Black Corporation: Joseon

After finishing the morning assembly at Geunjeongjeon Hall, the ministers hurried en masse to the State Council meeting room.

As soon as they settled in their seats, Minister Jung Yeok of the National Land Development Department let out a long sigh.

“Phew… His Majesty emphasizes that it’s a period of stagnation, but is it really so?”

***

As the Reformation Plan were nearing their end, Joseon’s development was starting to become strained. As a result, most departments were adjusting the priorities of their ongoing policies, giving the impression of stagnation. However, the National Land Development Department was the only one without a single such policy.

In fact, King Sejong went as far as to urge:

“The ongoing transportation network improvement project is crucial in determining Joseon’s future. Therefore, do your utmost to ensure there are no delays.”

Jung Yeok could only bow his head and reply to King Sejong’s request.

“I will engrave it on my bones and keep it in my heart.”

In response to Jung Yeok’s lament, Jo Gye-saeng burst out:

“At least Your Excellency is maintaining the status quo! For me, it’s not just maintaining, but the work has increased!”

“Ah…”

“I can see that Hunminjeongeum is useful, but to prepare to teach it from next year… What is this…”

“Still, isn’t it generous that they’ve given you a year? In other times, they would have ordered immediate implementation. Surely His Majesty has taken that into consideration?”

At Kim Jeom’s colorless words, Jo Gye-saeng’s eyes blazed with anger.

“No, this man is really…!”

“Hmph! You complain about being swamped with work, but would you like to take over the Minister of Finance’s duties instead?”

At Kim Jeom’s words, the fire in Jo Gye-saeng’s eyes slowly subsided.

In the process of adjusting policy priorities, King Sejong had not mentioned the Minister of Finance even once.

“Your Majesty, shouldn’t our Minister of Finance also adjust the priorities of some policies?”

Kim Jeom, unable to stand by, stepped forward, but Sejong firmly refused.

“The Minister of Finance manages the nation’s finances and is primarily responsible for the people’s livelihoods. How can there be any order of priority or relative importance in such crucial matters? Rather, it would be right to find and review issues before the people petition for them.”

Sejong’s order was simple:

‘Find work to do, even if you have to search for it.’

“I will do my best, Your Majesty.”

If anything, Kim Jeom had taken on more homework before withdrawing.

Watching Kim Jeom, Jung Yeok, and Jo Gye-saeng express their frustrations, Lee Jik turned to Maeng Sae-seong.

“The bar tab is going to be hefty today.”

At Lee Jik’s words, Maeng Sae-seong muttered quietly with a pale face.

“Your Excellency! Have you forgotten what happened last time?”

“We’ll have to sneak out as quietly as possible.”

***

As the grumbling of the three ministers subsided somewhat, the officials resumed their discussion.

“His Majesty calls it a period of stagnation, but I truly wonder if it’s accurate to call it so.”

As Jung Yeok questioned again, Maeng Sae-seong picked up the conversation.

“On the surface, it might seem like stagnation, right? New policies were being created and implemented almost daily, but now such cases have decreased for the time being.”

“Ugh…”

As Jung Yeok groaned in response to Maeng Sae-seong’s answer, Heo Jo continued the conversation.

“To be precise, ‘period of reorganization’ would be a more fitting term than ‘period of stagnation’.”

The ministers nodded at Heo Jo’s observation.

The current situation was indeed closer to a period of reorganization, as Heo Jo had said, rather than stagnation.

And the biggest reason for this reorganization period was the explosive population growth.

The population, which had drastically decreased during the chaotic period from the end of Goryeo to the early days of Joseon’s founding, had exploded as the Reformation Plan progressed.

Although Joseon’s government organization had continuously expanded until now, it was clear that if the population continued to grow at the current rate, it would be difficult to manage properly.

Therefore, both King Sejong and the ministers had chosen to take a moment to catch their breath.

***

Nodding at Heo Jo’s response, Jung Yeok asked again.

“Then how long do Your Excellencies think this period of stagnation will last? I’m expecting at least 10 years.”

At Jung Yeok’s statement, the ministers calculated and estimated in various ways. After a long deliberation, Heo Jo spoke up.

“Five years at the shortest, ten years at the longest?”

“That seems the most likely.”

“Indeed.”

Jung Yeok sighed at the ministers’ comments.

“Phew… Five years, huh… As expected, the Hansu Bridge will determine everything.”

The ministers all nodded at Jung Yeok’s words.

***

Everyone agreed that the very last part of the Reformation Plan was the land transportation network currently being reorganized. And the crown jewel of this land transportation network reorganization was the bridge to be built over the Hansu River.

During this transportation network reorganization, bridges were being built over large and small rivers across Joseon. The process of building bridges using reinforced bamboo concrete was a new challenge.

Therefore, the trading company in charge of construction started by gaining experience with smaller streams. All the trial and error that occurred in the process was documented and transferred to the research institute and Area 51. Through this process, construction technology was continuously improving, and newly improved techniques were immediately applied to new sites.

As a result of this process, bridges built later had wider spans between piers and were built more sturdily.

And at the end of this chain reaction, bridges began to be built over other large rivers, excluding the Hansu, two years ago.

These bridges had a significant characteristic: two bridges were always built simultaneously over large rivers that were crucial for transportation.

One was a bridge for people and ox carts to pass, and the other was a bridge for iron horses to cross.

“The iron horse will become the core of Joseon’s land transportation in the future!”

Agreeing with Hyang’s assertion, King Sejong’s decision led to ongoing intensive improvement work on the iron horses. As a result, larger and more powerful iron horses were being researched in Area 51.

And following Sejong’s decision after observing this progress, the construction of bridges for iron horses was implemented first.

“It will be too late if we build the bridges after a suitable iron horse is completed! We must build them in advance!”

At Sejong’s instruction, Jung Yeok immediately opposed.

“Building bridges is not difficult, Your Majesty. The difficult part is deciding how sturdy to design the bridges. The size and weight of the iron horses are increasing. In a situation where we can’t predict that aspect, building in advance could lead to waste.”

“Your words are right.”

Eventually, this homework was passed on to the research institute and Area 51. After Hyang, along with Jeong Cho, Jeong Inji, Lee Soonji, and others put their heads together and calculated, the conclusion was as follows:

-Initially, 12,000 gwan (approximately 45 tons) would be commercially viable. However, it will eventually increase to 24,000 gwan (about 90 tons). (Note 1)

However, this figure is for the iron horse alone. When loaded with coal and water, it could increase up to 37,900 gwan (about 140 tons).

“This is calculated for the iron horse alone? Then what if passenger cars or freight cars are attached?”

“At least double that.”

At Hyang’s answer, Jung Yeok’s face, who was listening nearby, turned pale.

Seeing Jung Yeok’s face, Sejong gave an order to Hyang.

“Design the bridge based on the final expected product.”

“I receive your command.”

Thus, the design for the railway bridges to be built over the four major rivers was completed.

And as a result of this continued challenge, calculation formulas for designing bridges to be built over the Hansu—which excited Kim Dam and Western scholars—were created.

Because it was an enormous symbol connecting Joseon’s capital, Hanseong, with other regions, those in charge of designing the bridge over the Hansu poured their hearts and souls into it.

And according to the design thus created, construction was scheduled to begin from this dry season.

As an aside, while this bridge, going through such a process, should have been a masterpiece for the designers, the parties involved were full of complaints.

“Ah! We could have reduced the number of piers!”

By order of Hyang, who received the initial draft, they had to reduce the spacing between piers slightly and increase the number of piers.

“I understand you’ve put your heart and soul into it, but reduce the spacing between the piers here a bit and increase the number of piers. Make it a little safer.”

“The current design already guarantees sufficient safety, Your Majesty.”

“I’m sure it does. But isn’t this the bridge over the Hansu? Let’s make it a little safer.”

***

“Minimum five years to maximum ten years… If we consider the time until those who have learned Hunminjeongeum are deployed in practical work, the amount of work will increase tremendously.”

The other ministers looked at Jung Yeok with peculiar expressions at his words.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?”

In response to Jung Yeok’s question, Heo Jo asked back.

“Your Excellency, do you plan to live and work until then? Haha… It seems we should diligently prepare some medicine for you.”

“Ah…”

Jung Yeok, who let out a small exclamation at Heo Jo’s words, muttered with a mixed expression.

“Our age has already come to this.”

Most of the ministers in the meeting room now were those who had been active in politics since the late Goryeo period.

Now, more than 30 years after Joseon’s founding, they had reached an age where it wouldn’t be strange if they held their funeral tomorrow.

Maeng Sae-seong also continued with a similar expression.

“Our job is to prepare for the future using this period of stagnation. The next generation will take care of what comes after. The regrettable points are that we’ve become old just as we’ve been blessed with work, and it’s certain that we won’t be able to properly see the results before we go.”

The ministers nodded quietly.

****

This is how the period later called the “Period of Stagnation” came to be.

Scholars studying Joseon’s history evaluated this period as follows:

‘A novice historian would simply evaluate it as a period of stagnation, but a proper historian despairs when looking at this period of stagnation.’

The Joseon government, which confirmed the explosive population growth evaluated as ‘the world’s first officially recorded baby boom,’ entered into a large-scale reorganization. This was an effort to minimize the shock when the baby boom generation became adults and entered society.

Therefore, on the surface, the period of stagnation seemed quiet. It appeared even more so when compared to the periods before and after, which were full of all sorts of new policies, events, and incidents.

However, scholars who studied this period of stagnation firmly denied such thoughts.

They were convinced that this period of stagnation was the most important period that determined the era of great leap forward.

As a result, there were even scholars who devoted their entire lives to studying just this ‘period of stagnation.’

And there were no scholars who denied that the most important event in this period of stagnation was the creation and dissemination of Hunminjeongeum.

The point that the power dynamics among the three Northeast Asian countries began to change greatly as the first generation familiar with Hunminjeongeum was produced, breaking away from the Hanja culture.

No, the creation and dissemination of Hunminjeongeum was a mega-event that caused even Western countries to be greatly shaken by the butterfly effect caused by the changes in Northeast Asia.

As a result, scholars studying Joseon during this period had to examine not only the history of Ming and Wa (Japan) but also European history, and the intensity of their labor was beyond imagination.

This led to the following joke circulating among historians:

“Recommend studying post-stagnation Joseon history to someone you dislike.”

****

Note 1) Based on the Korean National Railroad 900 series steam locomotive.