732 t h e a n n a l s o f k i n g t’a e j o
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Dispatching Ch’oe Yugyŏng, assistant director of the Security Council, the
king cheered Ch’oe Yŏngji, chief patrolling and surveillance commissioner
of the Northwest Region, by bestowing royal wine and a certificate of
appointment on him. Though Yŏngji was illiterate, the king entrusted him
with the post because he was by nature diligent and cautious.The king dispatched Yi Hwasang, minister of works, to bestow royal wine
on Chŏng Tojŏn, chief pacification and mobile inspector of the Northeast
Region.9th Day (Chŏngsa)
The king allowed two Buddhist monasteries, Yŏnboksa and An’guksa, to be
exempted from paying land taxes.The (river) water was frozen solid, so ice was harvested and stored.11th Day (Kimi)
The governor of Kyŏngsang Province submitted a proposal that was origi-
nally made by U Kyun, magistrate of Yŏngju. The proposal was as follows:
“Since fish and salt (ŏyŏm) are sources of revenue for the nation and
necessities for the lives of the people, it is necessary to encourage the people
to produce them. Since our country is surrounded by sea on three sides, the
people have an advantage of producing them wherever they go. However,
the people living in coastal areas have been scattered in all directions for
many years because of the repeated raids by Japanese marauders.
“Our country has recently strengthened offensive and defensive capabili-
ties significantly by constructing fortresses and moats as well as selecting
military generals and training soldiers while also bringing together and set-
tling down the homeless. As a result, in recent years, the people who had
formerly abandoned their homes began to return and carry out their liveli-
hoods. The government now dispatches officials to various districts along
the coast to investigate the production of fish and salt for the purpose of
collecting taxes, which seems to be quite sensible. However, according to
reports, residents of the coasts who heard of the government’s investigation