Doreen Hillen asked 3 months ago
Korean scientists aren’t taking any risks when it comes to the fight over evolution. The Society for Textbook Revise has been fighting to remove the Archaeopteryx as well as horses and other evolutionary icons from textbooks.
Confucian traditions that emphasize the world’s success and the importance of education, continue to dominate the culture of the country. However, Korea is seeking an alternative development model.
Origins
The growth of Iron Age culture brought more sophisticated states such as Goguryeo Baekje and Silla to the Korean peninsula. They all developed their own culture that was influenced by the influence of their powerful neighbors and they also adopted various aspects of Chinese culture, particularly Confucianism and Buddhism however shamanism continued to be practiced.
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 early 2nd Century. It expanded its territory to Manchuria and the northern part of the Peninsula through an array of conflicts that drove the Han loyalists from the region.
It was during this time that a regional confederation was formed named Buyeo. In the Samguk yusa of the 13th century Wang Geon’s name was mentioned as the king. Buyeo was renamed Goryeo and hence the name Korea. Goryeo was a thriving commercial state as well as a center of learning. They raised sheep, goats and other animals and made furs out of the animals. They wrote poetry and masked dance-dramas such as tallori and sandaenori and also held an annual festival called Yeonggo in December.
The economy of Goryeo was stimulated by the brisk trade, which included the Song Dynasty in China. Traders from Central Asia, Arabia, Southeast Asia and Japan came to Byeongnando which was the entrance to Gaeseong’s capital city. Gaeseong. Among the goods they brought included silk and medicinal herbs.
Around 8,000 BCE, the Koreans began to establish permanent settlements and began cultivating cereal crops. They also created polished pottery, stone tools, and began organising themselves in clan societies. The Neolithic Age continued until the 12th century BC. Around this time Gija, a prince from the Shang dynasty of China, purportedly introduced a high culture to Korea. Until the 20th century many Koreans believed that Dangun and Gija gave Korea its people and their basic culture and their basic culture, respectively.
Functions
Korea’s traditional model of development, which was based on state-led capital accumulation and government intervention in industries and business, contributed to an explosive growth in its economy, catapulting it from being one of the most deprived countries in the world to being among the top of OECD nations in just three decades. This model was rife with moral hazard and corruption that was outright. It was therefore unsustainable in an economy characterised by trade liberalization, and democratization.
The current crisis has revealed the weaknesses of the previous model, and it is likely that a new model will emerge in its place. Chapters 3 and 4 examine the genesis of Korea’s business-government risk partnership and explain how the emergence of economic actors who have an interest in maintaining the system impeded it from making fundamental changes. These chapters, which concentrate on corporate governance and financial resource allocation, provide a thorough analysis of the root factors that led to the current crisis and suggest ways to implement reforms.
Chapter 5 examines the possible paths for Korea’s post-crisis evolution of the development paradigm by examining both the legacy of the past and the new trends brought about by the IT revolution. It also examines how these changes will affect Korea’s political and social structures.
One of the most significant findings is that a number of emerging trends are altering the nature of power in Korea and it is these changes that will determine the course of the future of the country. Despite the fact that political participation in Korea is still very restricted New forms of power are emerging that are able to bypass political parties and challenge them, thus changing the system of democracy in Korea.
Another significant finding is that the power of the Korean elite is not as powerful as it was in the past, and that a significant portion of society feels a sense of disconnection from the ruling class. This is a sign of a need for more efforts at civic education and participation, as well as for new models of power sharing. The chapter concludes with the statement that the success of Korea’s new development paradigm will be determined by how well these trends can be incorporated and whether people are willing to make difficult 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 an R&D-based base that drives innovation. In addition the government has recently increased investments in infrastructure projects to support growth in the economy 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. The administration made efforts to streamline government operations and privatize public companies with higher efficiency, and reform administrative regulations.
Since the conclusion of the Cold War, South Korea pursues a plan of integration of its economy with the rest of the world and beyond the region. Exports of high-tech consumer electronics and advanced manufacturing techniques have become a major source of income. The government has also been pushing Saemaeul Undong, which is an emerging community movement 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 many benefits for employees, such as pregnancy leave and job security. Employers are also required to subscribe accident insurance, which covers payments for work-related illnesses or injuries. In addition, it is typical for businesses to offer private medical insurance that offers coverage for illness not covered by the National Health Insurance.
South Korea is viewed as a success model for many developing nations around the world. The global financial crisis of 1997 which swept through Asia and the world, challenged this notion. The crisis shattering the conventional wisdom about Asia’s miracle economies and led to a fundamental reappraisal of the role of the state in regulating risky private economic activities.
It appears that Korea’s future remains uncertain in the aftermath of these changes. On one hand, a new generation of leaders has embraced the image of an “strong” leader and begun to experiment with market-oriented policies. On the other hand, a powerful domestic power base has made it difficult to implement fundamental changes.
Advantages
The reemergence of creationists is a major obstacle for Korean science’s efforts in educating people about evolution. While the majority of Koreans favor teaching evolution in schools some creationist groups — led by a microbiologist called Bun-Sam Lim, the head of the Society for Textbook Revise (STR)–is pushing for its deletion from textbooks. STR claims that teaching evolution encourages an “materialist atheism” and reflects an “unhopeful worldview” for students. This can cause them to lose their faith in humanity.
The roots of anti-evolution beliefs 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. In addition the one-sided populism of the government, bolstered by powerful conservative business interests and think tanks and business interests, has 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. These insights will help Seoul to reach its goal of becoming a cityscape that is harmonious.
In the COVID-19 case, identifying most vulnerable neighborhoods and their inhabitants is essential for the development of specific, compassionate policies that will bolster their welfare and security. For example, the disproportionate impact of the disease on Jjokbangs reflect the socio-economic differences that can compound the vulnerability to natural and man-made disasters.
To overcome this, South Korea requires a more inclusive and diverse civil society that can unite all communities to tackle the most pressing problems of the city. This requires a fundamental shift in the structure of institutional politics, starting 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 political influence. These agencies aren’t subject to any checks by the parliamentary bodies or independent inspectors. This gives the president the power to dictate his vision to the rest of the country. This is a recipe for partisanship that could lead to stagnation and polarization within the country.