The Korean socio-political structure was hierarchical, with a distinct pyramid of social classes. Korean society during this time was divided into four main classes, each with their own rights, responsibilities, and positions in the hierarchy.
Yangban
The yangban were the noble class, and held a monopoly over the most prestigious positions in both government and society. The yangban maintained a monopoly over government positions and were exempted from taxation and most forms of labor. They were educated in the Confucian classics, and their status was hereditary, granting their descendants rights to high status.
Chungin
Next up in the Korean social classes were the chungin. They were the middle class of the time and were mainly skilled professionals or intellectuals, such as doctors, lawyers, and artists. Although the chungin had no noble birth, they were generally regarded as higher in social status than farmers or merchants, despite only serving minor government positions.
Sangmin
The sangmin were the merchant and artisan class. Merchants and artisans were considered lower than the yangban, but higher than the slaves and peasants. Despite a few periods of greater liberalization, merchants were typically excluded from holding major government positions. While commerce could bring great wealth, wealth was not sufficient to overcome societal barriers to high social status.
Chonmin
The lowest of the Korean social classes were the chonmin. The chonmin were the people whose occupations had been deemed undesirable, such as butchers, shamans, and those of foreign descent. They were the only class that was subject to taxation, and were often slaves or had very little social mobility.