This study considers the characteristics of the separation of public and
private security service during Koryo dynasty, and compares it with the modern
security service. Modern day security serviceʼs definition of private and public
security service was used to distinguish them. Given the different historical
settings, itʼs difficult to argue that the distinction between public and private
service during Koryo dynasty was clear, but it can be said that public security
service was centered around palace guard and concerns the activities of protest,
and military made for the relationship, and private security service was
centered around power of DoBang and includes the activities of malingering,
and Byolchogun.
During the early days of Koryo, protest, district military and soldiers who
stay in the palace were all parts of a palace revolt and this institutional
improvement of soldiers who stay in the palace was accomplished during King
Seongjongʼs rule. The tradition of a palace revolt can find its roots in the middle
military, and after the unification, a palace revolt was reformed into the king's
palace revolt of second and the 6th along the course of establishing the nationʼs
system. All of the changes stem from the reformation for consolidating the
royal authority.
Gyung Dae Seoung wanted to protect himself and he slept with his army
night and days and because of that, group of soldiers was created and it was
called DOBANG. Some members were from dobang gyeonryong, The forced
were powerful because it was gathered with a warriors with extraordinaire
martial arts and competent management. Most of the soldiers followed gyeong
dae seung because they believed that he has a strong leadership and loves his
people, and had a strong faith in him. However, the general gyeong jang had
a belief that politics must be reverted to the previous so the relationships
between jungbang wasn't smooth. Because of the economic operational
problems, due to fraud committed by the mens under his command failed to
maintain integrity and was criticised.The misconception also fed up with the
emperor and the deepening relationships between the soldiers, his dobang was
dismantled.
After he took over the dobang, for his personal safety and to strengthen
his position he compensated gyeon dae seong's dobang and developed the
organization. In the process of extending the dobang Choi chung heon recruited
many talented people to strengthen the military base, and also accepted the
advice and expanded the power of Dobang. Choi Chung Heon thus consolidated
his political gains by weakening the power of the king's army and adjusting
the myth, which could've threatened his regime, and this was called Dobang
number 6th. Dobang number six got even more powerful by his son named
Choi woo, and after ruling, he expanded into a room, and a substantial
reorganization of Dobang was developed. And then the creation of yabyeolcho
also showed the effect to prevent the crisis.
Although the palace guards who were public security service of Koryo
Dynasty was still maintained during the military rule era when the royal
authority was incapacitated, it was only maintained to have a symbolic
meaning as the actual authority including military power was with Choi, the
master of Dobang, private security service group. Likewise, during the rule
of Choi, private securty service could reign over public security service, and
the noteworthy characteristic of Dobang is that it assisted the private soldier
groups to seize the military power by reorganizing and modifying military
system.
Although both differences and similarities can be found when comparing the
guards of Koryo Dynasty with those of contemporary society, they have a
similarity in terms of the essence of guards that they guarantee the safety
of their clients. As for differences, the royalty of Koryo Dynasty and the pursuit
of profit of contemporary society are in contrast, and contemporary guards
can be seen as the fulfillment of responsibility and duty by free will, whereas
guards of Koryo Dynasty were ruled with military coercion.