Evolution Korea
Korean scientists aren't taking any risks in the debate over evolution. The Society for Textbook Revise (STR) has been battling to have the Archaeopteryx and horses removed from textbooks, claiming they are typical symbols of evolutionism.
Confucian traditions, with their emphasis on global success and the value of learning, still dominate the country's culture. But Korea is seeking 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 created a distinct style of culture that blended with the influence from their powerful neighbours. They also embraced aspects of Chinese culture, including Confucianism, Buddhism and shamanism.
Goguryeo was the first of these kingdoms to implement its own system of government on the Korean people. It established a king-centered system of government in the 2nd Century. Through a series wars it wiped out those who were loyal to the Han dynasty from the north of the peninsula and expanded its territory to Manchuria too.
At this time the regional confederation of Buyeo was formed. Its founder Wang Geon was given the title king and his name was written down in the 13th-century Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). Buyeo was later referred to as Goryeo and this is the reason why the name Korea was born. Goryeo had a strong commercial economy and was also a place for education. The people who lived there cultivated crops and raised livestock such as goats and sheep and they made furs from them too. They performed masked dance-dramas like tallori and sandaenori. And they held an annual festival in December called Yeonggo.
The economy of Goryeo was boosted by the brisk trade, which included the Song Dynasty in 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 items they brought.
From around 8,000 BCE The Koreans began establishing permanent settlements and cultivating cereal crops. They also developed pottery and polished stone tools, and started organising themselves into clan societies. The Neolithic Age continued until the 12th century BC. At 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 their basic culture.
Functions
Korea's previous 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 one of the world's poorest nations to the ranks of OECD countries in just three decades. The system was plagued by moral hazards and outright corruption. It was therefore not sustainable in a world economy characterized by liberalization, trade and democratic change.
The current crisis has exposed the weaknesses of the current model and it is likely that a new model will replace it. The chapters 3 and 4 explore the genesis of Korea's state and business risk partnership and demonstrate how the emergence economic actors who had an interest in maintaining the system impeded Korea from adopting fundamental changes. By focusing on corporate governance and allocation of financial resources the chapters provide a detailed examination of the underlying causes of the crisis, and point towards ways to move forward with reforms.
Chapter 5 explores the possible avenues for Korea's post-crisis development paradigm evolution and examines both the legacy of the past and the new trends triggered by the IT revolution. It also analyzes the implications of these developments for Korea's political and social structures.
A major finding is that a variety of emerging trends are changing the power structure in Korea, and it is these trends that will determine the direction of the future of the country. In spite of the fact that participation in politics in Korea is extremely restricted New forms of power are emerging which override political parties and challenge them, thereby transforming the country's democratic system.
Another important fact is that the influence and power of the Korean elite has decreased. A large portion of the population feels disengaged from the ruling class. This indicates the need for greater civic participation and education and new models of power-sharing. In the end, the chapter concludes that the success or failure of Korea's development model will depend on how well these new developments can be combined with the willingness to make difficult decisions.
Benefits
South Korea has the ninth largest economy in the world and the sixth fastest-growing. It has a substantial and growing middle class, and also a strong research and development base that drives innovation. Additionally the government has recently increased its investment in infrastructure projects to help growth in the economy and to promote social equity.
In 2008 the Lee Myung-bak administration announced five indicators of leadership in a bid to establish a new system of development with a focus on change and practicality. The administration made efforts to streamline the government organization and privatize public companies with greater efficiency, and to overhaul administrative regulations.
Since the end 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 as well as advanced manufacturing techniques have become a major source of income. Additionally, the government has been pushing the Saemaeul Undong (New Community Movement) initiative, transforming the nation from a rural society into one focused on manufacturing.
The country has a high standard of living and provides many benefits to employees such as maternity leave, and job stability. Employers are also required to sign up for to accident insurance, which provides the cost of workplace-related illnesses or injuries. In addition, it is common for companies to offer private medical insurance that provides coverage for illness not covered by National Health Insurance.
South Korea is viewed as a success model for many developing countries across the globe. However, the global financial crisis that swept through Asia in 1997 challenged this view. The crisis challenged the notion about Asia's miracle economies, and caused a fundamental rethinking of the role of the state in managing risky private economic activities.
In page of this transformation the Korean future is still unclear. On the one hand, a new generation of leaders has adopted the image of being a "strong" leader and begun to experiment with market-oriented policies. A strong domestic power base makes it difficult to implement any fundamental change.
Disadvantages
The reemergence and influence of creationists is a major obstacle for Korean science in its efforts to educate the public about evolution. While the majority of Koreans support teaching evolution in schools a small group of creationist groups--led by a microbiologist called Bun-Sam Lim, who is the head of the Society for Textbook Revise (STR)--is advocating for its removal from textbooks. STR claims that teaching evolution promotes "atheist materialism" and paints an "unhopeful" worldview for students, which can cause them to lose faith in humanity.
The reasons behind 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. Additionally, the one-sided populism of the federal government, aided by powerful conservative think tanks and business interests which has led to public disdain for the scientific community.
Ultimately, the widespread vulnerability identified in this study highlight an urgent need for targeted policy interventions to preemptively mitigate these vulnerabilities. These findings will assist Seoul to reach its goal of creating an urban landscape that is harmonious.
In the COVID-19 case, identifying most vulnerable neighborhoods and their inhabitants will be crucial to drafting precise, compassionate policies that improve their wellbeing and security. For example, the disproportionate effect of the pandemic on Jjokbangs is a reflection of the socioeconomic disparities that can compound vulnerability to natural and human-made disasters.
To overcome this, South Korea needs a more inclusive civil society that can bring all communities together to solve the city's biggest challenges. This requires a fundamental shift in the structure and power of institutional politics. The Blue House can mobilize a large bureaucracy and utilize the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, and the intelligence bureau to exert influence on the political scene. These agencies are not under the scrutiny of institutions of the parliament or independent inspection agents. This gives the president tremendous power to force his or her vision on the rest of the country. This recipe could lead to polarization and stagnation of the country.