Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 250
Episode 250 Change of signboard or complete transformation? (1)
The 13th year of Sejong (New Year, 1431). As soon as the first month arrived, the government moved frantically.
It was the beginning of a new year, so it was busy, but the reorganization of the government was finally implemented.
“First, change Uijeongbu to the Ministry of State. “What I do is overall direction of state affairs.”
Starting with the changes in Uijeongbu, King Sejong changed the structure of the government.
It was a change worthy of being called ‘unconventional.’
-Uijeongbu is changed to the Ministry of State.
-The Young Speaker will be renamed as Prime Minister, and the Left and Right Speakers will be renamed as Left and Right Deputy Prime Ministers.
-The Ministry of State’s job is to oversee the work of administrative organizations and coordinate work conflicts that occur between ministries.
-This section is changed to the General Affairs Department.
-The General Affairs Department oversees administrative affairs throughout Joseon.
-Education, tax administration, judicial affairs, military affairs, and public security are excluded from the administrative work conducted by the Department of General Affairs.
-The favorable situation is changed to the Ministry of Finance and Economy.
-Budget-related work is separated from good work.
(Shortly)
According to this policy, the six dynasties, which had been created according to the systems of Chinese countries such as Tang and Song, had to change their names and go through the troubles of joining together and gathering together.
This change brought both welcome and opposition from working officials. However, most of the officials had a welcoming atmosphere like the officials of Yejo.
As the Rites was divided into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education, most officials of the Rites welcomed the reorganization.
“Yesterday I looked at things related to diplomacy, and today I looked at things related to education, but now I only need to look at one thing.”
“Concentration will also increase… But the best part is…” As
the organization was differentiated and work became more specialized, officials had hopes.
“It is certain that work intensity will decrease and overtime work will also be reduced!”
After hearing the atmosphere of these officials, Hyang chuckled and muttered.
“Is that really true?”
* * *
The core of King Sejong’s government reorganization was ‘differentiation’, ‘specialization’, and ‘clear indication of work areas’.
For example, in the case of the criminal investigation department, the work was divided into the Ministry of Justice, the Public Security Agency, and the Judgment Office. In the case of the Ministry of Justice, it was in charge of tasks such as revising laws over time and reviewing the validity of laws that had become obsolete. The Public Safety Agency was responsible for public security throughout the country, including Hanseong, and the Jury was a place where decisions were made based on the law.
In this way, by dividing one department into several and clearly defining the work area, officials were able to clearly understand the work they were responsible for.
* * *
The overall trend of the reorganization was ‘differentiation’, but on the contrary, there were some places where there was ‘integration’.
The places that were so integrated were Saheonbu and Saganwon. King Sejong merged the Saheonbu and the Saganwon to create an audit organization called ‘Gamsawon (監査院).’
The duties of the Board of Audit and Inspection included the inspection of government officials and the investigation of civil complaints filed by citizens.
However, one additional task was added that made not only the government officials but even the mayor widen their eyes.
“Protection of public interest informants?”
The bill created by King Sejong stipulated (clearly stated in a written document) the state’s protection for those who reported for the public interest.
-A whistleblower who reports corruption in public affairs will be promoted from a minimum of 2 ranks to a maximum of 3 grades depending on the severity of the report. Additionally, retaliatory measures such as demotion to one position are prohibited.
All these actions are reported to the king.
The purpose of establishing this method was to prevent things like bullying of whistleblowers.
It was clear that if there was no change in rank or if you only raised one level, you would be ostracized. However, if you raise it to 3 ranks, you will no longer be able to treat it carelessly.
He was promoted to a higher rank, but was sent to Hanjik to report all actions to the king to prevent retaliation.
This protection for whistleblowers also clearly applied to the private sector.
-In the case of a person who reports for the public interest in a civil matter, his/her personal life is protected by law.
The state investigates the situation every six months and reports it to the king to ensure that the informant is not disadvantaged in making a living.
In addition, even if it is not a regular investigation period, the situation is investigated and reported to the king at any time when the king orders it.
If it is confirmed that a public interest informant is being treated unfairly, the state must severely hold the perpetrators accountable.
Because the Board of Audit and Inspection was given such powerful authority, strict standards were set for personnel selection.
A person with more than 10 years of service in a working-level administrative organization, with excellent work evaluations and a clear and white personality.
A person who has passed the state examination and worked for more than 6 months, is healthy in mind and body, is hard-working, and is green and white.
To put it simply, the audit work was entrusted to people who had worked in a working organization for more than 10 years and knew the business well and had no scandals, or to hard-working newcomers who had just passed the state exam.
Of course, because written reports cannot be truly trusted, officials from the Board of Audit and Inspection secretly monitored the candidates.
In addition, King Sejong used the sword system.
But Sejong did not stop there.
-Those who report corruption within the Board of Audit and Inspection will be promoted from a minimum of 3 grades to a maximum of 5 grades.
This was a preliminary step taken to prevent corruption by the Board of Audit and Inspection officials through mutual inspection within the Board of Audit and Inspection.
Although many officials objected to this treatment, saying it was too harsh, King Sejong pushed ahead with it.
“If you don’t commit corruption, it doesn’t matter, right?”
Officials had to keep quiet about King Sejong’s criticism.
Of course, it was natural that punishment for false accusations was also clearly stipulated.
Those who recklessly made false accusations were forced to do hard labor in the mines for more than 10 years if they suffered serious disgrace.
* * *
Lee Jik, who was looking at the details of the government reorganization in progress, muttered while choking on his appetite.
“If Admiral Ryu Jeong-hyeon was there, I wonder what kind of expression he would have made when he saw this.”
“Shh!”
“Keuhum!”
When Maeng Sa-seong looked around and warned, Lee Jik exaggeratedly cleared his throat and kept his mouth shut.
The change that occurred through the reorganization carried out by King Sejong was the ‘transfer of royal authority.’
The country’s important policy decisions were made at the ‘State Council’, a meeting of the king, the prime minister of the Ministry of State, left and right deputy prime ministers, and ministers of each department.
Of course, this has been done before.
This was the assembly that King Sejong and his ministers held every day at Geunjeongjeon.
However, what was fundamentally different was that it was clearly stated that ‘policies are decided through meetings and consultations between the king and his subjects.’
In addition, the personnel authority of each ministry was transferred to each ministry and the General Affairs Department. Each ministry handed over matters related to personnel transfers to the General Affairs Department, which organized them and submitted them to the king.
The king only had to confirm this.
As the powerful power of personnel rights has been passed over, the responsibility has also become heavier.
Once the misconduct was discovered and confirmed by the Board of Audit and Inspection or through whistleblowing, the future of those involved had one of two possibilities.
Go to the record office after property confiscation or go to the mines after property confiscation.
Although much of the power was handed over to the government through various provisions and policies, King Sejong kept in his hands until the end what he felt was absolutely necessary.
These included the right to independently operate the royal property, the right to operate the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the right to refuse budget execution.
King Sejong had established in advance that ‘the property owned by the royal family will not be increased carelessly’ and prevented interference in the management of the royal property.
The Board of Audit and Inspection also did the same. Although it was a house below a provincial level, the director of the Board of Audit and Inspection attended the ‘State Council’.
In addition, he checked the monopoly of his subjects by giving them the right to veto the execution of the budget.
And he kept the ‘Geomgye’ secret until the end and gave him the role of a ‘hidden sword’.
One of the reasons for insisting on independent management of the royal property was the operation of this sword system.
In this way, by keeping what was to be kept and passing over what was to be passed, King Sejong reduced the burden of work that he (the king) had to handle.
It was a perfect way to reduce one’s own work burden while showing off by holding oneself accountable for the success or failure of a policy.
Even the ministers did not know this. However, no one was stupid enough to object to the king sharing power.
“I know it’s a poisonous cup, but… I have no choice but to drink it!”
In the end, due to these circumstances, the transfer was a reference to Ryu Jeong-hyun. I was curious about how Ryu Jeong-hyeon, who advocated ‘harmony between royal authority and divine power’ and ‘republican politics’, would react.
‘Should we praise it as an ideal reform? Or should I cover my eyes and swear like ‘Aung?’
This was the common thought of Ryu Jeong-hyeon and the senior ministers who knew those who were purged along with him.
* * *
Meanwhile, King Sejong called for incense and asked about his thoughts on it.
“What do you think?”
“This is what Abama has done. “How can you criticize it so carelessly?”
Sejong opened his eyes at Hyang’s answer.
“Don’t just talk loudly, answer properly.”
‘Seed! Please just move on! These days, the hurdles are getting higher and higher!’
Hyang, who had completely forgotten what she had done and was grumbling internally, calmed her voice and answered.
“An outstanding king will control his subjects; an average king will consult with his subjects; and an incompetent king will be swayed by his subjects.”
“yes? “Then what should the king do?”
“Shouldn’t we continue to diligently cultivate learning and virtue?”
“You know me well.”
Sejong responded to Hyang’s answer with an unexpected smile.
However, the ministers who saw King Sejong’s smile thought the same thing at the same time.
‘It’s a warning.’
‘It’s a warning.’
‘This is a warning not to go wild and reckless just because you gave up power.’
‘His Majesty the Lord or the crown prince who notices this…. At least they won’t be able to move until the crown prince hands over the throne to the crown prince.’
The ministers, who recognized the warning sent by Sejong and Hyang’s conversation, shook their heads slightly.
This was also the case with scent.
‘Is this a warning not to pay attention to other things? Should I give up being a fan now?’
* * *
After that, meetings continued on various topics. As the atmosphere slowly began to spread, Sejong asked Hyang an unexpected question.
“By the way, Crown Prince.”
“Please ask.”
“I was curious about these people, so I read the books they wrote.”
“yes.”
“But when I looked at those books, I noticed that the calligraphy was unique? “While we use a right-jongshu writing style, they use a left-hand writing style. What do you think is the reason?”
“Isn’t it because the characters they use are suitable for horizontal writing?”
“Is that so? “Then which do you think is easier to see?”
Hyang kept her mouth shut in response to Sejong’s question.
After gathering her thoughts for a moment, Hyang opened her mouth and answered Sejong’s question.
“When people look at things, it is common to look at the overall picture, then look from left to right, and then from top to bottom. In that case, wouldn’t it be a little more convenient to turn left?”
“no wonder? I get it. “Let’s stop here for today.”
Sejong nodded at Hyang’s answer and ended the meeting.
The scent that came out tilted its head.
“What do you mean? Besides, why all of a sudden?”
But for some reason, an unknown sense of crisis passed through his spine.
Meanwhile, the officer who recorded all of this added:
-The officer says:
何(Why?)