Evolution KoreaKorean scientists don't take any risks in the debate over evolution. The Society for Textbook Revise (STR) has been battling to have Archaeopteryx and horses removed from textbooks, saying they are typical symbols of evolutionism.
Confucian traditions with their focus on achieving success in the world and their high value of learning still dominates the culture of the country. But Korea is looking for an alternative development model.
Origins
The development of Iron Age culture brought more sophisticated states like Goguryeo Baekje and Silla to the Korean peninsula. They all developed a unique culture that was influenced by the influence of their powerful neighbours and they also adopted various aspects of Chinese culture, including Confucianism and Buddhism however shamanism continued to be practiced.
Goguryeo, the first of the Korean kingdoms was the first kingdom to impose their own form of government. It consolidated its power in the 1st century and established a king-centered governing system by the beginning of the 2nd century. Through a series of wars, it drove away the factions that were loyal to the Han dynasty from the north of the peninsula. It also expanded its territory in Manchuria too.
It was during this period that a regional confederation was formed named Buyeo. Its founder Wang Geon was given the title of king, and his name was recorded down in the 13th century Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). Buyeo was renamed Goryeo and, consequently, the name Korea. Goryeo was a prosperous commercial state and was also a center for education. They raised sheep, goats and other animals and made furs out of them. They wrote poetry and dance-dramas with masks like sandaenori or tallori and they held a festival every year called Yeonggo in December.
The economy of Goryeo was boosted by brisk trade with other countries which included the Song dynasty of China. Byeongnando was the main entry point to Gaeseong, the capital of Gaeseong. Traders came from Central Asia, Arabia and Southeast Asia. Silk and medicinal herbs were among the items they brought.
Around 8,000 BCE In the year 8,000 BCE, the Koreans started to establish permanent settlements and began cultivating cereal crops. They also created polished stone tools, pottery and began organising themselves in clan societies. The Neolithic Age continued until the 12th century BC. Around this time, Gija, a Shang dynasty prince from China, is said to have introduced high culture to Korea. Many Koreans believed, right up to the 20th century, that Gija and Dangun gave Korea their people and basic culture.
Functions
Korea's old development model that stressed the importance of state-led capital accumulation as well as government intervention in industry and business, led to rapid economic growth, which took it from being one of the world's poorest nations to the ranks of OECD countries in just three decades. But this system was also plagued by moral hazard and corruption that was outright, making it not sustainable in a global environment of trade liberalization, openness and democratization.
The current crisis has revealed the weakness of the old paradigm, and it's likely that an alternative model will emerge in its place. Chapters 3 and 4 look at the roots of Korea's government-business risk partnership, and demonstrate how the development of business actors with an interest in the preservation of this model prevented the country from implementing fundamental changes. These chapters, which are focused on corporate governance and financial resource allocation, offer a comprehensive investigation of the underlying factors that led to the current crisis and suggest ways to implement reforms.
Chapter 5 examines the possible paths of Korea's evolution of its development paradigm in the post-crisis period, exploring both legacies inherited from the past as well as new trends generated by the IT revolution and globalization. It also focuses on how these changes will impact Korea's social and political structures.
The main conclusion is that there are a variety of emerging trends that are transforming the nature of power and will affect the future of the country. In spite of the fact that political participation in Korea is extremely restricted New forms of power are emerging that are able to bypass political parties and challenge them, thus changing the system of democracy in Korea.
Another important finding is that the power of the Korean elite is not as powerful as it once was and that a large segment of society is feeling of disconnection from the ruling class. This is a sign of the need for more civic involvement and education and new models of power sharing. The chapter concludes by saying that the success of Korea's new paradigm for development will be determined by how these trends can be combined and whether people are willing to make difficult decisions.
Benefits
South Korea is the world's ninth largest economy, and the sixth fastest growing. It has a huge and growing middle class, and also a strong research and development base that drives innovation. The government has also recently increased its investments in infrastructure projects to boost economic growth and encourage social equity.
In 2008, Lee Myung Bak's administration introduced five indicators of leadership in an attempt to create a development system that emphasized changes and practicality. It made efforts to streamline government organization, privatize public companies with greater efficiency, and reform administrative regulations.
Since the ending of the Cold War, South Korea is pursuing a strategy for integration of its economy the rest of the world and beyond the region. The exports of advanced manufacturing technology and high-tech consumer electronics have become a major source of income. The government is also encouraging Saemaeul Undong, which is an emerging community movement to transform the country from one that is primarily agricultural to one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country has a high standard of living and provides numerous benefits to its employees such as maternity leave, and job stability. Employers are also required to sign up for accident insurance, which covers the cost of work-related illnesses and injuries. It is also common for companies to offer private medical insurance which provides insurance for illnesses that are not covered by the National Health Insurance.
As a result, South Korea has been seen as a model of success for many of the developing countries around the world. The global financial crisis of 1997, which swept through Asia, challenged this view. The crisis shattering the traditional wisdom about Asia's miracle economies, and 에볼루션코리아 led to an entirely new understanding of the role of the government in regulating risky private activities.
In the wake of this change it appears that Korea's future isn't clear. A new generation of leaders have embraced the image of a "strong leader" and begun to experiment with market-oriented policies. On the contrary, a strong domestic power base has made it difficult to implement fundamental change.
Advantages
The reemergence of the creationists is a major hurdle to Korean science's efforts to inform people about evolution. The majority of Koreans support teaching students about evolution however a small group led by Bun-Sam Lim (the head of the Society for Textbook Revise, STR) is advocating for the removal of it from textbooks. STR claims that teaching evolution promotes "atheist materialism" and creates an "unhopeful" worldview for students, which could cause students to lose faith in humanity.
The roots of this anti-evolution stance are complex and diverse. Some researchers suggest that it is due to religious belief, while others point to an increasing prevalence of anti-intellectualism, which has been exacerbated by growing political elite fragmentation along ideologies, regions, class, and gender. The one-sided populism, backed by powerful conservative think tanks, business interests and other influential groups, has also led to a growing distrust of the scientific community.
In the end, the numerous vulnerabilities discovered in this study point to the urgent need for targeted policy interventions to mitigate them. These insights will help Seoul to achieve its goal of becoming a cityscape that is harmonious.
In the COVID-19 case, pinpointing the vulnerable neighborhoods and their occupants will be crucial to drafting specific, compassionate policies to improve their lives and security. The COVID-19 epidemic's disproportionate impact on Jjokbangs for instance, reflects socio-economic disparities which could increase vulnerability to natural and man-made catastrophes.
To overcome this, South Korea needs a more inclusive civil society that brings all communities together to solve the city's most pressing challenges. This requires a radical change in the structure and power of institutional politics. At present, the Blue House is able to mobilise a large bureaucracy and influence the political power of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and intelligence bureau, which all lack any checks from parliamentary bodies or independent inspection agencies. This gives the president the power to dictate their own vision on the rest of the nation. This is a recipe that could lead to polarization and stagnation of the country.
