Sino-Korean word from 咸興 (“Hamhung, Korean city”) + 差使 (“messenger”), literally "messenger to Hamhung".
King Taejo of Joseon had wanted his favorite seventh son to succeed him, but in 1398 he was usurped by his fifth son King Taejong, who also murdered his two younger brothers. Soon after, Taejo retired to his hometown of Hamhung. According to folklore, the fact that his father remained unreconciled with him proved a source of personal stress and political trouble to the new king. Taejong thus sent his father a number of messengers asking for reconciliation, but Taejo is said to have killed them all. Taejong awaited his messengers in vain, hence the modern word.
In reality, Taejo attempted a counter-coup from Hamhung in 1402, which his son quickly suppressed. He was then forcibly brought back to the capital of Seoul, where he lived under close supervision until he died of a stroke in 1408.
| Romanizations | |
|---|---|
| Revised Romanization? | hamheungchasa |
| Revised Romanization (translit.)? | hamheungchasa |
| McCune–Reischauer? | hamhŭngch'asa |
| Yale Romanization? | hamhungchasa |