The democratic system in South Korea is vulnerable to populist impulses. However, it's healthier than might be expected.
The country is searching for an entirely new model of development. The Confucian culture, which emphasizes respect for the ancestors as and gender-specific family relationships, continues to be influential in the society. However, there are signs that a secular culture is beginning to emerge.
Origins
In prehistoric times the ancestors of today's Koreans were capable of survival through hunting and gathering wild food. About 10,000 years ago, they began to cultivate millet, beans, and other crops. They also raised livestock and created furs. They established tribal states in Manchuria and later on the Korean peninsula. They also created an industry for metalworking, which produced bronze tools, and later iron tools. They traded with other states and introduced Celadon papermaking block printing, art styles and writing to Japan.
In 2333 BCE Gojoseon was established in the southern region of the peninsula. The state embraced Buddhism and adopted Chinese culture including Confucian philosophy. In this period the inhabitants of Buyeo became part of Gojoseon. Gojoseon was a hierarchical society with a monarch and top officials were drawn from the landed aristocracy whereas the majority of the population was peasants. The state took taxes from these citizens and sometimes even required them to join the army or construct fortifications.
Onjo the prince of Goguryeo who was also the son of Jumong, the founder of Goguryeo established the state of Baekje at the end of the period. This new kingdom expanded its territory into the southwest of the peninsula and clashed with Goguryeo and China's commanderies in the region. Baekje took on Confucian ideas into its state belief system in 1390 CE and introduced the male-centric concept of filiopiety a doctrine. In the name of filiopiety, fathers were responsible to their families. They must be obeyed by everyone and respected by their grandchildren and children.
Goryeo, who would rule from 918 until 1392 CE gave the world the Hangul alphabet that was based on the shapes formed by the mouth during pronunciation. This greatly improved communication and led to an increase in the writing of Buddhist text. Woodblock printing and movable metal type were also refined. It was during this time that the Samguk sagi, or 'History Of the Three Kingdoms' first appeared in 1145 CE.
Evolution in Korea
The Korean peninsula has been inhabited since Neolithic times. The earliest evidence for human settlements is evident in the form stone-lined cist graves with precious items such as amazonite jewellery being buried alongside the dead. Megalithic structures, referred to as dolmens and built of single large stones, are widespread throughout the country.
Gojoseon became the first political state to be recognized during the first half of the 1st millennium BCE. The peninsula was then controlled by a variety of states during the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC-635 CE) which included 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 real Korean state.
After the Three Kingdoms, several smaller states emerged in the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, or Several States Period (yeolgugsidae). Baekje, the most powerful of these states, was weakened by the Goguryeo's fall (676 CE), leaving it with only its southern regions in Manchuria and the the 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 work together to expand their territories. In the final, Silla, with significant Chinese aid, conquered the other states and unified the peninsula in 935 CE.
As Korea is entering a post-crisis period, its development paradigm seems to be changing. The people who are awed by the cost of the old system advocate a comprehensive program of liberalization of labor, capital and product markets. On the other hand champions of the old system want to keep it in place by leveraging nationalist sentiments and exaggerating fears about job losses.
Policy and academic analysts are sharply divided on the extent to these two trends are driving Koreas development towards an entirely new model of economic governance. This article reviews developments to date, by looking at five phases of the country's political evolution including illiberal democracy (1945-60), democratic authoritarianism (1961-72) and authoritarian exceptionalism (1972-87), democratic paternalism (1987-2001) and participatory democracy (2002 to present). This article also highlights the most important factors that are shaping these processes.
Creationism in Korea
In South Korea, 26 percent of the population is Christian. Creationists have had success in promoting their views to this group. A 2009 survey found that nearly a third of respondents did not believe in the theory of evolution. Of those who voted, 41% stated that there was insufficient scientific evidence to support the theory 39% of respondents said it contradicted their religious beliefs. 17 percent said they didn't know what it meant. 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, the anti-evolutionist campaign in Korea focused primarily on educating 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 Gish of ICR as the featured speakers. The event attracted 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 31st of 1980. The inaugural event was widely reported in the national press, including The Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo and was well-received by the public.
KACR began publishing a monthly newsletter, CREATION, where it reported on its activities and also published articles on the scientific evidence supporting creationism. It also translated a number of films and slides from ICR and also a few books on creationism that were in print outside of Korea. KACR members gave lectures across the country at universities and churches.
A KACR success was witnessed at the KAIST University in Seoul. There, students were so fascinated by the concept of creationism that they raised the money and support to put up a small museum on campus showing creationist models of fossils and other exhibits.
In addition to its public activities, KACR publishes a bimonthly news magazine called CREATION which covers topics in creation science. It has also sponsored a series of lectures by ICR staff. It also has a network of local branch offices that host seminars and talks to schoolchildren and other community groups.
Changes in South Korea
In the latter half of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, Korea moved toward a Westernised lifestyle. The traditional Korean dress, the hanbok, was replaced with miniskirts and other foreign fashion elements. The traditional Korean music was also replaced by rock and roll and jazz. During this period the famous samulnori, also known as dance-dramas with masks were extremely popular. These dramatic pieces were performed to the beat of shaman drummers and other musical instruments.
Korea's new model of development is being developed in the aftermath of the economic crisis. The main challenge for the new regime is to find an equilibrium between market-oriented and state-led policies. It also involves changing the incentives monitoring and discipline strategies that have shaped the system prior to the crisis. These issues are discussed in Chapters 3 and 4.
The Baekje was founded by Onjo, prince of Goguryeo and the third son of Jumong, Baekje was established jointly by people living along the Hangang River, those from Buyeo and other areas and immigrants from northern China. In the early 4th century, Baekje was a major regional power, and expanded its territory to Mahan in the north and Jeollanam-do in the south. It was therefore in constant conflict with Goguryeo, and the Chinese commanders 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 was the ruler of a large portion of the present-day Jeolla province as well as Chungcheong. Then, he moved the capital to Wansanju and became a rival of Goguryeo.
His rule was however short-lived. Wang Geon, a powerful local leader who defeated Gungye in 935 and united Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla, later incorporated Baekje into Goryeo without a fight as his successor. Wang Geon also introduced fundamental reforms, and strengthened the centralized ruling system. This marked the end of the Three Kingdoms Period. From that point on the Korean peninsula was under the control of the Goryeo Dynasty. In the Three Kingdoms period, Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla gradually grew to become powerful states in Manchuria and on the peninsula.