Yangban

a term that originally designated two categories of the service class in feudal Korea—civil officials (munban) and military officials (muban). Later, for a period beginning in the 12th century and under the Yi dynasty, it was used to refer to the highest class, membership in which was hereditary.

As feudalism developed, the number of yangban grew; the increase was particularly marked in the period of dissolution of feudalism, which began in the 18th century. The yangban were exempt from feudal obligations. In provincial areas, the class expanded as prosperous peasants and merchants paid the government for the right to belong to it.

In modern historical literature the term yangban is applied to the ruling class in feudal Korea and is used in the sense of feudal lords or landowners.