Joseon Gyeongguk Daejeon Legal Code

Timeline

1. 1392–1470Hanseong · JoseonAfter Joseon's founding, statutes appended to the Taejong Sillok and works such as the Gyeongje Yukjeon were successively compiled, accumulating material for a later unified code; Sejong's reign further organized household and criminal statutes, laying the groundwork for Seongjong's major codification.
2. 1471–1485Around Gyeongbokgung Palace, Hanseong · JoseonSeongjong ordered the Chief State Councillor and other Confucian officials to lead the compilation; over more than a decade the six codes of statutes, formulas, and state documents were gathered into one work, and the Gyeongguk Daejeon was formally published in 1485, establishing the basic legal and administrative norms of Joseon governance.
3. 1500–1894Joseon · Korean PeninsulaLater monarchs repeatedly issued continuations such as the Gyeongguk Daejeon Sukjeon and the Daejeon Tongbyeon to adapt to changing affairs; this code system remained the core basis of Joseon state law until the Gabo Reform of the late nineteenth century.