But a sad event marred the happiness of the new King. His queen’s father had been on intimate terms with the deposed King and had been killed upon the day of his banishment. The officials therefore insisted that the Queen be put away and that another be selected. She was innocent of any crime, and the King said, “She is the wife of my youth and I cannot put her away.” But they insisted until finally he was forced to comply and he tearfully parted from her. One of his first acts was to do away with the “Dog and Falcon Bureau” which had in charge the implements of the chase. He abolished the “Woman Bureau” which looked after the procuring of concubines for the King. He gave back to their owners many houses that they had been despoiled of. He revived the law by which a written report of the proceedings of the criminal court should be submitted to him every ten days. Years before this in the days of King Sŭ-jong Japanese had been permitted to settle in the three harbors, namely Ch’e-p’o, Yum-p’o and Pu-san-p’o. They were now having a difficult time. The prefects were oppressing them sadly, forcing them to work without wages and stealing their fish or game. This they could not endure; so two of their number, Ko-jo-mo and Ko-su-jang passed over to the islands of Tsushima and raised an expedition against the oppressive prefects. Two hundred boat loads of them crossed the straits and fell upon Fusan, killed its prefect, attacked Ch’è Harbor and took its prefect alive. They carried fire and sword into all that region. They ravaged the prefectures of Ung-ch’ŭn and Tong-nă. The King sent a strong force by land and sea who cut off the retreat of the invaders and then attacked them. Three thousand were soon put _hors de combat_ and many hundreds were chased into the sea where they were drowned. From this time, 1512, until 1572 diplomatic relations with Japan were practically suspended, though an occasional envoy came. A small number of Japanese boats were however allowed to come to the three harbors for the purpose of trade. Access to the court was strictly denied them. King Chung-jong was as active in matters of reform as had been his father or grandfather. He put an end to the cruel custom of houghing robbers. He limited the number of blows that could be administered in the cross-examination of criminals. He published 2940 volumes of the Sam-gang-hăng-sil and circulated them among the people as well as another work on filial piety. He made a foundling asylum, or at least made provision for the support of abandoned children. The custom of punishing by striking the legs with short, thick clubs was done away, for this process was almost sure to shatter the bone.