Abstract
Korean discussions and arguments concerning the institution of slavery during the ancient and the classical period provide a unique description of this phenomenon from both practical and ideological points of view. Unlike most social institutions in Korea, slavery had a remarkably different form compared to the cultural paragon of the region, China, and should be understood as one of the most distinctive features of the Korean history and society.
The present study aims to analyze discussions dealing with the Korean type of slavery from the perspective of its coherence with the ruling social ideology of Confucianism. Arguments of both supporters and opponents of slavery thus include mythological, philosophical, and practical standpoints which demonstrate a relatively broad variety of interpreting Confucian paradigms in relation to this particular social phenomenon.