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 fighting to have the Archaeopteryx and horses removed from textbooks, saying they are typical icons of evolutionism.
Confucian practices, with their emphasis on success in the world and the high value of education still dominate the culture of the country. But Korea is looking for a new paradigm of development.
Origins
The growth of Iron Age cultures brought more sophisticated states to the Korean Peninsula, like Goguryeo and Baekje. Each of them created a distinct style of culture that blended with the influence of their powerful neighbors. They also adopted elements of Chinese culture such as Confucianism, Buddhism and shamanism.
Goguryeo was the first of these kingdoms to implement its own version of government to the Korean people. It established its authority in the 1st century and established a king-centered ruling system by the beginning of the 2nd century. Through a series of wars, it wiped out the factions that were loyal to the Han dynasty from the north of the peninsula. It expanded its territory in Manchuria too.
It was during this period that a regional confederation emerged named Buyeo. 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 then referred to as Goryeo and this is the reason why the name Korea came to be. Goryeo was a major commercial state and also a place of learning. Its people cultivated crops and raised livestock, such as goats and sheep and they created furs out of them too. They performed masked dance-dramas like tallori and sandaenori, and held an annual festival in December called Yeonggo.
The economy of Goryeo was stimulated by brisk trade, including with the Song Dynasty of China. Byeongnando was the gateway to Gaeseong, the capital of Gaeseong. Traders came from Central Asia, Arabia and Southeast Asia. The items they brought were silk and medicinal herbs.
Around 8,000 BCE The Koreans began establishing permanent settlements and cultivating cereal crops. They also developed pottery and polished stone tools, and began to organize themselves into clan societies. The Neolithic Age lasted until the 12th century BC. At this time, Gija, a Shang dynasty prince from China, is said to have introduced high-culture to Korea. Until the 20th century many Koreans believed that Dangun and Gija gave Korea its people and their basic culture as well as their culture.
Functions
Korea's previous model of development, which emphasized the state's capital accumulation and government intervention in industry and business as well as an explosive growth in its economy, catapulting it from being one of the most deprived countries in the world to the ranks of OECD nations in just three years. This model was rife with moral hazards and outright corruption. It was therefore unsustainable in an economy that is characterised by trade liberalization and democratization.
The current crisis has revealed the flaws of the old model, and it is likely that an alternative model will be developed in its place. Chapters 3 and 4 look at the origin of Korea's government-business risk partnership, and demonstrate how the development of business actors with an interest in the preservation of this system prevented it from adopting fundamental reforms. By focusing on corporate governance and financial resource allocation, these chapters provide an in-depth analysis of the causes of the crisis, and point to the best ways to move forward through reforms.
Chapter 5 examines possible avenues for Korea's post-crisis paradigm of development, exploring both the legacies of the past and the new trends triggered by the IT revolution. It also explores the implications of these developments for Korea's social and political structures.
The main conclusion is that there are a variety of emerging trends that are altering the nature of power and will decide the future of the country. For example, despite the fact that participation in politics is still extremely restricted in Korea, new forms of political activism bypass and challenge political parties, thereby transforming the democratic structure of the country.
Another important point is that the power and influence of the Korean elite has waned. A large segment of the population feels disengaged from the ruling class. This is a sign of a need for more efforts in the field of civic education and participation and new models of power sharing. The chapter concludes by stating that the success of Korea's new development paradigm will be determined by how these trends can be combined and if people are willing to make difficult decisions.
Benefits
South Korea is the world's ninth largest economy, and the sixth fastest growing. It has a growing middle class as well as an R&D-based base that drives innovation. The government has also recently increased its investments in infrastructure projects, to support economic growth as well as to promote social equity.
In 2008, Lee Myung Bak's administration released five indicators as an attempt to establish an organization for development that focused on changes and practicality. It attempted to streamline the government organization, privatize public corporations equipped with greater efficiency, and reform administrative regulations.
Since the conclusion of the Cold War, South Korea has been working on a plan of economic integration with the rest of the region and beyond. The exports of advanced manufacturing technologies and high-tech consumer electronics have become an important source of income. The government has also been pushing Saemaeul Undong, which is a new movement of the community, to transform the country from one that is primarily agricultural into one that is focused on manufacturing.
The country has a high standard of living and provides numerous benefits to its employees such as maternity leave, and job stability. Employers are also required to subscribe to accident insurance, which provides the cost of workplace-related illnesses or injuries. It is also a common practice to have companies offer private medical insurance to cover illnesses that are not covered by 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, challenged this view. The crisis shattering the traditional wisdom about Asia's miracle economies, and prompted a fundamentally reappraisal on the role of the government in managing risky private activities.
In the wake of this change the Korean future isn't clear. A new generation of leaders have adopted the image of an "strong leader" and are beginning to explore market-oriented policies. On the contrary, a strong domestic power base has made it difficult to implement radical change.
Disadvantages
The reemergence of creationists is a major obstacle to Korean science's efforts to educate citizens about evolution. While the majority of Koreans are in favor of the teaching of evolution in schools, some creationist groups, led by a microbiologist named Bun-Sam Lim who is the president of the Society for Textbook Revise (STR)--is advocating for its removal from textbooks. STR claims that teaching evolution promotes "atheist materialism" and portrays an "unhopeful" perspective for students, which could cause students to lose faith in humanity.
The roots of this anti-evolution sentiment 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. click through the next webpage -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.
Ultimately, the widespread vulnerabilities discovered in this study point to the need for urgent targeted policy interventions to reduce these vulnerabilities. As Seoul continues to pursue its goal of becoming a more 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 for crafting detailed compassionate policy measures to bolster their security and well-being. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Jjokbangs for instance is a reflection of the socio-economic differences that can compound vulnerability to both natural and man-made disasters.
To overcome this, South Korea requires a more inclusive and diverse civil society that can bring together all communities to solve the most pressing issues facing the city. This requires a radical change in the structure and power of the institution of politics. Currently, the Blue House is able to mobilise a large bureaucracy and strategically leverage the Supreme Prosecutor's Office and intelligence bureau, all of which are not subject to oversight by the parliamentary bodies or independent inspection agencies. This gives the president a huge power to force his or her views on the rest of the country. This recipe could lead to polarization and stagnation of the country.