<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><font face="HelveticaNeue">Greetings, </font><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><b>Dr. Joo-hee Choi</b> (Duksung Women's Univ) will give a talk on how the Joseon Dynasty advanced people-centered financial policies through innovative tax reforms designed to improve the lives of commoners and uphold dynastic stability.</font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">This is a virtual event open to the public. Please register here: <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8e4F3pJmRbe5YcDbKV3Ytg">https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/8e4F3pJmRbe5YcDbKV3Ytg</a></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font size="6" face="HelveticaNeue">Financing the Kingdom - How Taxation Shaped the Joseon Dynasty\u2019s Endurance</font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font size="4" face="HelveticaNeue"><b>Abstract</b></font></div><div><font size="4" face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">In this presentation, Joo-hee Choi will explain how the Joseon Dynasty maintained stability for over 500 years through sophisticated financial management, particularly during the Yeongjo and Jeongjo eras. While European states in the 17-18th centuries developed as "Fiscal-Military States" focused on securing war funds, the Joseon Dynasty pursued financial operations aimed at stabilizing the lives of common people through innovative tax reforms. </font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">The 18th century marked Joseon's transition from a \u2018tribute taxation state\u2019 to a more systematic \u2018fiscal state\u2019. In particular, King Yeongjo's publication of <i>Takjijeongrye</i> (\u5ea6\u652f\u5b9a\u4f8b) and implementation of the \u201cUniform Tax Law (G<i>yunyeokbeop</i>, \u5747\u5f79\u6cd5)\u201d created a crucial foundation for long-term fiscal austerity in the Joseon Dynasty. Yeongjo reduced the military cloth tax (<i>gunpo</i>, \u8ecd\u5e03) from two pieces to one to ease the burden on the people while simultaneously implementing financial austerity beginning with the royal household, thereby creating a structure to control expenditures. </font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">This financial policy of Yeongjo aimed to realize Confucian people-centered governance stated as \u201cbenefiting those below by reducing benefits for those above\u201d (<i>Sonsangikha</i> \u640d\u4e0a\u76ca\u4e0b) and was recognized as a model by subsequent kings. Despite internal and external crises facing Joseon in the 19th century, Yeongjo\u2019s people-centered financial reforms significantly contributed to the dynasty\u2019s longevity until the mid-19th century.</font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font size="4" face="HelveticaNeue"><b>About the Presenter</b></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><font size="4"><br></font><b>Dr. Joo-hee Choi</b> is a Professor of Korean History at Duksung Women\u2019s University. She received her bachelor\u2019s and master's degrees from Ewha Womans University and earned her Ph.D. from Korea University with a dissertation titled \u201cThe Operation of <i>Seonhyecheong</i> (\u5ba3\u60e0\u5ef3) and Changes in the Central Financial Structure during the Late Joseon Period.\u201d Her previous positions include Research Fellow at the Academy of Korean Studies and Senior Research Fellow at the Korean Studies Promotion Service. Her research focuses on socioeconomic history of Joseon Korea, particularly financial systems and taxation policies. Major publications include \u201cThe National Economy of Late Joseon Dynasty Through Statistics" (2013), \u201cWomen's Spaces in Hanyang\u201d (2021), and \u201cMediators Between Seoul and Provinces: <i>Gyeongjuin</i> (\u4eac\u4e3b\u4eba)\u201d (2024). Her current research explores the financial historical significance of meteorological records from the Joseon period.</font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">We look forward to seeing you at the event.</font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue"><br></font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">Sincerely,</font></div><div><font face="HelveticaNeue">Choson History Society</font></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; color: rgb(80, 0, 80); line-height: normal;"><font face="HelveticaNeue"><a href="https://www.chosonhistorysociety.org/" target="_blank">https://www.<wbr>chosonhistorysociety.org/</a><span style="color: black;"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; color: rgb(80, 0, 80); line-height: normal;"><font face="HelveticaNeue"><a href="https://www.chosonhistorysociety.org/donation" target="_blank">Support Choson History Society</a>\u200b</font></p></div></body></html>