Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Aknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Korea in the 1960s
- 2 The Columbans
- 3 Learning the Ropes
- 4 Cultural Adaptation
- 5 In at the Deep End
- 6 The Cultural Experience: Where to Begin
- 7 The Confucian Monolith
- 8 The Chosŏn Bureaucracy
- 9 The Buddhist Ingredient
- 10 Exclusivity Myths
- 11 Chilmajae Songs – Sŏ Chŏngju
- 12 Korea’s Greatest Asset
- 13 Tales of the Immortals
- 14 At the Cultural Coalface: Immersion, Submersion? – Take Your Pick
- 15 Nine Priest Immortals
- 16 Seeking the Way
- 17 For Those of us with Less Than Immortal Status
- 18 Learning Korean
- Afterword
- Bibliography
- Index
8 - The Chosŏn Bureaucracy
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 April 2022
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Aknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 Korea in the 1960s
- 2 The Columbans
- 3 Learning the Ropes
- 4 Cultural Adaptation
- 5 In at the Deep End
- 6 The Cultural Experience: Where to Begin
- 7 The Confucian Monolith
- 8 The Chosŏn Bureaucracy
- 9 The Buddhist Ingredient
- 10 Exclusivity Myths
- 11 Chilmajae Songs – Sŏ Chŏngju
- 12 Korea’s Greatest Asset
- 13 Tales of the Immortals
- 14 At the Cultural Coalface: Immersion, Submersion? – Take Your Pick
- 15 Nine Priest Immortals
- 16 Seeking the Way
- 17 For Those of us with Less Than Immortal Status
- 18 Learning Korean
- Afterword
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
THE STATE COUNCIL (Ŭijŏngbu), which was the supreme policy making and administrative organ in the government, was composed of three ministers of prime minister rank: chief councillor, minister of the left, minister of the right and four high officials: chief secretary of the left, chief secretary of the right, assistant chief secretary of the left, and assistant chief secretary of the right.
Six Ministries (Yukcho)
Ministry of Appointments (Ijo)
Ministry of Taxation (Hojo)
Ministry of Rites (Yejo)
Ministry of Justice (Hyŏngjo)
Ministry of Public Works (Kongjo)
Military Ministry (Pyŏngjo)
The Six Ministries were originally under the State Council, but eventually the king controlled them directly. Each ministry was directed by a minister (p’ansŏ), deputy (ch’agwan), vice-minister (ch’amp’an), and beneath these there was a councillor (ch’amŭi), a fifth rank secretary, and a sixth rank secretary.
The Royal Secretariat (Sŭngjŏngwŏn) operated as a liaison office between king and government; it had six royal secretaries (sŭngji), one for each ministry.
Two organs served a watchdog role over king and government. Saganwŏn, Office of the Censor General, was the watchdog over the royal family; Sahŏnbu, Office of the Inspector General, was the watchdog over the government.
Hongmun’gwan, Royal Archives, was a think tank of special advisers who carried out research, gave advice, and formulated policy.
Officials in the Sahŏnbu, Saganwŏn and Hongmun’gwan did not rank highly in the bureaucracy, but they wielded extraordinary power. Posts in these departments were coveted by aspiring officials as they were the certain road to advancement.
Royal Guards
The Royal Guards evolved into an agency directly under the king, which dealt with rebellions and threats to the dynasty. It overlapped with the Ministry of Justice. There was a third judicial organ responsible for the defence of Seoul.
Office charged with publication of Confucian texts.
Office to draft messages and statements from the king.
Office to draft diplomatic messages and notes.
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- Information
- My Korea40 Years without a Horsehair Hat, pp. 148 - 149Publisher: Amsterdam University PressPrint publication year: 2013