Punishment in Uniform: Military Exile (ch’unggun 充軍) and the Persistence of Conventional Penal Practices in Late Chosŏn Korea, 1863–1894

This talk explores the practice of military exile (ch’unggun, 充軍) during the reign of King Kojong (1863–1894). In the late nineteenth century, the Chosŏn court worked to build a stronger military to face growing pressure from Western powers. However, at the same time, the state continued to use military exile—a long-standing practice that sent lawbreakers into forced military service as punishment. This overlap highlights a deep clash between modernizing defense and keeping old penal traditions alive. By tracing the roots, legal backing, and actual practice of military exile, this talk shows how Chosŏn leaders still viewed compulsory military service as a dishonorable burden, even as the government openly championed military strength.

Jinsung Kim is a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia. He earned his Ph.D. in Asian Studies at UBC in 2025. His research examines Korea’s military reform and its complex interactions with China, Japan, and the United States in the late 19th century. Before pursuing his doctorate, he completed an M.A. in History at Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea, where he specialized in Sino-Korean relations between 1882 and 1884.

Light meal provided a half-hour before the event.