King Sejong, the fourth King of the Choson Dynasty from 1418 to 1450, is regarded by most Koreans as one of the greatest figures in their country's history. Along with his strong love and enthusiasm for the nation, he enforced many significant reforms, laying the foundation for the Confucian state dynasty that was to rule for more than 500 years.One of the King's ruling feature which I admire the most is his passion for education. He believed that everyone had a right to learn, which is the ultimate way for improving the nation to the greater extent. He founded a state research institute, the Hall of Worthies (Chiphyonjon), at the beginning of his reign, staffing it with talented officials who were encouraged to conduct a variety of research activities required for monarchical rule. The direction of government was thus set and the quality of governance enhanced. King Sejong was able to provide an environment for the nations development and prosperity.The invention of 'han-gul', the Korean alphabet, planned and directed by the king, is an achievement that no Korean can overlook. Koreans should show appreciation to him that they can express their language with an effective writing system. The invention of han-gul alone is enough to place Sejong as a historical figure for the nation. Sejong moreover believed that a king was morally obligated to ensure the common people's basic lives. He also thought that he should refine their lifestyle through Confucian enlightenment. After his tenth year in power, he came up with methods to promote agriculture as a means of providing adequate food and clothing for his people.Agricultural policies were at the heart of King Sejong's rule. He focused on two areas: the development of agricultural technology and the implementation of an equitable taxation system for agricultural products. In terms of technology, Sejong wanted to transfer the advanced agricultural techniques used in the southern provinces...
