Korean civil religion and modernity

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 characterised by its 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.