Abstract

In this article, how the Min House members entered the political arena, what was the role of the Queen behind all his, and what was the status of the Min House members who continued to function as a supporting party for King Gojong even after the Min Queen's demise, are all examined. Before the Eulmi-year tragedy(in which the Queen was assassinated), the Queen, with her own presence, urged the King to enlist more and more Min House members for the government. Some historians critically suggested that the Queen 'abused' the Gojong regime by giving out many governmental posts to her family members. And some historians even labelled the time period from 1885 through 1894, in which the Naemu-bu office existed and a considerable number of Min House members joined the government, as the 'Min House regime' period. Yet it should be noted that it was ultimately King Gojong's decision to invite many Min House members to the government and support its political growth, as part of his efforts to solidify his regime by summoning several factions to royal service. We can see that from several facts of the time, such as the fact that officer appointments did not require the recommendation process(議薦), which made it more easy for the King to have his intentions reflected in those appointments, and the fact that King Gojong was appointing officers in quite an arbitrary fashion, by using the method of Jungbi(中批). Many members of the Yeoheung Min House were summoned to the government even during the Daehan empire period(after the Queen's death). Their presence are detected in almost every department, from the Weonsu-bu and Gun-bu offices which would provide physical force for the imperial government, and to the Teukjin-gwan post of the Gungnae-bu office which was in charge of affairs honoring the Royal family, and even to major local posts that were required to propagate the actions of the government and openly support it. Min House members were able to maintain their power and status even after Queen Min was assassinated, not only because of their own capabilities as a House related to the Royal family but also because the government needed them to continue their functions. Yet they were certainly not in a position to overpower the King or abuse the government. They entered the government with the help from the Queen, but even after she died, the Min House members stayed with King Gojong to the bitter end, and continued to guard Confucian morality, and serve as an integral base of support for the government, as a Relative House to the Royal family.