Nephew of Queen Sinjeong who arranged the meeting between Prince Heungseon and Queen Dowager Jo; Minister of Personnel and Left Consultant; art name Soha; posthumous title Munheon
| Life | 1845 ~ 1881 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 풍양 조씨 |
Jo Seong-ha (1845-1881) was a late Joseon official and poet of the Pungyang Jo clan, courtesy name Sunso, art name Soha, posthumous title Munheon. A nephew of Queen Sinjeong on her natal side, he was the same age as his sixth-degree cousin Jo Yeong-ha. His father was Jo Byeong-jun and he was adopted as son of Jo Man-yeong's son Jo Byeong-gwi (趙秉龜); his grandfather Jo Won-yeong was a younger brother of Jo Man-yeong and elder brother of Jo In-yeong.
He passed the regular civil examination in 1861 and became an Academician. Through his father-in-law Yi Ho-jun he met the then-unfavored Prince Heungseon and became his friend, and he is said to have arranged the meeting of his aunt Queen Dowager Jo with the prince. Under Gojong he served as Principal of Seonggyungwan and Vice Minister of Personnel, but in the Daewongun's last years sided with the Yeoheung Min clan in supporting his removal.
He became governor of Pyeongan in 1874, and after serving as Chief of the Royal Lectures and Minister of Rites and of Personnel reached Left Consultant of the State Council in 1881, dying of illness that year. He wrote Geumgangsan-gi, an account of the Diamond Mountains.
He is said to have acted as a go-between linking Prince Heungseon and Queen Dowager Jo during Gojong's accession in 1863, often named together with Jo Yeong-ha of the same clan.
His line runs through grandfather Jo Won-yeong (younger brother of Jo Man-yeong), birth father Jo Byeong-jun and adoptive father Jo Byeong-gwi (also read Byeong-gu); his wife was of the Ubong Yi clan.
His son was Jo Dong-myeon.