Gwanghaegun and Post-War Pragmatic Diplomacy

Gwanghaegun, the fifteenth king of Joseon, demonstrated effective leadership during the Imjin War by managing wartime administration as Crown Prince. Upon ascending the throne, he pursued post-war recovery through palace reconstruction, issuing Dongui Bogam, and implementing the Daedong Law in Gyeonggi Province. Diplomatically, he adopted a pragmatic policy of neutrality between the Ming Dynasty and the rising Later Jin (Qing). Domestic political conflicts, including the purging of royal rivals, alienated conservative factions and led to his dethronement in the 1623 Injo Coup.

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