Heungseon Daewongun

Heungseon Daewongun was a royal and statesman of late Joseon who served as regent, governing on behalf of his young son, King Gojong. He sought to strengthen royal authority by rebuilding Gyeongbokgung Palace and sharply reducing the number of local Confucian academies (seowon), and he pursued a policy of seclusion, refusing trade with foreign powers and erecting steles that rejected appeasement. This course led to clashes with Western forces, such as the French and American campaigns of the 1860s and 1870s, placing his policies at the center of debate over Joseon's direction as it faced the opening of its ports.