Evolution Korea
When it comes to the fight over evolution, Korean scientists aren't taking their chances. The Society for Textbook Revise (STR) has been battling to have the Archaeopteryx and horses removed from textbooks, claiming they are typical icons of evolutionism.
Confucian traditions, with their focus on achieving success in the world and the high value of education still dominate the culture of the country. But Korea is in search of a new development paradigm.
Origins
The growth of Iron Age culture brought more sophisticated states like Goguryeo Baekje and Silla to the Korean peninsula. All of them developed a unique cultural style that was influenced from their powerful neighbors. They also adopted aspects of Chinese culture, including Confucianism, Buddhism and shamanism.
Goguryeo was the first of these kingdoms to establish its own system of government on the Korean people. It instituted a king-centered system of governance in the early 2nd century. Through a series of wars, it eliminated the factions that were loyal to the Han dynasty from the north of the peninsula. It also expanded its territory to Manchuria too.
It was during this period that a regional confederation grew up known as Buyeo. 무료에볼루션 was given the title of king, and his name was written down in the 13th century Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms). Buyeo was renamed Goryeo and, consequently, the name was adopted by Korea. Goryeo was a prosperous commercial and economic system and was also a place for education. They raised goats, sheep and other animals and made furs from them. They danced in masked dramas like tallori and sandaenori, and held a festival every year in December. It was called Yeonggo.
The economy of Goryeo was stimulated by the booming trade with other countries as well as the Song Dynasty of China. Traders from Central Asia, Arabia, Southeast Asia and Japan came to Byeongnando the gateway to the capital city of Gaeseong. Some of the items they brought included silk and medicinal herbs.
Around 8000 BCE In the year 8,000 BCE, the Koreans began to establish permanent settlements and began to cultivate cereal crops. They also developed pottery and polished stone tools and began to organize themselves into clan societies. The Neolithic Age continued until the 12th Century BC. At this time Gija, a prince of the Shang dynasty in China was believed to have introduced a higher culture to Korea. Many Koreans believed, until the 20th century that Gija and Dangun gave Korea their people a basic culture.
Functions
Korea's old paradigm of development, which emphasized state-led capital accumulation, government intervention in industry and business, contributed to an explosive growth in its economy, catapulting it from being one of the poorest nations in the world to the ranks of OECD nations in only three years. The system was plagued by moral risks and even corruption. It was therefore unsustainable in an economy that is marked by trade liberalization, liberalization, and democratic change.
The current crisis has exposed the weaknesses of the current model, and it is expected that another model will replace it. The chapters 3 and 4 look at the origins of Korea's government and business risk partnership. They explain how the emergence of economic actors with an desire to maintain this system prevented Korea from making major changes. These chapters, which concentrate on corporate governance and financial resources allocation, provide a thorough investigation of the underlying causes of this crisis, and suggest strategies to move forward with reforms.
Chapter 5 explores the possible paths for Korea's post-crisis paradigm of development, exploring both the legacies of the past as well as the new trends created by the IT revolution. It also focuses on how these changes will impact Korea's current social and political structures.
One of the most significant findings 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 country's future. Despite the fact that participation in politics in Korea is extremely restricted New forms of power are emerging which bypass political parties and challenge them, thus changing the democratic system in the country.
Another important finding is that the power of the Korean elite is not as great as it once was and that a large segment of society is feeling of being disconnected from the ruling class. This fact points to the need for greater efforts to educate and participate in civic life, as well as for new models of power sharing. The chapter concludes that the success or failure of Korea's new development paradigm will depend on how well these new ideas can be incorporated into a willingness to make hard decisions.
Benefits
South Korea is the world's ninth-largest economy and 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 recently increased its investments in infrastructure projects to help boost the growth of the economy and promote social equity.
In 2008, Lee Myung-bak's administration announced five indicators of leadership in an attempt to create a new development system with a focus on change and practicality. The administration made efforts to streamline government administration, privatize public companies with greater efficiency, and overhaul administrative regulation.
Since the conclusion of the Cold War, South Korea pursues a strategy of integration of its economy with the rest and beyond the region. Exports of high-tech consumer electronics and advanced manufacturing techniques have become a major source of income. In addition, the government has been encouraging the Saemaeul Undong (New Community Movement) initiative, transforming the country from an agricultural one into one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country has a great standard of living and provides many benefits to its employees, including maternity leave and job stability. Moreover, employers are required to subscribe to accident insurance, which covers the costs associated with work-related illness or injury. It is also common for companies to provide private medical insurance that provides coverage for illness that are not covered by the National Health Insurance.
South Korea is viewed as an example of success for many developing nations around the world. However, the global financial crisis that struck Asia in 1997 challenged this perception. The crisis shattered the traditional wisdom about Asia's miracle economies, and prompted an overhaul of the role of governments in regulating risky private ventures.
In the wake of this transformation it appears that Korea's future isn't clear. On the other side, a new era of leaders has adopted the image of an "strong" leader and started to experiment with market-oriented policies. On the other hand, a powerful domestic power base has made it difficult to implement radical changes.
Disadvantages
The reemergence and influence of creationists is a major obstacle for Korean science in its efforts to educate the public on evolution. While the majority of Koreans favor teaching evolution in schools, some creationist groups, led by a microbiologist called Bun-Sam Lim who is the president of the Society for Textbook Revise (STR)--is advocating for its removal from textbooks. STR argues that teaching evolution encourages "atheist materialism" and paints 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. Additionally the one-sided populism of the government, supported by powerful conservative business interests and think tanks, aggravates public distrust of the scientific community.
Ultimately, the widespread weaknesses discovered in this study point to the urgent need for targeted policy interventions to mitigate these vulnerabilities. As Seoul continues to pursue its goal of becoming a cohesive urban landscape, these findings provide a basis for the creation of a united push for more inclusivity in its policies.
In the COVID-19 case, identifying the most vulnerable neighborhoods and their inhabitants will be crucial to drafting detailed, compassionate policy measures to improve their lives and security. For example, the disproportionate effect of the pandemic on Jjokbangs reflect the socio-economic differences which can increase vulnerability to natural and human-made disasters.
To overcome this, South Korea requires a more inclusive and diverse civil society that brings together all communities to address the most pressing issues of the city. This requires a fundamental change in the structure of the institution, starting with the power of the president. The Blue House can mobilize a large bureaucracy, and use the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, and the intelligence bureau to exert influence on the political scene. These agencies are not subject to oversight by parliamentary bodies or independent inspectors. This gives the president enormous power to force his or her own vision on the rest of the nation. This can lead to partisanship that can result in stagnation and polarization throughout the country.