Office Land Abolished; Salaries Only

Under Myeongjong, with no land left to grant, office land ceased and officials received only salaries — ending the grant of rent rights.

Even after 1470 the land available for grants kept shrinking. In the mid-16th century, under Myeongjong, grants of office land stopped, the Jikjeon Law effectively lapsed, and officials received only salaries. The date is usually put around 1556 (11th year of Myeongjong), but no clear record of formal abolition survives and views on the exact year differ.

This ended the practice, going back to Silla’s nogeup and office land, of granting officials the right to collect rent. Yangban expanded their own holdings by purchase and reclamation, and tenancy — renting land for half the harvest — spread.