His Majesty’s Eyes and Ears: on the Establishment of the Institution of Control of Provincial Authorities in Korea during the Joseon Period

The article characterizes the evolution of the royal emissaries of the Joseon period Korea (1392–1897). The institution was a significant element in the Korean court and state apparatus balance of power, functioning as an instrument of control over regional authorities, and, at times, as a lever of direct provincial administration. The study, based on original Korean sources, allows a better understanding of development of the state management system that influenced shaping of the historical specifics of Korea's development in the reviewed period. The basis for the development of the institution during the formation of Joseon statehood was provided by the local governance practice established during the previous Goryeo dynasty (935–1392), which utilized two key features: assigning emissaries with supervisory functions to overcome local autonomy and introducing temporary positions for implementation of large-scale projects. The administrative reorganization aimed at bureaucratic centralization of power, which accompanied the accession of the new dynasty at the end of the 14th century, had the establishment of a regular gubernatorial system as one of its key elements in provincial dimension. Nevertheless, the rulers of the Joseon state continued to actively utilize the practice of dispatching authorized envoys who performed control, supervisory and management functions in parallel with the governors permanently stationed in provinces. In most cases, the emissary positions were filled with Korean monarchs’ confidants whose assignments were intended to balance the influence of local authorities and ensure balance of provincial governance. Through the first decades of the Lee dynasty’s rule this institution proved its relevance in new conditions, when, among the priorities of state policy, the effort to check local autonomy gave way to strivings for controllability and effectively solving socio-economic and infrastructural development tasks.