Korean Civil Religion and Modernity

Abstract

In this article the author makes a pioneering effort to investigate the distinctive social phenomenon of civil religion in Korea. Originating in the familism supported by Neo-Confucian Weltanschauung, this civil religion emphasizes private, not public, human relationships and is characterized by strong connectionism. Today, it has become a kind of traditionalism which obstructs the development of modernization in Korea. While acting as a driving force in the modernization of Korean society, it has also prevented the eradication of the collusion between politics and business, crime and corruption, and so on. In addition, it impedes the development of democratization, which depends on openness. Koreans face the task of re-conceptualizing their civil religion in the context of modernity.