Excerpts from Books and Wikipedia
"In 1392, a Koryo general called Yi Songgye seized power, declaring himself the first king of the new Choson dynasty. This provided the opportunity for the Neo-Confucians to sweep aside the economic power and 'corrupting' political and moral influences of Buddhism. . . . The Choson kingdom dominated Korea from 1392 to 1910, making it one of history's most enduring royal dynasties. King Sejong is credited with laying the foundations of this longevity during his 32-year reign (1418-50). His greatest legacy is the invention of han'gul--an alphabet for the Korean language. . . . The fourth king of a relatively young dynasty, Sejong came to the throne of Choson (Korea) in 1418 at the age of 22. He was the grandson of the dynastic founder Yi Songgye and became the first king to be extensively schooled from an early age in Neo-Confucian philosophy and ethics. Today, Sejong the Great is a national icon symbolizing Korea's first 'golden age' and is seen by many millions of Koreans every day on the back of the 10,000-won note." [Hart-Davis: DK History, p. 170-1]