Evolution Korea
Korean scientists don't take any risks when it comes to the fight over evolution. The Society for Textbook Revise has been fighting to eliminate Archaeopteryx as well as horses and other symbols of evolution from textbooks.
Confucian traditions with their emphasis on success in the world and the high value of learning still dominates the culture of the country. However, Korea is seeking a new development paradigm.
Origins
The growth of Iron Age cultures brought more sophisticated states to the Korean Peninsula, like Goguryeo and Baekje. They all developed a unique culture which blended with the influence of their powerful neighbors and also embraced various aspects of Chinese culture, including Confucianism and Buddhism however shamanism continued to be practised too.
Goguryeo was the first of these kingdoms to impose its own version of government to the Korean people. It established a king-centered system of governance in the early 2nd century. It expanded its territory to Manchuria and the north of the Peninsula with an array of wars that drove the Han loyalists from the area.
It was during this time that a regional confederation emerged called Buyeo. In the Samguk yusa of the 13th century Wang Geon's name was recorded as king. Buyeo was then referred to as Goryeo and that is the reason why the name Korea came to be. Goryeo was a thriving commercial state and a centre of learning. They raised goats, sheep and other animals and made furs from them. They performed masked dance dramas such as tallori and sandaenori. They also held an annual festival in December. It was called Yeonggo.
The economy of Goryeo was stimulated by brisk trade with other nations, including the Song Dynasty of China. Byeongnando was the gateway to Gaeseong which was the capital of Gaeseong. Traders came from Central Asia, Arabia and Southeast Asia. Among the goods they brought were silk and medicinal herbs.
Around 8,000 BCE the Koreans began to establish permanent settlements and 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 is believed to have introduced a high culture to Korea. Many Koreans believed, right up to the 20th century, that Gija and Dangun gave Korea their people a basic culture.
Functions
Korea's previous model of development, which was based on the state's capital accumulation and government intervention in industry and business as well as a rapid economic growth and a rapid rise from one of the poorest nations in the world to being among the top of OECD nations in a mere three decades. However, this model was fraught with moral hazard and corruption that was outright which made it not sustainable in a global environment of trade liberalization, openness and democratic change.
The current crisis has exposed the weakness of the old paradigm, and it's likely that an alternative model will be developed in its place. The chapters 3 and 4 examine the genesis of Korea's state and business risk partnership and demonstrate how the emergence economic actors who had an desire to maintain this system hindered Korea from adopting fundamental changes. By focusing on corporate governance and allocation of financial resources the chapters provide a detailed analysis of the root causes of the crisis and point towards ways to move forward through reforms.
Chapter 5 traces the possible paths that Korea's development paradigm evolution in the post-crisis era, examining both the legacy of the past as well as new trends triggered by the IT revolution and globalization. It also explores the implications of these trends for Korea's social and political structures.
The main conclusion is that there are a variety of emerging trends that are changing the nature of power and will affect the future of the country. In spite of the fact that political participation in Korea is still very restricted, new forms are emerging that bypass political parties and challenge them, thereby changing the system of democracy in Korea.
에볼루션 코리아 is that the power of the Korean elite is not as strong as it once was, and that a large segment of society is feeling of being disconnected from the ruling class. This fact indicates the need for more civic involvement and education as well as new models of power-sharing. The chapter concludes by stating that the success of Korea's new model of development will be determined by how these trends can be incorporated and the willingness of people to make difficult choices.
Benefits
South Korea is the world's ninth largest economy, and the sixth fastest growing. It has a growing middle class and an extensive R&D infrastructure that drives innovation. In 에볼루션 has recently increased investments in infrastructure projects to support economic growth and promote social equity.
In 2008 the Lee Myung-bak administration released five indicators that would be used in an effort to create a new development system with a focus on improvements and practicality. It made efforts to streamline the government's organization, privatize public corporations equipped with greater efficiency, and reform administrative regulations.
Since the closing of the Cold War, South Korea has been working on a plan of economic integration with the rest of the region as well as beyond. Exports of high-tech consumer electronics and advanced manufacturing techniques have become a major source of income. Additionally, the government has been promoting the Saemaeul Undong (New Community Movement) initiative, transforming the country from an agricultural one into one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country also has an excellent standard of living and offers various benefits to employees, including pregnancy leave and job security. Employers are also required to subscribe to accident insurance that covers payments related to work-related illness or injury. It is also typical for businesses to offer private medical insurance to protect against illnesses that are that are not covered by National Health Insurance.
As a result, South Korea has been seen as a model of success for many developing countries around the world. The global financial crisis of 1997 that swept across Asia has challenged this perception. The crisis shattering 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 change, it seems that Korea's future isn't clear. On one side, a new generation of leaders has adopted the image of an "strong" leader and begun to explore market-oriented policies. On the other hand, a powerful domestic power base has made it difficult to make fundamental change.
Disadvantages
The revival and influence of creationists is a major hurdle for Korean science in its efforts to educate the public about evolution. The majority of Koreans support teaching students about evolution, but a small group headed by Bun-Sam Lim (the head of the Society for Textbook Revise, STR) is pushing for its removal from textbooks. STR claims that teaching evolution encourages a "materialist atheism" and portrays a "unhopeful worldview" for students. This could cause students to lose faith in humanity.
The reasons behind this anti-evolutionary sentiment are a bit ambiguous 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. In addition, the one-sided populism of the government, supported by powerful conservative business interests and think tanks, aggravates public distrust of the scientific community.
In the final analysis, the study's findings on numerous vulnerabilities point to the need for targeted policy interventions that can reduce them before they occur. As Seoul continues to pursue its ambition of becoming a cohesive urban landscape, these findings can be used to inspire an unifying push for greater inclusion in its policies.
In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, identifying vulnerable neighborhoods and occupants is essential to devise specific, empathetic policy measures to bolster their safety and welfare. For example, the disproportionate impact of the disease on Jjokbangs reflect the socio-economic differences that could increase vulnerability to natural and manmade disasters.
To overcome this, South Korea needs a more inclusive civil society that can bring all communities together to address the city's most pressing challenges. This requires a fundamental change in the structure and power of the institution of politics. Currently, the Blue House is able to mobilise a large bureaucracy and politically leverage the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and intelligence bureau, which all lack any checks from parliamentarians or independent inspection agencies. This gives the president a lot of power to dictate their own vision on the rest of the nation. This is a recipe that can result in polarization and stagnation of the country.