Uijeongbu (議政府) was the highest administrative organ of Joseon in terms of law and institutions. It was created by combining the Goryeo deliberative body Dopyeong Uisasa, the executive body Munhabu, and the Sangseogseong.
Functions
Uijeongbu was a collegial body headed by the three Chief State Councilors, namely the Chief State Councilor, the Left State Councilor, and the Right State Councilor. The three State Councilors discussed important state affairs and, through their consensus, reported the matters to the king; the king's decisions were likewise transmitted through Uijeongbu to the relevant offices. When the Direct Governance by the Six Ministries System was in effect, it played the role of an advisory organ to the king, but under the Uijeongbu Seosa System it served as the central administrative organ. The three State Councilors were equal in function, and all decisions presupposed unanimity. However, the policy-making process of Uijeongbu was carried out with the participation of all the senior officials (dangsang) of Uijeongbu at the time.
The senior officials of Uijeongbu were appointed concurrently from among officials of senior rank (danggwan) and above who held key posts deemed necessary to participate in policy-making in light of their functions. Thus, through this policy-making process, they reflected and debated the various demands and experiences arising in the performance of their own substantive duties.
Participants included the Ministers (pansa) of the Six Ministries as well as remonstrating officials (eonkwan), military officers, and at times nearby local officials, generally numbering 40 to 50 persons. A distinctive feature of its composition was that among officials of senior rank and above, anyone could be appointed solely according to functional need regardless of hierarchical order, and that many former grand ministers (wonim daesin: former ministers) were also provided for participation. Such openness in the channels for recruiting senior officials of Uijeongbu, its function-centered operation, and the participation of former officeholders were features of the Joseon royal bureaucratic system, which was founded on debate and consensus, and displayed a diverse character in terms of function.
Uijeongbu lost its practical function when Biyeonsa (Border Defense Council) was established during the reign of King Myeongjong, a time when foreign invasions and border disputes were frequent. Although its function was temporarily restored at times, this condition generally continued until the Gabo Reforms.
It can be regarded as a combination of the functions of today's Office for Government Policy Coordination, National Assembly, Supreme Court, and State Council.
Relationship between Uijeongbu and the Six Ministries
Regarding the relationship between Uijeongbu and the Six Ministries, the heads (jang) or senior officials of the Six Ministries participated as senior officials of Uijeongbu, thereby linking the Six Ministries, the executive organs, to Uijeongbu's policy-making process.
However, this relationship changed somewhat across successive dynasties: at times the function of Uijeongbu was weakened and the Six Ministries were made to report directly to the king and carry out policies (under King Taejong and King Sejo), while at other times the function of Uijeongbu was strengthened so that all policies could be implemented only after resolution by Uijeongbu (under King Sejong and King Danjong). This was a characteristic of Sarim politics (士林政治), which sought to check royal autocracy through the forms of debate and deliberation: when royal authority was strengthened and channels of remonstrance were restricted, the function of Uijeongbu was weakened and the Six Ministries were directly linked to the king; when the power of the ministers (sinkwon) was strengthened and channels of remonstrance were opened, the opposite phenomenon appeared.
History
In the early years of the dynasty, following the institutions of Goryeo, Dopyeong Uisasa was maintained as a deliberative organ in which officials of Jongiphum (Senior Second Rank) and above from Munhabu, the Three Offices (Samsa), and Jungchuwon gathered to discuss major national affairs. In 1400 (2nd year of King Jeongjong), Dopyeong Uisasa, Munhabu, and the Samsa were merged and reorganized into Uijeongbu; officials in charge of military affairs were barred from participating in Uijeongbu, making it a unified body of the officials of Munhabu and the Samsa. In 1401 (1st year of King Taejong), Munhabu was abolished and the Office of Remonstrance (Sagan-won) was made independent, and the Jaesin of Munhabu were appointed as officials of Uijeongbu. This meant that it moved away from being a deliberative organ and took on the character of an administrative organ.
King Taejong implemented the Direct Governance by the Six Ministries System, under which Uijeongbu took on only the role of an advisory organ; however, during the reign of King Sejong the Uijeongbu Seosa System was revived. After King Sejo abolished the Uijeongbu Seosa System, it was not revived.
In 1555 (10th year of King Myeongjong), when the Eulmyo Japanese Invasion occurred, Biyeonsa was established, encompassing Uijeongbu officials and other high-ranking officials. In 1864 (1st year of King Gojong), Biyeonsa was abolished, and Uijeongbu continued to exist.1 In 1907 (11th year of Gwangmu), it was changed into a cabinet (naegak).
Composition
The officials of Uijeongbu included one each of Yeoui-jeong (Chief State Councilor, Senior First Rank), Jwa-uijeong (Left State Councilor, Senior First Rank), and Uui-jeong (Right State Councilor, Senior First Rank), who were commonly called the Three Dukes (samgong), the Three State Councilors (samjeongseung), and the grand ministers (daesin).
There was one each of Jwa·Uichanseong (Left and Right Vice-Chief Councilors, Junior First Rank) and Jwa·Uichamchan (Left and Right Councilors, Senior Second Rank); according to their seating positions, Jwa·Uichanseong were called the eastern wall and Jwa·Uichamchan the western wall. The Left Councilor was not appointed to anyone who had attained Bogukbuk-daebu (Lower Rank of Senior First Rank).
There were two Saein (Junior Fourth Rank) and one Geomsang (Junior Fifth Rank); all were recommended by the grand ministers, and when a vacancy occurred among the Saein, the existing Geomsang were promoted and appointed regardless of length of service. One Saerok (Junior Eighth Rank) [In the Gyeongguk Daejeon there were two, reduced to one in the Daejeon Tongpyeon] was appointed from the junior officials (chamha, officials of Seventh Rank and below) of the Three Offices (Hongmungwan, Gyoseogwan, and Yemungwan) through recommendation by Uijeongbu. Under the supervision of the Saerok were divisions of duties such as Sijangsaek (Firewood and Market Affairs), Yaksaek (Medicine Affairs), and Haeseosaek (Western Sea Affairs).
Among the miscellaneous posts were one Yakbang (Medicine Room) and nineteen Noksa; the Yakbang was selected from among physicians, and the Noksa were drawn evenly from the various military offices. Clerks (isok, simple administrative staff) included fifteen Seori, fifteen Gwondu, two Gojik (storehouse keepers), ten Saryeong, three Bangjik, and two Gunsa.
Government Office
The government office of Uijeongbu was located in front of Gyeongbokgung's Gwanghwamun, to the right of present-day Sejong-daero, in what was called Yukjo-geori (Street of the Six Ministries) during the Joseon period. Centered on Jeongbondang (政本堂), where the Three State Councilors worked, were Seokhoekdang (石畫堂) and Hyeopseondang (協宣堂) on its left and right.2 Today, a park called Gwanghwamun Citizens' Open Plaza has been built on that site. As a result of excavation surveys, remains of the Uijeongbu government office were discovered, and on July 17, 2020, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced its intention to designate them as a historic site under the name Uijeongbu-ji.3
Early Founding Period and the Uijeongbu Seosa System under Sejong
Uijeongbu Seosa System
This was an administrative system in which the Six Ministries reported state affairs to Uijeongbu, and after review by Uijeongbu, the matters were reported to the king for policy decisions.4 In the late Joseon period, the role of Biyeonsa was strengthened, and review of state affairs also came to take place in Biyeonsa.4
From Penal Administration to Compilation of History
Although the state affairs handled by Uijeongbu differed by period, between 1400 and 1592 it generally participated in all national affairs, including penal administration (hyeongjeong), slaves (nobi), economy, military affairs, ceremonies, mourning dress systems (boje), legislation, proposals on urgent affairs (sumu jojin), personnel, education, examinations, customs, labor service (buyeok), fortress construction, relief for famine (jinhyul), medical aid (guryo), diplomatic missions (saeng), foreign relations (tonggyo), Buddhism, management of the capital (gukdo gyeongyeong), conferral of honorific titles (jinbong), registration of meritorious subjects (gongsin chaengnok), and compilation of history.5
Institutional Implementation
Uijeongbu, established in the early Joseon period for political purposes of strengthening royal authority after the abolition of Dopyeong Uisasa, continued as the highest organ of state affairs until the late Joseon period.5 At its establishment, despite its name, the functions and organizational structure of Dopyeong Uisasa were nearly inherited as they were.5
From 1414 to 1436 (18th year of King Sejong), the Direct Governance by the Six Ministries System was implemented, and its function was relatively weakened.5 Then from 1436 to the intercalary 6th month of the 3rd year of King Danjong (1455), the Uijeongbu Seosa System was revived, and Uijeongbu led state governance.5
Furthermore, from 1516 (11th year of King Jungjong) to 1592 (25th year of King Seonjo), the Uijeongbu Seosa System was again revived, and Uijeongbu at times led state governance.5
Claimed Delegation to Ministers, but Operated Loosely under Sejong with a System Excluding the Chief State Councilor
The period before and after the implementation of the Uijeongbu Seosa System was one in which the various policies that Sejong had led since assuming personal rule were revealing problems.6 Unlike when he had pushed policies, Sejong at this point emphasized that the policies he had pursued had been achieved with the support of public opinion within the government, assigned political responsibility to the government ministers, and established a governing structure centered on Uijeongbu in order to maintain the centralized power he had strengthened.6
Nevertheless, it is difficult to say that the power of Uijeongbu was greatly strengthened by the implementation of the Seosa System. Even while implementing the Seosa System, he combined it with the Direct Governance by the Six Ministries System.6 In connection with this, he expanded the scope of royal selection (nakjeom) to strengthen his own personnel authority.6 On the other hand, he granted no personnel authority to the Chief State Councilor, who was the center of Uijeongbu, and had personnel affairs handled by officials of Second Rank Chanseong-grade and below.6 Furthermore, he operated the two state councilors, who exercised great influence over decision-making, in a loose "dual state councilor system."6 At the very least, it can be seen that the proposal regarding the deputy administration of affairs by the crown prince, which was raised around the time of the implementation of the Seosa System, was used to quell public opinion and carry out his own intentions.6
The adoption of the Uijeongbu Seosa System was superficially made in the name of the ideal governing system of the total minister system (jaesang wiim), based on delegation to chief ministers, but in reality it was a choice for overcoming a practical political situation.6
References
This document includes content based on articles from Global World Encyclopedia distributed under the GFDL or CC-SA license by Daum Communications (now Kakao).
Footnotes