Evolution Korea
In the battle over evolution, Korean scientists aren't taking their chances. The Society for Textbook Revise has been fighting to get rid of Archaeopteryx horses, the Archaeopteryx, and other symbols of evolution from textbooks.
Confucian practices, with their focus on achieving success in the world and high importance of learning continue to dominate the culture of the country. However, Korea is looking for an alternative development model.
Origins
The growth 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 of their powerful neighbors. They also adopted elements of Chinese culture including Confucianism, Buddhism and shamanism.
Goguryeo was the first of these kingdoms to implement its own version of government to the Korean people. It consolidated its authority in the 1st century and established a king-centered rule system by the early 2nd century. Through a series of wars, it drove away the factions loyal to the Han dynasty from the north of the peninsula and expanded its territory to Manchuria too.
In this time, a regional confederation called Buyeo was created. Its founder Wang Geon was given the title 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 was a major commercial state and a centre of learning. They raised goats, sheep and other livestock and made furs out of the animals. They wrote poetry and dance-dramas with masks such as tallori and sandaenori and also celebrated an annual festival known as Yeonggo in December.
The economy of Goryeo was stimulated by the booming trade with other nations which included the Song Dynasty of China. Traders from Central Asia, Arabia, Southeast Asia and Japan came to Byeongnando the gateway to Gaeseong's capital city. Gaeseong. The items they brought were medicinal herbs and silk.
Around 8,000 BCE the Koreans began to establish permanent settlements and cultivating cereal crops. They also created polished pottery, stone tools and began to organize themselves into clan societies. The Neolithic Age lasted until the 12th century BC. At the time, Gija, a Shang dynasty prince from China, is said to have introduced high culture to Korea. Up until the 20th century, a lot of Koreans believed that Dangun and Gija gave Korea its people and their basic culture, respectively.
Functions
Korea's traditional model of development, which emphasized state-led capital accumulation and government intervention in business and industry, contributed to a rapid economic growth that took it from being one of the most deprived countries in the world to being among the top of OECD nations in only three decades. The system was plagued by moral risks and even corruption. It was therefore not sustainable in an economy that is characterized by liberalization, trade and democratization.
The current crisis has revealed the weakness of the old paradigm, and it is likely that an alternative model will be developed in its place. Chapters 3 and 4 examine the origin of Korea's government-business risk partnership, and demonstrate how the rise of economic actors with an interest in maintaining this system prevented it from adopting fundamental reforms. By focusing on corporate governance and allocation of financial resources These chapters provide a thorough analysis of the causes of the crisis and point towards ways to move forward with reforms.
Chapter 5 examines possible avenues for Korea's post-crisis development paradigm evolution and examines both the legacy of the past as well as the new trends created by the IT revolution. It also analyzes the implications of these changes for Korea's social and political structures.
A major finding is that a variety of emerging trends are altering the power structure in Korea, and it is these trends that will determine the direction of the country's future. For example, despite the fact that participation in politics is still highly restricted in Korea new forms of political activism bypass and challenge political parties, thus transforming the democratic structure of the country.
Another crucial finding is that the power of the Korean elite isn't as strong as it once was, and that a significant portion of society is feeling of being disconnected from the ruling class. This indicates the need for more civic education and participation and new models of power sharing. The chapter concludes with the statement that the success of Korea's new model of development will be determined by how well these trends can be integrated 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 and an R&D-based base that is the driving force behind innovation. In addition the government has recently increased investment in infrastructure projects to aid growth in the economy and to promote social equity.
In 2008, Lee Myung Bak's administration announced five leading indicator in an effort to establish an economic system that was focused on changes and practicality. It made efforts to streamline government organization and privatize public companies for greater efficiency, and overhaul 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 pushing Saemaeul Undong, which is a new community movement, to transform the country from one that is primarily agricultural to one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country enjoys a high quality of life and offers 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 work-related illnesses and injuries. It is also common for companies to offer private medical insurance which provides protection for illnesses that are not covered by the National Health Insurance.
In the end, South Korea has been thought of as a model for success for many of the developing countries around the world. The global financial crisis of 1997 which swept Asia and the world, challenged this notion. The crisis shattered the traditional wisdom about Asia's miracle economies, and led to an overhaul of the role of governments in regulating risky private activities.
It appears that Korea's destiny remains uncertain in the wake of these changes. On one side, a new era of leaders has adopted the image of a "strong" leader and started to explore market-oriented policies. A strong power base in the domestic arena makes it difficult to implement any fundamental change.
Disadvantages
The revival 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 favor teaching evolution in schools, one small group of creationist groups -- led by a microbiologist named Bun-Sam Lim who is the president of the Society for Textbook Revise (STR)--is insisting on its removal from textbooks. STR argues teaching evolution promotes an "materialist atheism" and reflects an "unhopeful worldview" for students. This can cause them to lose their faith in humanity.
The roots of this anti-evolutionary sentiment are a bit ambiguous 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, supported by powerful conservative think organizations, business interests and other influential groups has also led to a growing distrust of the scientific community.
In the end the study's findings about numerous vulnerabilities point to the need for targeted policies that can mitigate them preemptively. As Seoul continues to pursue its ambition of becoming a more cohesive urban environment, these insights serve as an impetus for the creation of a united push for more inclusiveness in its policies.
In the COVID-19 case, identifying vulnerable neighborhoods and their occupants will be crucial to drafting specific, compassionate policies to improve their lives and safety. For instance, the extreme impact of the pandemic on Jjokbangs is a reflection of the socioeconomic disparities which can increase the vulnerability to natural and man-made disasters.
To overcome 에볼루션 게이밍 , South Korea needs a more inclusive civil society that brings all communities together to solve the city's most pressing challenges. This requires a fundamental shift in the structure of institutional politics, starting with the power of the president. Currently, the Blue House is able to mobilise a large bureaucracy and politically leverage the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and intelligence bureau, which all are not subject to oversight by parliamentarians or independent inspection agencies. This gives the president the ability to dictate his vision to the rest of the country. This can lead to political polarization that could lead to stagnation and polarization in the country.