King Sejong’s Reforms and Legal Codification
King Sejo, the seventh monarch of Joseon, seized power through a coup against his nephew Danjong and established a governance style focused on strong monarchical control. He reorganized the power balance between the royal court and senior officials, restructured land tax systems, and reinforced northern border defenses against Jurchen incursions. Sejo initiated the compilation of the Gyeongguk Daejeon, the comprehensive legal code that defined Joseon administration for centuries. Despite controversies surrounding his usurping of the throne, his reign consolidated central administrative control.
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