수령관 신설 고을 분석을 통한 여말선초 지방제도 개편의 역사성 고찰: 전라·충청·경기·황해 4개 도를 중심으로

Abstract

For a long time, Korean history scholars have had high regard for the historical significance of the reorganization of the local administrative system in the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasty in terms of its role in “dissolving the sokhyeon (subordinate counties) and strengthening the centralization of local governance.” This paper questioned the popular opinion and newly investigated the historical significance of the reorganization of the local administrative system in the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasty by analyzing thirty local administrative units with newly established local magistrates in four provinces - Jeolla, Chungcheong, Gyeonggi, and Hwanghae. The analysis showed that among the thirty local administrative units with newly established local magistrates, gammu, the lowest-ranking county magistrates were stationed in as many as 26 units. This study also found that the actual percentage of the thirty local administrative units amounted to 10% of the total number of local administrative units. Among the thirty local administrative units with new local magistrates, most were low-ranking units situated in places of low regional importance. Furthermore, most of the local administrative units with new local magistrates originated from small and medium-sized sokhyeon on the peripheries of the jurisdiction of major local counties during the Goryeo dynasty. The local administrative system in the late Goryeo and early Joseon dynasty was reorganized within the context of establishing local magistrates, which was a policy implemented since the mid-Goryeo dynasty. The reorganization more or less marked an end to the long-standing trend of reducing the jurisdiction of long-standing major local counties, which covered large areas by commanding multiple sokhyeon.