Seongjong of Joseon

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King Seongjong of Joseon (1457-1494) was the 9th Ruler of Korea of the Joseon Dynasty. He succeeded King Yejong in 1469 and ruled until 1494.

He was grandson of King Sejo, nephew of Yejong. He succeeded King Yejong in 1469 when the weak king died without any sons to succeed him. Since he was too young to govern the kingdom effectively (he was 13 when he was crowned), Queen Jeonghee, his grandmother, ruled the nation in his name, along with the king's mother, Queen Insu (whose husband had never actually been king). In 1476, at the age of 20, he began to govern the country in his own name.

His reign was marked by the prosperity and growth of the national economy, based on the laws laid down by kings Taejong, Sejong, and Sejo. He himself was a gifted ruler. In 1474, the code of law, first ordered by King Sejo, was completed and put into effect. Seongjong also ordered revisions and improvements to the code.

Besides the law, he also encouraged Confucian scholars; He established Hongmungwan (홍문관), the royal library and secretary to the king at the same time. For the first time since King Sejong, he brought many liberal Confucian scholars to his court, whose political views went against those of the conservative officials (members of the nobility) who had helped kings Taejong and Sejo to power. In this way he made his rule more effective by appointing able administrators regardless of their political views. His policy resulted in many positive innovations, increasing his number of supporters. The king himself was an artist and scholar, and liked to argue about the finer points of politics with more liberal scholars. He encouraged scholars to publish numerous books about geography and social etiquette, for example, as well as areas of knowledge that benefitted the common people.

He also sent several military campaigns against the Jurchens on the northern border, like many of his predecessors. The campaign was successful and the defeated Jurchens retreated to the north of Abrokgang. King Seongjong was succeeded by his son, Yeonsangun, in 1494.