense debate about the extent to the extent that these two trends are driving Koreas evolution towards a new model of economic governance. This article focuses on the five phases of the Korean evolution in terms of its political development: democratically illiberal democracies (1945-60) democratic autoritarianism (1961-72) authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-1877), democratic paternalism (2001-2002) and participatory democracy (2002). This article also identifies some important factors that appear to influence these processes.

Creationism in Korea

In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have made strides in promoting their beliefs to this group. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that almost one third of respondents do not believe in evolution. Of the respondents, 41% stated that there was not enough evidence from science to support the theory 39% of respondents said that the theory did not align with their beliefs and 17% said it was difficult to comprehend. This level of disbelief is comparable to that of the United States where a similar percentage of people do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced 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. In 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. This event attracted a huge number of church leaders and scientists.

The success of the event led to the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31 in 1980. The meeting was covered extensively in national newspapers including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.

KACR began publishing a newsletter called CREATION. In it, the group reported on its own activities and published articles on scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated several slides and film strips from ICR and also some books on the subject of creationism, which were already published outside of Korea. KACR members gave lectures across the nation in universities and churches.

A KACR success was seen at the KAIST University in Seoul. Students at the KAIST university in Seoul were so fascinated by creationism that they raised money and got funding to construct a small creationist museum on campus.


In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION that covers topics related to creation science. It has also sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also established a network of local branch offices that host talks and seminars to children and other community groups.

The evolution of South Korea

In the late 19th century and into the early the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, was replaced to miniskirts and other style elements imported from abroad. In the same way, traditional Korean music styles were replaced by modern jazz and rock and roll. In this period the famous samulnori or masked dance-dramas, became loved by the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the accompaniment of shaman drummers and other musical instruments.

The economic crisis has shaped Korea's new paradigm of development. The main challenge for the new regime is to strike a balance between market-oriented and state-led policies. It also requires a change in the incentives and monitoring policies that shaped the pre-crisis system. These issues are discussed in Chapters 3 & 4.

Baekje, founded by Onjo the prince and third son of Jumong of Goguryeo, was founded by people from the Hangang River area, Buyeo and other areas, as well as migrants 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. 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 rise of powerful local factions. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as the capital. He ruled a portion of today's Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Later, he relocated the capital to Wansanju. He was an adversary to Goguryeo.

However his rule was not long-lasting. After his defeat, Gungye was replaced by an influential local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935, Later Baekje was incorporated peacefully into Goryeo as an alternative state. In addition, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a central ruling system. This marked the end to the Three Kingdoms Period. The Korean peninsula was later under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In 무료에볼루션 , Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually grew to become powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.