임란 종전 직후 전전(戰前) 체제로의 복귀와 그 결과 = Restoration of the Prewar Order and Its Consequences after the Imjin War

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study explores the political and social movement to restore the prewar order in the decade following the end of the Imjin War (1592-1598), up to the death of King Seonjo, and examines the popular resistance that arose in response. Through this inquiry, it highlights the fundamentally conservative character of Joseon and reveals how the postwar response― rather than military victory or defeat―ultimately determined the nation’s fate.
Facing deep internal decay rooted in hereditary slavery, an oppressive tribute system, and pervasive corruption, Joseon entered the war already in crisis. To overcome the national catastrophe, reforms led by Ryu Seong-ryong sought to relax the rigid status system and implement the Law of Daedong, which standardized tribute payments in grain. These wartime measures dismantled barriers of privilege and inspired voluntary militia movements and widespread contributions from the populace. Having glimpsed the possibility of a fairer and more open society, ordinary people hoped that such reforms would continue after the war’s end.
However, King Seonjo and the entrenched yangban elite regarded these policies as dangerous catalysts for social upheaval that threatened the Neo-Confucian hierarchical order. Despite the Ming emperor’s exhortations to undertake sweeping renewal, they rejected reform under the pretext of “allowing the people to rest.” Instead, they expelled Ryu Seong-ryong, nullified the wartime reforms, and reinstated the old stratified system. In the following decade, laws on emancipation and social mobility were repealed; proposals for tax and currency reform were shelved; and even the gongmyeongcheop― certificates of merit granted during the war―were confiscated and destroyed, a blatant breach of public trust.
Meanwhile, royal princes such as Imhae-gun and Sunhwa-gun became infamous for violence and debauchery, and corrupt practices like bangnap (brokered tribute collection) and gungbang jeolsu (palace exploitation) reemerged, deepening public resentment. Disillusioned commoners turned toward Buddhism and organized mass gatherings such as the Manin Donggaphoe and Suryukhoe to express their frustration, leading officials to fear large-scale uprisings akin to the “White Lotus Rebellion.”
By failing to seize the opportunity for national renewal through “jingbi” 懲毖, postwar Joseon entered a period marked by the erosion of public confidence, the decline of royal authority, and the weakening of military power―conditions that paved the way for King Gwanghae’s troubled reign and the later invasions by the Later Jin.