Evolution Korea
In the fight over evolution, Korean scientists aren't taking their chances. The Society for Textbook Revise has been fighting to get rid of Archaeopteryx, horses and other evolutionist icons from textbooks.
Confucian traditions, with their emphasis on success in the world and their high value of education still dominate the culture of the country. But Korea is seeking the new model of development.
Origins
The development of Iron Age cultures brought more sophisticated states to the Korean Peninsula, including Goguryeo and Baekje. Each of them created a distinct style of culture that blended with the influence from their powerful neighbours. They also embraced aspects of Chinese culture such as Confucianism, Buddhism and shamanism.
Goguryeo, the first of the Korean kingdoms was the first kingdom to impose their own form of government. It consolidated its authority in the 1st century and established a king-centered ruling system by the beginning of the 2nd century. Through a series of wars, it drove away the factions loyal to the Han dynasty from the north of the peninsula. It also expanded its territory to Manchuria too.
During this period the regional confederation of Buyeo was created. 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 hence the name was adopted by Korea. Goryeo had a strong commercial state and was also a center for learning. They raised sheep, goats and other animals and made furs out of the animals. They wrote poetry and masked dance-dramas like sandaenori or tallori and also celebrated an annual festival known as Yeonggo in December.
Goryeo’s economy was boosted through rapid trade, including with 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. The items they brought were silk and medicinal herbs.
From around 8,000 BCE the Koreans began to establish permanent settlements and cultivating cereal crops. They also invented pottery and polished stone tools, and started organising themselves into clan societies. The Neolithic Age lasted until the 12th century BC. Around this time Gija, a prince of the Shang dynasty of China, purportedly introduced a higher culture to Korea. In the 20th century, many Koreans believed that Dangun and Gija gave Korea its people and their culture as well as their culture.
Functions
Korea's traditional model of development, which was based on state-led capital accumulation and government intervention in industries and business as well as a rapid economic growth and a rapid rise from one of the poorest nations in the world to the ranks of OECD nations in a mere three decades. But this system was also filled with corruption and moral hazard and was not sustainable in a global environment of trade liberalization, openness and democratization.
The current crisis has exposed the flaws of the old model, and it is likely that an alternative model will emerge in its place. Chapters 3 and 4 explore the origin of Korea's government-business risk partnership, and show how the emergence of business actors with an interest in preserving this system prevented the country from implementing fundamental changes. By focusing on corporate governance and allocation of financial resources, these chapters provide a detailed analysis of the root causes of the crisis, and point to ways of moving forward through reforms.
Chapter 5 examines possible avenues for Korea's post-crisis paradigm of development by examining both the legacy of the past and the new trends created by the IT revolution. It also analyzes the implications of these trends for Korea's social and political structures.
A significant finding is that a number of emerging trends are transforming the power structure in Korea and it is these developments that will determine the course of the future of the country. In spite of the fact that participation in politics in Korea is still very restricted new forms of democracy are emerging that override political parties and challenge them, changing the system of democracy in Korea.
Another important finding is that the power and influence of the Korean elite has waned. A large section of society feels disengaged from the ruling class. This fact points to the need to work harder in the field of civic education and participation and new models of power sharing. Ultimately, the chapter concludes that the success or failure of Korea's development model will be determined by how these new developments can be incorporated into the ability to make tough choices.
Benefits
South Korea has the ninth largest economy in the world and the sixth fastest-growing. It has a growing middle class as well as a strong R&D base which drives innovation. The government has also recently increased its investments in infrastructure projects to boost economic growth and to promote social equity.
In 2008, Lee Myung Bak's administration announced five leading indicator in an attempt to create an economic system that was focused on changes and practicality. 무료에볼루션 made efforts to streamline government organization, privatize public companies with greater efficiency, and overhaul the administrative regulations.
Since the closing of the Cold War, South Korea has been pursuing a policy of economic integration with the rest of the region and beyond. Exports of high-tech consumer electronics as well as advanced manufacturing technologies have become a major source of income. The government is also promoting Saemaeul Undong, which is a new community movement, to transform the country from one that is primarily agricultural into one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country has a great quality of life and provides numerous benefits to its employees including maternity leave and job stability. Employers are also required to purchase to accident insurance, which provides the cost of workplace-related illnesses or injuries. It is also common for companies to provide private medical insurance that provides protection for illnesses that are not covered by the National Health Insurance.
South Korea is viewed as a success model for many developing countries around the world. The global financial crisis of 1997, which swept Asia has challenged this perception. The crisis shattered conventional wisdom about Asia's miraculous economies and caused a fundamental rethinking of the role of the state in managing the risky activities of private business.
In the wake of this shift the Korean future is still uncertain. On one side, a new generation of leaders has embraced the image of a "strong" leader and has begun to experiment with market-oriented policy. On the other hand, a powerful domestic power base has made it difficult to implement radical change.
Disadvantages
The reemergence of the creationists is a major obstacle for Korean science's efforts to inform citizens about evolution. The majority of Koreans support teaching students about evolution however, a small section led by Bun-Sam Lim (the head of the Society for Textbook Revise, STR) is insisting on the removal of evolution from textbooks. STR argues that teaching evolution promotes "atheist materialism" and portrays an "unhopeful" worldview for students, which could cause students to lose faith in humanity.
The reasons behind anti-evolutionary opinions are a 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 that is backed by powerful conservative think organizations, business interests and other influential organizations, has also contributed to the public's distrust of the scientific community.
The wide-ranging weaknesses discovered in this study point to the urgent need for targeted policy interventions to preemptively mitigate these vulnerabilities. These findings will assist Seoul to achieve its goal of creating an urban landscape that is harmonious.
In the COVID-19 case, identifying the vulnerable neighborhoods and the occupants is essential for the development of detailed, compassionate policy measures that improve their wellbeing and safety. The COVID-19 epidemic's disproportionate impact on Jjokbangs, for example is a reflection of the socio-economic differences that can compound vulnerability to both natural and man-made catastrophes.
To overcome this, South Korea requires a more inclusive and diverse civil society that can unite all communities to solve the most pressing problems of the city. This requires a fundamental change in the structure of institutional politics beginning with the power of the president. The Blue House can mobilize a large bureaucracy, and also use the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, and the intelligence bureau to exert influence on the political scene. These agencies are not under the scrutiny of parliamentary bodies or independent inspection agents. This gives the president tremendous influence to enforce his or her views on the rest of the nation. This can lead to partisanship that could lead to stagnation and polarization in the country.