Korean scientists aren't taking any chances in the fight over evolution. The Society for Textbook Revise (STR) has been battling to have the Archaeopteryx and horses taken out of textbooks, saying they are typical icons of evolutionism.
Confucian practices with their emphasis on worldly success and high valuation of education, still dominate the country's culture. But Korea is in search of an entirely new model of development.
Origins
The development of Iron Age cultures brought more sophisticated states to the Korean Peninsula, including Goguryeo and Baekje. All of them developed a unique cultural style that merged with influences of their powerful neighbors. They also adopted elements of Chinese culture such as Confucianism, Buddhism and shamanism.
Goguryeo was the first of these kingdoms to implement its own system of government on the Korean people. It established its authority in the late 1st century and established a king-centered governing system by the beginning of the 2nd century. It expanded its territory into Manchuria and the north of the Peninsula with several conflicts that drove the Han loyalists from the region.
It was during this time that a regional confederation emerged known as Buyeo. Its founder Wang Geon was given the title of king, and 에볼루션 코리아 his name was written down in the 13th century Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). Buyeo was changed to Goryeo and hence the name Korea. Goryeo was a major commercial state as well as a center of learning. The people who lived there cultivated crops and raised livestock such as sheep and goats, and they made furs from them as well. They wrote poetry and dance-dramas with masks like sandaenori and tallori and they celebrated an annual festival known as Yeonggo in December.
Goryeo's economy was boosted by brisk trade with other countries, including the Song dynasty of China. Byeongnando was the gateway to Gaeseong the capital city of Gaeseong. Traders came from Central Asia, Arabia and Southeast Asia. Silk and medicinal herbs were among the goods they brought.
Around 8,000 BCE, the Koreans started to establish permanent settlements and started cultivating cereal crops. They also created polished pottery, stone tools, and started organising themselves into clan societies. The Neolithic Age lasted until the 12th century BC. At this time Gija, a prince of the Shang dynasty of China was believed to have introduced a higher culture to Korea. Up until the 20th century, a lot of Koreans believed that Dangun and Gija gave Korea its people and their traditional culture and their basic culture, respectively.
Functions
Korea's traditional model of development, focusing on state-led capital accumulation and government intervention in industries and business, contributed to a rapid economic growth that took it from being one of the most deprived countries in the world to the ranks of OECD nations in a mere three decades. This system was fraught with moral hazard and corruption that was outright. It was therefore not sustainable in an economy that is characterised by trade liberalization and democratization.
The current crisis has exposed the flaws of the old paradigm, and it's likely that an alternative model will emerge to replace it. The chapters 3 and 4 explore the origins of Korea's government and business risk partnership and explain how the emergence of economic actors who had an interest in maintaining this system hindered Korea from making major changes. By focusing on corporate governance and financial resource allocation These chapters provide a thorough analysis of the root causes of the crisis, and point to ways of moving forward with reforms.
Chapter 5 explores the possible avenues for Korea's post-crisis paradigm of development by examining both the legacy of the past, as well as the new trends triggered by the IT revolution. It also examines how these changes will impact Korea's current political and social structures.
A significant finding is that several emerging trends are altering the power structure in Korea and it is these changes that will determine the direction of the country's future. For instance, despite the fact that political participation is still extremely restricted in Korea, new forms of political activism bypass and challenge the power of political parties, thereby transforming the democratic system in the country.
Another important fact is that the influence and power of the Korean elite has diminished. A large section of society feels disengaged from the ruling class. This indicates the need for more civic participation and education as well as new models of power sharing. The chapter concludes by saying that the success of Korea's new model of development will be determined by how well these trends can be incorporated and whether people are willing to make difficult decisions.
Benefits
South Korea has the ninth largest economy in the world and the sixth fastest-growing. It has a huge and growing middle class as well as a strong research and development base that is driving innovation. In addition the government has recently increased investment in infrastructure projects to aid economic growth and encourage social equity.
In 2008 Lee Myung-bak's administration announced five leading indicators in an attempt to establish a new development system with a focus on change and practicality. It made efforts to streamline the government's organization and privatize public companies with greater efficiency, and reform administrative regulations.
Since the conclusion of the Cold War, South Korea has been pursuing a strategy of economic integration with the rest of the region and beyond. Exports of high-tech consumer electronics and advanced manufacturing technologies have become a major source of income. The government has also been pushing Saemaeul Undong, which is a new movement of the community, to transform the country from one that is primarily agricultural into one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country also has a high standard of living and provides a range of benefits to employees, such as the right to maternity leave and job security. Moreover, employers are required to sign up to accident insurance that covers payments for work-related illnesses or injury. It is also common for businesses to provide private medical insurance to protect against illnesses that are not covered by National Health Insurance.
South Korea is viewed as a success model for many developing nations across the globe. However the global financial crisis that swept through Asia in 1997 challenged this perception. The crisis shattered the traditional wisdom about Asia's miracle economies, and led to a fundamentally reappraisal on the role of governments in regulating risky private activities.
It appears that Korea's destiny remains uncertain in the following changes. On the other side, a new generation of leaders has adopted the image of an "strong" leader and has begun to experiment with market-oriented policies. A strong domestic power base makes it difficult to implement any radical change.
Disadvantages
The reemergence of the creationists is a major obstacle to Korean science's efforts in educating people about evolution. The majority of Koreans are in favor of teaching evolution to students however a small group headed by Bun-Sam Lim (the head of the Society for Textbook Revise, STR) is pushing for its removal from textbooks. STR believes that teaching evolution is promoting an "materialist atheism" and reflects an "unhopeful worldview" for students. This could cause them to lose their faith in humanity.
The causes of this anti-evolution sentiment are complex and varied. 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 groups, business interests, and other influential groups, has also led to a growing distrust of the scientific community.
In the final analysis, the study's findings on numerous vulnerabilities point to the need for targeted policies to mitigate them in advance. As Seoul continues to pursue its goal of becoming a more cohesive urban environment, these insights serve as an impetus for a unified push for greater inclusiveness in its policies.
In the COVID-19 case, identifying the most vulnerable neighborhoods and their inhabitants will be essential to crafting precise, compassionate policies to improve their lives and security. For instance, the high impact of the disease on Jjokbangs reflects socio-economic disparities that could increase vulnerability to natural and human-made catastrophes.
To overcome this, South Korea needs a more inclusive civil society that can bring all communities together to tackle the most pressing issues facing the city. This requires a fundamental change in the structure of the institution beginning with the power of the presidency. The Blue House is able to mobilize a vast bureaucracy and influence the political power of the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and intelligence bureau, all of which are not subject to oversight by parliamentarians or independent inspection agencies. This gives the president a huge power to force his or her vision on the rest of the country. This can lead to partisanship that can lead to stagnation and polarization within the country.
