1392 - Establishment of Joseon

During this time period, a new country was established, named Joseon. Previously, a country named Goryeo was ruling in the Korean peninsula. However, Goryeo was dealing with difficult situations, both inside and outside the country. Inside the country, conflicts occurred between noble classes, of their desire for power. Outside the country, foreign invaders and pirates kept attacking the country. The king and government of Goryeo started to lose power, while a general named “Lee Seong-gye” gained popularity. He was one of the generals who defended Goryeo from foreign invaders. However, he also had conflicts with the governments and high officials of Goryeo, and educated people like scholars came to him for a new country. As a result, he overthrew the government, and established a new dynasty, named “Joseon.” General Lee simultaneously became the first king of Joseon, named “Taejo.” The establishment of a new dynasty changed major aspects of the peninsula. First, unlike Goryeo, which had Buddhism as their religion, Joseon followed Confucianism. They followed the main rules and orders of Confucianism, and it also impacted the lifestyles of people. The capital also changed to “Hanyang,” which is currently Seoul. New palaces, new services, new roads were created, and a new language was created: the Korean language currently. A new country brought a big change to the peninsula.