What was the purpose of the Hall of Worthies during King Sejong’s reign?

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Map of the Korean Peninsula highlighted in orange, showing North Korea in the north and South Korea in the south. The peninsula is bordered by China and Russia to the north, the Yellow Sea to the west, the East Sea (Sea of Japan) to the east, and Japan across the sea to the southeast. A small inset globe at the top left shows the peninsula's location in East Asia. — Korea Map of the Korean Peninsula, indicating northern and southern regions.

During the reign of Sejong the Great, the Hall of Worthies (Jiphyeonjeon) was established in 1420 as a royal academy. Its primary purpose was to serve as a center for intellectual and cultural advancement, where bright young scholars were tasked with engaging in intensive study and research.1

This institution played a pivotal role in the flourishing of Joseon society, facilitating significant progress in various fields such as medicine, astronomy, geography, history, and agriculture through the use of movable-type printing. Notably, the research conducted under the king's direction at this academy led to the completion of Hangul, the Korean phonetic alphabet, in 1443.1