The Bureaucratic Path for the Family in Pre-modern Joseon Dynasty

• In Event: Careers of Officials in East Asia and Beyond, Past and Present

Abstract

In this paper, we explore career trajectories of government officials in the bureaucracy of Joseon Korea(1392-1910). The Joseon government mainly recruited bureaucrats through the gwageo, a state examination. We have the list of successful candidates in the civil service examination throughout Joseon dynasty called the Mungwa­bangmok. Based on the Mungwa­bangmok, we construct a huge dataset of multiple generations of 15,168 officials. Moreover, we add multilateral kin and marriage network of officers to the original dataset from related historical materials like genealogies of each family, the Annals of Joseon Dynasty, and other sources. Utilizing this large dataset, we shed light on the detailed career trajectories of officials in the Joseon court; including how many years were needed for the promotion of officials from lower to higher positions. We also examine the family, political and socio-economic backgrounds of successful candidates. Through this analysis, we identify the key elements that influenced appointment as an official and subsequent success or failure. As a result, this paper provides new insights into the Joseon Korean bureaucracy and the ladder of success for individuals and families in pre-modern Korea.

Author

• Sangkuk Lee