경상감사의 운영과 그 성격

초록

This paper aims to investigate the unique characteristics and political significance of the administration of the Gyeongsang Governor (Gyeongsang-gamsa), a key figure in the local governance of the Chosŏn Dynasty. To this end, it quantitatively analyzes the tenures of 458 governors recorded in the Gyeongsang-do Seonsaeng-an (Registry of Gyeongsang Officials) and compares this data with the political context of the time, as well as with the provincial governor (xunfu) system of Ming and Qing China. The study reveals that the short tenures of Gyeongsang governors were not a mere institutional flaw but a sophisticated governing strategy aimed at maintaining a centralized system of power. The state intentionally maintained short tenures to prevent any single faction from consolidating power in Gyeongsang Province, a crucial region for diplomacy with Japan and national finance. This also functioned as a "reward system" for high-ranking officials who preferred metropolitan posts, guaranteeing their return to the central government after a brief term in a provincial position. Notably, the exceptionally long tenures of certain governors during 19th-century political crises, such as the Imsul Farmer's Revolt, paradoxically demonstrate that the short-term appointment was a flexible, strategic tool that could be altered by royal decree. This method of administration, characterized by mutual checks and compromises between royal and ministerial authority, distinguishes the Chosŏn governor system from that of Ming and Qing China, where tenures were dictated by the emperor's absolute power. Ultimately, the tenure of the Gyeongsang governor serves as a key indicator of how the Chosŏn state maintained control over its most vital province while preserving a centralized government.

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