First-rank founding merit subject of Joseon enshrined in King Taejo's shrine; Chungjeong-gong
| Life | 1347 ~ 1396 |
| Era | 고려 말~조선 초 |
| Clan | 한양 조씨 |
Jo In-ok (趙仁沃, 1347-1396) was an official of late Goryeo and early Joseon, of the Hanyang Jo clan, with courtesy name Gungye and posthumous title Chungjeong (忠靖). He was the fourth son of Jo Don and younger brother of Jo In-byeok. Since his brother married King Taejo's sister Princess Jeonghwa and Jo Hwi's granddaughter had been the second wife of Yi Chun, his family was doubly related by marriage to Yi Seong-gye's house.
He joined his father in recovering Ssangseong in 1356, entered office through his father's merit in 1373 and rose to head the Office of Ceremonies. In 1388 he served under Yi Seong-gye and urged the withdrawal from Wihwa Island; afterwards he helped purge Choe Yeong's faction, became Minister of Justice and a merit subject of the withdrawal. The following year he joined Yi Seong-gye and Jeong Do-jeon in deposing King U and enthroning King Chang, and as a leader of the new forces championed anti-Buddhist policies and land reform. Dismissed in 1390 after impeachment by Jeong Mong-ju's faction, he returned in 1392 as Minister of Personnel and, with Jeong Do-jeon and others, raised Yi Seong-gye to the throne, becoming a first-rank founding merit subject with the title Bojo Gongsin.
After the founding he became Vice-Commissioner of the Privy Council and in 1395 Lord Hansan; he died of illness the following year after an embassy to Ming. In 1410 he was enshrined in King Taejo's royal shrine. His wife was a daughter of Gyeong Bo, an honorary Left State Councillor, and his eldest son Jo Roe served as Jidonnyeongbusa. He is said to have been principled from youth, never without a book, and to have lectured Yi Seong-gye on the Comprehensive Mirror before his accession. He appears as a character in the 1983 KBS drama Gaeguk. Dignified and sparing of words, he excelled at diplomacy and always hosted Ming envoys. His descendants form the Chungjeong-gong branch, and the modern independence activist Jo Byeong-ok is his direct descendant.