| (1) Expansion of National
Education |
During the 50 years since
restoration, dazzling improvements in the quantity of
education were made. Today, in Korea, there are 290
colleges, 1,800 high schools, 2,650 middle schools,
5,900 primary schools and countless kindergartens. This
is evidence of Korea's long respect and value for
education.
Educational developments furnished the
people with a foundation to accumulate knowledge and
master technology in a short time. The literacy rate in
Korea nears 99% and secondary education standards have
risen to such an extent that they no longer lag behind
advanced nation such as the United States and
Britain.
The astronomical economic growth and social
developments of Korea were made possible by the
quantitative and qualitative growth in
education.
With the expansion of educational
opportunities, the contents of education have also
become diverse. In 1968, the government revised the
National Educational Charter and placed a stronger
emphasis on practical learning based on national
consciousness. This was a move to encourage autonomous
development in education. It was an effort to stop the
trend toward Western education and restore traditional
national values.
Today, the world is a global
village. The people of each nation, while maintaining
their own identity, live together in mutual
understanding and cooperation. Accordingly, Korea's
educational system has changed to nurture persons of the
world with a national consciousness. |
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| (2) Development of Academic
Research |
Progress has been made in
academic research along with swift developments in
education. In particular, traditional academic fields
such as national language, national literature, and
national history have made strides in their development.
During the colonial rule, the Japanese imperialists
thoroughly oppressed the research in fields related to
national language and history in order to obliterate
Korea's culture. Obviously, national language and
history are the life and soul of Koreans. Thus, it was
natural for research in the national language and
history to be actively pursued after the fall of Japan
and the recovery of Korea's national sovereignty. Hence,
a systematic recognition of Korea's national language,
national history and even its national culture is now
possible.
Along with the Korean classics, astonishing
progress in the social sciences and cultural sciences
were also made. After restoration, students studying
abroad who left in floods returned home to take
positions in universities and research institutions
teaching students advanced academic theories of the West
and applying them.
As Korea built its independent
social and economic foundations, new trends in academic
research also appeared. That is, scholars did away with
rapid accomodation of Western academic theories, but
became active in establishing Korean theories of
learning based on the Korean perspective. Thus, it will
not be long before Korean academic development can
contribute to scholastic development in the
world.
Today, in Korea, tens of thousands of new
books are being published annually. The fact that so
many books written in Hangul are being published
bespeaks of the rise in Korea's scholastic standards.
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| (3) Development of Science
and Technology |
Science and technology are
essential elements in present day civilization. This is
proven by the fact that today's culturally and
economically advanced nations are also the advanced
nations in science and technology.
Thus, since
restoration, Korea has continued to invest in advancing
scientific and technological developments. Korea has now
made dazzling developments in modern sciences and
general technology. The accumulation of scientific and
technological developments are the dynamics of economic
development as well.
In the field of science, Korea
has made outstanding developments in the applied
sciences. The fact that Korea's chief exports are steel,
textile fiber, electronics, cars, ships, and computers
indicates the degree of development in the applied
sciences of these fields.
Scientific development is
impossible without technological development. Koreans
possessed outstanding scientific and technological
abilities from early on. Exemplifying this tradition,
Korea now stands as a vanguard in the technological
field.
The fact that Korea's technological
developments have grown into advanced stages is also
proved by the fact that young people have continued to
do well in the World Technological Olympic Conference
each year. Korea has developed technological advances
which range from jewelry to the construction of gigantic
factories and dams. This is the reward for the efforts
of Koreans who worked long for these technological
advancements.
Korea must now find ways to contribute
to the development of human civilization and culture on
the basis of such scientific and technological
advancements. |
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| (4) Religion and Artistic
Activities |
In the Republic of Korea,
where a system of free democracy was maintained, the
freedoms of religion and artistic activities are
guaranteed and religious and cultural activities have
thrived. From the 1960's when the people's standard of
living began to improve, such activities became even
more varied and active.
The most striking feature of
religious activities is the fact that Christianity has
spread extensively by riding the tides of Western
influence in Korea.
Therefore, Protestants, Catholics
and Buddhists make up the majority of the religious
population in Korea. These religions not only gave
comfort to the souls of the people during times of
political confusion, but also greatly assisted in
spreading and expanding national education and modern
democratic ideas.
Artistic activities in the fields
of literature, fine arts, music and architecture were
also carried out. As Korea recovered its language and
letters post-restoration, many literary works were
written. In the fields of arts and music, the
utilization of traditional thoughts along with the
absorbtion of modern Western trends were invigorated.
The rapid economic development created an architectural
boom and magnificent modern buildings now stand in rows
in the important cities throughout the country.
Recently, Korea's construction technology has been
exported overseas.
Both religion and art display the
outstanding abilities of Koreans. Now, such activities
should be recreated in harmony with Korean traditional
culture and contribute to the development of the global
culture. |
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| (5) Cultural Abilities
which Extend Worldwide |
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The
1988 Olympic
Games | |
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Korea's cultural abilities,
which accumulated during the past 50 years since
restoration, are now stretching out onto the world
stage. The fact that the 1988 Summer Olympic Games, the
sports festival of mankind, was sponsored by the
Republic of Korea, bespeaks this fact.
In major
universities in the United States, Japan, France, and
other countries, specialists are carrying out research
on the Korean culture. And each year, international
conferences on Korean studies are held.
Korea's
cultural troupes also perform dazzling shows, hold
exhibitions, and introduce Korea's traditional cultural
heritage to many other countries. Dance and drama
performances by these troupes are also carried out in
worldwide tours.
Korea's artists have also made their
way into the world stage. Their talents vary from piano,
violin and other classical instruments to modern music
such as video art. In the field of sports, Korean
athletes participate annually in international games and
obtain good results.
The 1988 Olympic Games held in
Seoul was made possible through worldwide recognition of
the nation's cultural abilities. Despite the fact that
the Korean territory and nation have been divided into
the North and South, South Korea has developed into a
nation in the eyes of the world in just 50 years. This
has been because of the blood and sweat of Koreans both
at home and abroad. Koreans must now exert more efforts
toward the reunification of the two Koreas for a
brighter and more fruitful future. Based on this,
Koreans must adopt a posture of contributing to world
peace and the development of the human culture.
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