Joseon Korea

The Joseon dynasty (1392-1897) ruled the Korean peninsula for over 500 years, the longest-ruling Confucian dynasty in East Asian history. Founded by General Yi Seonggye, Joseon institutionalised Neo-Confucian philosophy. King Sejong the Great (r. 1418-50) developed the hangul alphabet. The Japanese invasions (Imjin War, 1592-98) and Manchu invasions devastated the kingdom. Joseon survived until the 1897 reform renamed it the Korean Empire.

• Existed: 1392 CE – 1897 CE
• Type: Entity
• Government: Absolute Monarchy (Neo-Confucian scholar-official state)
• Capital: Hanseong (Seoul)