South Korea's democracy is susceptible to populist impulses. However, it is more stable than might be expected.
The country is searching for a new paradigm of development. A Confucian culture that stresses respect for ancestors and gendered family relations continues to influence the way we live. There are signs of a secularist cultural trend emerging.
Origins
In the prehistoric era the ancestors of modern Koreans were capable of surviving 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 even made furs. They established tribal states in Manchuria and later on the Korean peninsula. They also created an industry of metallurgy, which produced iron tools, including bronze. They also traded with other countries and introduced block and celadon printing to Japan, as well as styles of art, a written language, and paper making.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was founded on the southern part of the peninsula. This state embraced Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture, including Confucian philosophy. During this time, the people of Buyeo joined Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a state that was hierarchical where the monarch and senior officials were from the land aristocracy, while the rest of the population were peasants. The state collected taxes from these citizens and sometimes required them to join the army or take part in projects for the government like building fortifications.
Onjo, a prince from Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo established the state of Baekje at the close of the period. The new kingdom grew into the southwest region of the peninsula, and was at war with China's commandos and Goguryeo's in the region. Baekje adopted Confucian ideas into its state belief system in 1390 CE, and established the male-centric notion of filiopiety a doctrine. Under the guise of filiopiety fathers were accountable to their families and had to be obeyed and respected by all, including their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, which would rule from 918 until 1392 CE gave the world the Hangul alphabet built on the patterns created by the mouth when it was pronounced. This significantly improved communication between people and led to an explosion in the writing of Buddhist texts. Woodblock printing and movable metal type were also refined. In 1145 CE, the Samguk Sagi, or "History of the Three Kingdoms" was recorded for the first time.
Development in Korea
The Korean peninsula was habitable from Neolithic times to. Early evidence of human settlements can be seen in the form cist graves lined with stones, and adorned with valuable items like amazonite jewelry buried with the dead. Megalithic structures, also known as dolmens, built from huge single stones, are also common throughout the country.
Gojoseon was the first state to be recognized during the first half of 1st millennium BCE. After that, the peninsula was ruled by a variety of states in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BCfrom 635 CE) including Baekje Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla. The northern portion of the peninsula was for a while occupied by the Balhae Kingdom, which historians do not consider to be a genuine Korean state.
After the Three Kingdoms arose the Proto-Three Kingdoms Period, or Several States Period. Baekje, the most powerful of these states, was weakened by the fall of Goguryeo (676 CE) and was left with only its southern territories in Manchuria, and western region around Hwanghae Bay. Eastern Buyeo, and the Gaya confederacy, prospered for a time.
The Unified Silla kingdom then emerged, and the three kingdoms began to cooperate in order to expand their territory. In the end, Silla, with significant Chinese aid, conquered all other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea enters a post-crisis phase, its development paradigm seems to be changing. The people who are awed by the huge costs of the old systems support a comprehensive program of liberalization of capital, labor and markets for products. On the other hand, supporters of the old system attempt to keep it alive through nationalist sentiments, as well as by stoking fears of job losses.
Analysts and academics are divided about the extent to which Korea's development is being driven by these two trends. This article examines the latest developments by analyzing five phases of Korea's political development including democratic illiberalism (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 highlights important factors that appear to be influencing these developments.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26% of the population is Christian. Creationists have had success in promoting their views among this group. A survey conducted in 2009 revealed that nearly a third of respondents did not believe in evolution. Of the respondents, 41% believed that there was no scientific evidence to support the theory 39% of respondents claimed that it did not align with their religious beliefs, and 17% said they did not understand it. This level of doubt is similar to that of the United States where a similar number do not believe that humans evolved from less advanced species of life.
In the past of the anti-evolution movement in Korea was focused on teaching college students and leading them to Christ. A significant increase in interest in creation science began in 1980, with an all-day seminar that was held during the World Evangelization Crusade in Seoul that included Drs. Henry Morris and Duane Gish of ICR as the keynote speakers. This event was attended by a large audience of scientists, professors, and church leaders.
The success of the event led to the formation of the Korea Association of Creation Research on January 31 in 1980. The event was extensively covered in national newspapers including The Korea Times, Chosun Ilbo and The Korea Times.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter, CREATION, which reported on its activities and published articles about the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated film strips and slides from ICR as well as a few books on creationism that were published outside of Korea. KACR members taught throughout the nation in universities and churches.
A KACR success was observed at KAIST University in Seoul. There, there were enough students interested in the idea of creationism that they raised the money and support to put up a small museum on campus with creationist fossil models and other exhibits.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION, which covers topics in the field of creation science. It has also hosted a series of lectures by ICR staff. It has also created a network of local branch offices that give seminars and talks to schoolchildren and other community groups.
Evolution in South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and into the early 20th, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced by miniskirts and other foreign fashion elements. Similar to the way traditional Korean music styles were replaced with modern rock and roll and jazz. In this period the famous samulnori or masked dance dramas, were loved by the public. These dramatic pieces were performed with the accompaniment of shaman drums and different musical instruments.
The economic crisis has shaped Korea's new model of development. The primary challenge for the new regime is to find an equilibrium between market-oriented and state-led policies. It also requires a change in the incentives and monitoring schemes that have shaped the system prior to the crisis. These issues are examined 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 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. Consequently, it came into frequent conflict with Goguryeo and the Chinese commanders across the border.
The fall of Silla in the late 8th and 9th centuries saw strong local factions to emerge. Gungye was a nobleman from Later Baekje who established a kingdom in Songak with Songak as its capital. He ruled a portion of today's Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Later, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival of Goguryeo.
His rule was however only for a short time. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935 and united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla and later joined Baekje into Goryeo and acted as a peaceful successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the end of the Three Kingdoms Period. The Korean peninsula was later controlled by the Goryeo Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Goguryeo Baekje Silla gradually grew into powerful states on the peninsula and in Manchuria.