Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 600

600. Opening the Heavens – The Foundation Law Debate (3)

Hwang Hee, however, remained firm.

“Your Majesty’s intentions are admirable. However, it’s inevitable that not everyone will fully grasp them. Furthermore, regardless of a person’s wisdom, they will be looked down upon if they lack education. Such is the way of the world; who would respect laws judged by someone deemed uneducated?”

“That’s right.”

“The Prime Minister speaks correctly.”

Other ministers voiced their agreement as soon as Hwang Hee finished.

Sejong, observing the ministers’ reactions, pressed Hwang Hee further.

“Tell me honestly, is pride at the heart of this?”

Hwang Hee responded immediately, “To be honest, we are all worldly men.”

“Hoo~.”

Sejong sighed deeply at Hwang Hee’s answer. In the tense atmosphere, Hyang offered a compromise.

“No one doubts the beauty of Father’s intentions. However, the ministers’ concerns are also valid. We are, after all, finite beings living in this world. Therefore, how about setting a minimum qualification, limiting participation to those who have completed at least the Samin Academy [a prestigious Joseon Dynasty academy] or possess equivalent education?”

Sejong pointed out the flaw in Hyang’s suggestion. “How will you verify ‘equivalent education’?”

“We can administer a test to assess their academic abilities.”

“Hmm….”

As Sejong pondered Hyang’s response, Hwang Hee and the other ministers stepped forward.

“I believe the Crown Prince’s proposal is reasonable.”

“That’s right. Requiring Samin Academy-level academic ability would greatly alleviate the problem.”

At the ministers’ words, Sejong sighed and revealed his inner thoughts.

“Hoo~. Don’t you realize that if we start arguing like this, there will be no end to it? ‘They lack knowledge,’ ‘Their family is poor,’ ‘They are deficient in appearance, speech, writing, and judgment,’ and so on. If we start nitpicking, we’ll find endless faults. Consequently, only a select few will qualify as judges, and they will monopolize the position for generations, leading to corruption and stagnation, like stagnant water rotting.”

Hwang Hee countered Sejong’s concerns immediately.

“That is why you have included clauses setting term limits for judges, restricting reappointment and concurrent appointments to no more than three terms, and prohibiting inheritance of the position.”

“However, the wider the door, the more talented people will flock to it.”

“Many talented people will come, but so will thieves. We understand that imposing overly complex and strict restrictions would undermine Your Majesty’s noble intentions. However, knowing the nature of worldly humans, I argue that at least a minimum standard must be established.”

“Hoo~.”

Sejong, sighing deeply, fell silent and contemplated the matter. Hyang and the ministers waited quietly for his decision. After a period of silent deliberation, Sejong finally spoke.

“I will accept your proposals. Those wishing to become judges will be limited to those possessing at least the academic ability of the Samin Academy.”

At Sejong’s decision, the ministers bowed their heads in unison and replied, “Your grace is boundless!”

With the qualification standards for judges established, Hyang interjected.

“Is it right not to add any other restrictions besides this?”

“Is there another concern?”

“I raise this because there may be objections to women applying.”

Hwang Hee answered in Hyang’s stead.

“Women are also citizens.”

“However, dealing with the laws of the country is a significant undertaking, and some may argue that it should not be entrusted to women.”

“Running the country is also a major task, and educating children is equally important. Women are already faithfully performing their duties in these areas, so it is absurd to discriminate. Of course, entrusting women with tasks difficult even for healthy men, such as military service, would be problematic, but judging laws requires character and knowledge, not physical strength. Imposing restrictions would create even greater problems.”

“That’s right. It would undoubtedly lead to complaints.”

As Hwang Hee pointed out, many women were already handling administrative and educational roles, and their numbers were growing. Moreover, the ministers of the court and Sejong were well-versed in the principle of ‘give and take’.

They firmly believed in rewarding those who fulfilled their responsibilities.

Sejong concurred with the ministers.

“The Crown Prince’s concerns are杞憂(groundless fear). Women already play a significant role in the country; placing restrictions on them would be inappropriate.”

Hyang, hearing Sejong’s definitive answer, bowed his head.

“I was mistaken.”

“Of course, some will argue as you suggest, but they are simply out of touch with the times. Those who faithfully perform their duties are properly rewarded regardless of gender, and those who fail to do so are punished. This is fairness and the foundation of righteous governance.”

At Sejong’s answer, Hyang bowed his head.

“I will engrave your words of gold and jade in my heart.”

‘What era am I living in?’

Hyang was momentarily bewildered.

And the historian, recording all of this, added the following:

-…As the King gave his advice, the Crown Prince bowed deeply and expressed his gratitude. This sight was truly pleasing to see.

The historian writes:

Fairness is not only the foundation of governing the country but also the foundation of all things. You must be as strict with yourself as you are with others, and as generous with others as you are with yourself. The root of the saying ‘Cultivate yourself, manage your family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world’ also lies in fairness.

By the way, hearing that those who faithfully perform their duties will be properly rewarded, I think I know why only vegetable dishes are served on my table these days. But what can I do even if I leave work on time?

* * *

As the debate over the qualification standards for the judges concluded, Hyang raised another issue.

“There is no clause regarding the method of selecting judges.”

“That section is in the supplementary compendium of laws, which has not yet been distributed. It is tentatively titled ‘Election (選擧)’.”

“Election….”

The ministers, understanding Sejong’s explanation, nodded. Even in this era, it was common to raise hands to decide on approval or disapproval when gathering opinions or selecting a 계(Gye) [a traditional Korean rotating credit association] leader.

Therefore, all the ministers nodded upon hearing the word “election.”

“Excuse me, but could we possibly review it now?”

Sejong, his eyes lighting up at Hyang’s words, nodded.

“Let’s do that. Since it pertains to the selection of judges, it would be beneficial to address it immediately. Eunuch.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shortly after, the eunuch, following Sejong’s order, brought a book.

“Hand it to the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You ministers may also review it with the Crown Prince.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The ministers, after reading the book with Hyang, reported to Sejong.

“There doesn’t appear to be any particular problem.”

“The population varies in each region, so the standards may need more detailed adjustments. However, there don’t seem to be any major issues beyond that.”

Unlike the ministers, who saw no significant problems, Hyang reported to Sejong in a serious tone.

“There are a few problems.”

‘I knew it!’

“What are they?”

“I believe using votes as a method of election is a good approach. However, I think it is problematic to require writing down the name of the person you support and submitting it.”

“Why? Isn’t it the most reliable method since the people write and submit the names themselves? And since all names are written in Jeong-eum [Korean alphabet], there will be virtually no issues with misspellings.”

“If there is a candidate named Lee Gap-dol, what if there is another candidate named Lee Gap-dul? If Lee Gap-dol is the most promising candidate, but due to misreading the handwriting, the votes are concentrated on Lee Gap-dul, who will be held responsible?”

At Hyang’s point, Sejong and the ministers looked stunned.

“Huh?”

“Uh?”

Hyang nodded slightly, observing their reactions.

‘It’s a tactic that Japanese politicians used well in elections! Sabotage them with a slightly different name!’

“Hmm… It certainly seems to be a problem.”

As Sejong acknowledged the issue, Hyang immediately presented a solution.

“It would be possible to prepare and distribute ballots with the candidates’ names printed in advance. Also, instead of marking the ballot by hand, it should be done by stamping it with a seal engraved with a specific pattern.”

“But that would require a considerable budget?”

At Kim Jeom’s objection, Hyang replied immediately.

“What is the purpose of entrusting the selection of judges to the people? Isn’t it to appoint those who understand the people’s sentiments well as judges? If we are truly trying to elect those whom the people want, why hesitate to spend a little more money?”

“That’s true, but….”

“The Crown Prince is right. It is a matter of electing those who truly know the hearts of the people, so we should not be stingy with the budget.”

“My thoughts were short-sighted.”

Kim Jeom immediately surrendered to Sejong’s decision, acknowledging its validity.

Sejong, having silenced Kim Jeom, looked at Hyang with a satisfied expression.

“Okay, what other problems are there?”

“There are several….”

“Really? Tell me quickly!”

Sejong, urging Hyang, glanced back at the ministers. His expression was laden with various meanings.

‘Did you see? If you’re going to criticize, do it like this!’

‘He’s my son, but he’s really smart! Isn’t he?’

The ministers, seeing his expression, sighed inwardly.

Regardless, Hyang continued.

-Production of ballot papers that meet pre-determined standards. This makes voting easier and prevents fraud at the same time.

-Secret voting must be strictly observed. For this, a voting booth with a blocked space and a sealed ballot box are required.

-The counting of ballots must also take place in a place where external influences are blocked.

“Do we really have to be so strict?”

Hyang responded to Hwang Hee’s question with another question.

“If you suspect that a candidate for judge harbors evil intentions but wields significant power, doesn’t the answer become clear?”

“Hmm….”

At Hyang’s question, Hwang Hee and the ministers began to imagine the scenario. After a moment, Sejong reached a conclusion.

“They will surround people and exert pressure on them.”

“Yes.”

“Wouldn’t it be possible to establish strict security with the soldiers of the Pocheong [police bureau] and the military at the polling place?”

Hwang Hee proposed a countermeasure, but Hyang shook his head.

“However, if you count the ballots on the spot, the results will be revealed immediately. They may harbor resentment and make unreasonable demands, or they may exert subtle pressure in preparation for the future. The term of office for the judges is fixed.”

“Hmm… Certainly….”

In this way, Hyang explained the ‘four principles of elections’. The laws and rules related to the selection of judges were readjusted accordingly.

During this process, Hyang experienced another culture shock due to the reactions of Sejong and the ministers to these four principles.

They expressed various opinions regarding the ‘secret ballot’ aspect, but the other principles elicited surprisingly natural reactions.

“Isn’t it natural to do it yourself since they are electing those who will represent their interests?”

“As it is already written in the Joseon Gyeongguk典(National Code), the people of Joseon are either Yangin [commoners] or Cheonin [lowborn]. Everyone is the same Yangin, so 1 person 1 vote is a natural thing.”

“Since you must properly fulfill your responsibilities to be recognized as an adult, you should naturally be given one vote if you are an adult.”

At this reaction, Hyang murmured inwardly again.

‘Really, what era am I living in?’

Author’s words.

Hello?

I am Gukbbong, the author of ‘Black Enterprise Joseon’.

I would like to apologize for the increasingly frequent delays in updates.

I think it’s because I’m getting older, but my work time is getting longer and longer. My stamina is also declining, and warning lights keep flashing on my body.

So, various ideas are popping up in my head, but it is taking longer and longer to capture them and turn them into sentences.

I am sorry for making the readers wait, and I am very sorry that the managers of various platforms and my manager are receiving criticism that they should not have received.

I will do my best to maintain regular updates in the future.

I would appreciate it if you continue to enjoy ‘Black Enterprise Joseon’ in the future.

Sincerely, Gukbbong.