South Korea Occupations

Asia South Korea

Government Agency Staff and Pension Rosters (Gongmoowon kwa Yunkum Myungbu)
Research Use: Government agency staff and pension rosters are an excellent source of birth and locality information for government officials and middle-class citizens who received special recognition for merit, service, and other noteworthy achievements.

Record Type: Lists of individual government agents and officials kept by various government agencies. Includes lists of civil servants, pensioners, patriots, etc.

Background: All government institutions maintained detailed personnel records. This is because of the importance of government positions in the Korean social hierarchy. Civil service officers were of the noble class [yangban] and the actual government position was gained by passing examinations. There was a social distinction between those who took the civil service examination [munkwa] and those who took the military examination [mukwa]. Lesser government workers and bureaucrats were known as chungin, and although of lesser social status than nobility, they were still of higher status than the commoners. These positions were awarded by passing examinations on technical subjects known as the chapkwa.

Time Period: 1412 to 1910.

Contents: Name, nickname, birth date, hometown, residence, rank and office (if any); arranged by agency or category.

Location: Kyujanggak collection, Seoul National University Library.

Percentage in Family History Library: None.

Population Coverage: 1%.

Reliability: Excellent.

Preservation of Record/Vulnerability: Most of the original records have been lost or destroyed. The remaining records are maintained under good conditions in the Seoul National University Library but are still subject to loss by fire or natural disasters.