Social evolution in conjunction with economic development in Korea

Chapter 3 investigates the characteristics and causes of today’s dysfunctional Korean society and the tasks required for social progress. Korean society has transformed remarkably from a traditional society to a modern and information society. As such, new social classes have emerged based on income and education. Competition has been fierce for high income and social power among social classes through education, which has developed a host of social issues and irregularities, such as inadequate law abidance, corruption, social and economic bipolarization, social conflict, and distrust. These issues have led to slow economic as well as social progress, indicating that economic policy should adopt an ‘inclusive growth’ approach. The core factor underlying these social issues is the lack of the individual citizens’ citizenship, which is attributable to fierce competition for education and material goods. To enhance people’s citizenship, a long-term, nation-wide campaign should be promoted for character and ethics education in schools and society.