Evolution Korea: What's The Only Thing Nobody Is Talking About

Evolution Korea

South Korea's democratic system is vulnerable to populist inclinations. It's still more stable than we had hoped for.

The country is in search of an alternative development model. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for ancestors and as well as gendered family relationships, continues to influence the society. There are signs of a secularist cultural trend that is emerging.

Origins

In the prehistoric era, the ancestors to today's Koreans were capable of surviving by hunting and gathering wild foods. Then around 10,000 years ago, they began to grow crops such as millet and beans. They also raised livestock and produced furs. They created tribal states in Manchuria, and then on the Korean peninsula. They also developed an industry of metalworking, making bronze tools, and later iron tools. 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 region of the peninsula. The state adopted Chinese culture that included Confucian Philosophy and Buddhism. In this time, the inhabitants of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a state that was hierarchical with the monarch and top officials were members of the land aristocracy, while the rest of the population was peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens and sometimes even required them to join the army or construct fortifications.

By  Going In this article  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. This new kingdom expanded its territory into the southwest of the peninsula, and was at war with Goguryeo and China's commanderies in the area. Baekje accepted Confucian ideas into its state belief system in 1390 CE and established the male-centric notion of filiopiety a doctrine. Under the cover of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families. They had to be obeyed by everyone and respected by their children and grandchildren.

Goryeo, a nation that ruled from 918 until 1392 CE in the year 1392 CE, introduced to the world the Hangul Alphabet, based on the shapes that were created by the mouth while pronouncing. This dramatically improved the communication between people and resulted in an explosion of 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 was inhabited from Neolithic times to. Early evidence of human settlements can be found in the form of graves lined with stone, with valuable items like amazonite jewelry that were buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens and constructed of large stones in a single piece, are common in the country.

In the first half of the 1st millennium BCE, Gojoseon established itself as the first recognisable political state. The peninsula was later controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE) including Baekje and Goguryeo. The northern region of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom that historians do 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). Baekje is the most powerful of these states, was diminished by the Goguryeo's fall (676 CE) leaving only its southern territories in Manchuria, and western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo and the Gaya confederacy, prospered for a while.

The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged, and the three kingdoms began to collaborate in order to expand their territories. In the final phase, Silla, with significant Chinese aid, conquered all other states and united the peninsula in 935 CE.

As Korea is entering the post-crisis phase its development model appears to be changing. The people who are affronted by the huge cost of the old system would prefer an extensive program of liberalization in capital, labor, and product markets. On the other hand, people who support the old system seek to keep it alive through nationalist sentiments, as well as by stoking fears of job loss.

Analysts and academics are divided on the extent to which Korea's evolution is influenced by these two trends. This article examines 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 participatory democracy (2002). 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. Creationists have succeeded in promoting their beliefs to this population. A survey in 2009 found that nearly one third of respondents do not believe in evolution. Of the respondents, 41% believed that there was no scientific evidence to support the theory 39% of respondents said it contradicted their religious beliefs, and 17 percent said they didn't know what it meant. This level of disbelief is similar to that of the United States where a similar percentage do not believe humans evolved from less advanced forms of life.

In the past, the anti-evolution campaign in Korea focused primarily 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 Giss of ICR were the featured speakers. This event attracted a huge number of professors, church leaders and scientists.

The success of this event resulted in the creation of the Korea Association of Creation Research (KACR) on January 31 1981. The meeting was covered extensively in the national press, including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.

KACR began publishing a newsletter called CREATION. In it, the organization presented its own work and published articles on the scientific evidence for creationism. It also translated several slides and film strips from ICR as well as a few books on creationism which were published outside of Korea. KACR members lectured throughout the country at universities and churches.

One instance of one KACR success story was at the KAIST university in Seoul. There, students were so interested in creationism that they raised enough money and support to construct a small museum on campus showing creationist models of fossils and other exhibits.

In addition to its work, KACR has published a bimonthly magazine, CREATION. The magazine covers subjects in the creation science. It also sponsored a series lectures by ICR staff. It has also established local branches that conduct seminars and give talks to schoolchildren and community groups.

The evolution of South Korea

In the late nineteenth century and the early 20th century, Korea began to adopt an increasingly Westernized lifestyle. The traditional hanbok, or Korean dress, was replaced to miniskirts and other style elements from overseas. Similar to the way traditional Korean music styles were replaced with modern jazz and rock and roll. In this period the samulnori, or masked dance-dramas, became popular with the public. These dramatic pieces were performed to the beat of shaman drummers as well as other instruments.

The economic crisis has formed Korea's new model of development. The primary challenge facing the new regime lies in the proper balance between state-led economic policies as well as market-based ones. It also involves changing the incentives and monitoring strategies that have created the system prior to the crisis. These issues are covered in Chapters 3 & 4.

Baekje, founded by Onjo Prince and third son of Jumong of Goguryeo was founded by people from the Hangang River area, Buyeo and other regions and also by a migrant 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. In the process, it entered into frequent battle with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders across the border.

The decline of Silla between the 8th and 9th centuries resulted in the rise of powerful local factions. Gungye was a noble from Later Baekje, established a kingdom with Songak as its capital. He also was in control of a portion of present-day Jeolla and Chungcheong provinces. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival to Goguryeo.

However the rule of his was short-lived. After Gungye was defeated by an influential local leader, Wang Geon, who united Goryeo with Baekje and Silla in 935. Later, Baekje was peacefully integrated into Goryeo as an alternative state. In addition, Wang Geon introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened a central rule system. This marked the end of the Three Kingdoms period. From that point the Korean peninsula was controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla slowly developed into powerful states on the peninsula as well as in Manchuria.