Ureuk (?～?)

Musician during the reign of King Jinheung of Silla. One of three great musical artists of Korea.

Originally, he comes from Garaguk. King Gasil manufactured the Gaya harp after the model of a musical instrument of the Tang Dynasty. Then, he ordered Ureuk from Seongyeol-hyeon to compose 12 tunes, saying that “Since every state has its own dialect, the vocal sounds cannot be unified.” In the present, only the names of 12 tunes remain. As Gayaguk became in disorder Ureuk exiled to Silla with the Gaya harp around 551 and found favour with King Jinheung of Silla.

After exile he mainly worked in Gukwonso-gyeong (nowadays, Chungju). In these days, there is Geumhyupo under the Daemunsan in Chungju. Tan-geumdae which is known as a place where he played the Gaya harp is also found in the Daemunsan.

The 12 tunes compose by Ureuk were Hagarado, Sangarado, Bogi, Dalgi, Samul, Murye, Hagimul, Sajagi, Geoyeol, Saparye, Isa and Sanggimul. The twelve tunes have a character of local folk songs because most of the names of the tunes are similar to those of gun and hyeon.

The basic historical materials are found from Samguksagi (Historical Record of the Three Kingdoms) Vol. 4 and Dongguk-yeojiseunglam.

King Yinoe (Period of Reign: ?～?)

The ninth king of Daegaya.

He is called Yibulijiga. He is the eighth generation offspring of Noejiljuil (King Yijinasi or Naejinjuji), the founder of Daegaya. His wife is a daughter (or sister) of Yichan Bijibae (or Bijobu). In the sixth century when Daegaya was attacked by Baekje and Silla, Daegaya attempted to promote friendly relations to Silla.

In 522 (the ninth year of the reign of King Beopheung), King Yinoe proposed and accepted a daughter (or sister) of Bijibae as his queen. Silla first sent the royal prince with 100 chamberlains. As their courses of action become an issue, the relationship between the two countries became uncomfortable. Hereupon, Silla claimed Daegaya to return the queen, but this was refused. In 524 King Yinoe met King Jinheung who was making a tour of the south borderline of Silla.

Lee Seung-hyu (1224～1300)

Civil minister and scholar in the late Goryeo period.

He is the writer of Jewang-ungi which is one of the three history books of the Goryeo period. He comes from Gary-hyeon(nowadays, Seongsan-myeon of Goryeong-gun) of Gyeongsan-bu (nowadays, Seongju). He has two bynames: Hyuhyu and Dong-an-geosa.

Lee Seung-hyu lost his father in his childhood. He passed the civil service examination during the reign of King Gojong, but had no intention to take a government post. He thus went to the mother’s maiden family in Gudong nearby the Dutasan (in Samcheok of Gangwond-do) and participated in farming for ten years, supporting his widowed mother. He was naturally honest and was not greedy. He adhered also to Buddhism deeply.

During the reign of King Wonjong, he came out to Gaegyeong (the capital city of Goryeo) and became a civil servant (Do-byeongma-noksa). He put forth a good opinion which contributed to the suppression of Sambyeolcho (name of a rebel army). He also presented a petition (which includes the solutions to save people from distress) to the king, but the petition was not accepted.

When Sunan-gong Jong visited Won state, he went along with him as Seojanggwan (a diplomatic official). He won literary fame in Yeon-gyeong. During the reign of King Chungryeol, he became Gamchal-eosa (an official who inspects people’s lives) and tightened official discipline. Also, when he served Wusagan (an official who inspects the misbehaviour of officials) he strengthened the discipline of officials by punishing seven dishonest officials.

After that, he presented a petition (which mentioned social problems) to the king, but was dismissed from his government office. Then, he returned to Gudong in the Dutasan where he lived for another ten years and wrote Jewang-ungi. He became a favorite of King Chungryeol in the last phase of his life and greatly contributed to the reform of national administrations. He died in 1300 (the twenty sixth year of the reign of King Chungryeol) at age 77.

Shin Suk (?～1160)

Civil minister in the early Goryeo period. His ancestral home is Goryeong.

He passed myeong-gyeong-gwa (a kind of state examination) in the reign of King Injong. He was well-known as his integrity and faithfulness. He did not pass over a wrong matter in silence, and thus impeached the arbitrariness of eunuches. In the early reign of King Uijong he discussed current affairs with Song Cheong at the honoured gate for three days, but did not get any answer from the king. He resigned from his government post on the pretext of disease.

In 1152 (the sixth year of the reign of King Yejong) when he was appointed Uganuidaebu, Yun Eon-mun as an eunuch was excessively extravagant. Yun Eon-mun collected queer stones and built a bogus mountain at the north garden of Suchanggung. Shin Suk therefore presented a petition with Geupsajung Lim Gyeong and requested the king to dismiss Yun Eon-mun from his official post. This incident is well-known.

In 1158 (the twelth of the reign of King Uijong), he performed a sacrificial rite with Pyeongjangsa Choe Yun-ui and Dongjichumilwonsa Kim Yeong-bu and prayed for rain at the Sangchunjeong. In June of the same year when Jeong Ham, an eunuch, was appointed to a government office (Gwonjihammunjihu) he presented a petition with Kim Yang, Yu Gong-jae, Hong Won-cheok, Kim U-beon and Heo Se-su and demonstrated its impropriety. Since they did not get any answer from the king, Sin Suk entered the palace and demonstrated it once again.

However, he was hated because of the impeachment incident and was demoted as Susa-gongsangseo-ubokya. In the next year he resigned from the official post and came back to his hometown. After a while he was summoned and promoted as Chamjijeongsa.

Kim Myeon (1541～1593)

Head of a volunteer militia and scholar during the reign of King Seonjo in Joseon. His ancestral home is Goryeong.

He has two bynames: Jihae and Song-am. He comes from Goryeong. His father is Gyeongwonbusa Semun and his mother from the Gimhae Kim clan is a daughter of Pan-gwan Jungson. When he was young he studied under Jo Sik and learnt Sung Confucianism from Yi Hwang.

In 1592 (the twenty fifth year of the reign of King Seonjo) when the Japanese army invaded Joseon, he raised a volunteer militia with Jo Jong-do, Gwak Jun and Mun Wi in Geochang and Goryeong in May. His army stood face to face with one hundred thousand of Japanese invaders in Wuji. He completely defeated the vanguard of the invaders with Jinju Moksa (magistrate of Jinju) Kim Si-min in Jirye. Due to the great victory he was appointed Hapcheon Gunsu (head of Hapcheon-gun).

Later, he also defeated the Japanese army in Mugye and was appointed Cheomjisa in September. In November, he was officially recognized as the head of the voluntary force, by receiving a message from the throne. At that time, King Seonjo ordered him to protect the king with his army because the king recognized his merits which recovered Goryeong, Geumsan and Uiryeong. However, the king could not but order him to stay there, for so many people sobbingly claimed their protection and Gwanchalsa Kim Seong-il also presented a military report.

In January 1593, he was appointed Gyeongsang-udo-byeongmajeoldosa (military commander of Gyeongsang-udo) His army was stationed in Geumsan with the volunteer militia of Chungcheong-do and Jeolla-do and was preparing to defeat the enemy. At this moment, he became ill and died, leaving a will forbidding to announce his death. Several generalissimos did not announce his death according to his will.

After coming back to Sinchang, they announced his death. Many soldiers wailed and the general public grieved extremely. Gwanchalsa Kim Seong-il sent a military report to the government. The king also grieved and sent a government office for his sacrificial rite. He was posthumously honored Byeongjo-panseo (Minster of War) and Jiuigeumbusa.

He had an intimate relationship with Jeong Gu and had indomitable integrity. His mortuary tablet was installed at the Doamsa in Goryeong. In 1607, he was recorded in the Seonmu-wonjonggong and was posthumously honored Yijo-panseo (Minister of Personnel). He left Song-amsilgi (Veritable Record of Song-am) which consists of a book in three volumes.

Nam Hyeong-u (1874～1943)

He comes from Goryeong and is a grandson’s grandson of Nam Seok-gu (period of reign: 1824～26) who governed well as Goryeong Hyeon-gam. He was born in Naesang-dong in Goryeong-eup. His title is Suseok. He graduated from the Boseong Professional School by the exhortation of Lee Du-hun. He worked for the school as a superintendent, vice-principal, and principal one after another. He exerted himself in raising men of ability by organizing and managing the Gyonam Education Association.

In 1909 when he was a student of the Boseong Professional School, he organized a secret association, Daedong-cheongyeondan (the Daedong Youth Party) with An Hui-jae, Kim Dong-sam, Yun Byeong-ho, Seo Sang-il and Park Jung-hwa. On January 15th of 1915, he also organized Joseon-gukgwon-hoebokdan (the Corps for Restoration of National Rights of Joseon) in the Anilam (name of a small Buddhist temple) situated in Suseong-gu of Daegu-si. This organization was outward named Sihoe (the Poets’ Association).

When the 3ㆍ1 Independence Movement happened, he actively led the demonstration in Changwon of Gyeongsangnam-do. He sent the independence movement funds that Bae Sang-yeon, Seo Sang-gwon and Seo Sang-ho collected in Korea to the Provisional Government in Shanghai through Seo Sang-il. Also, he took charge of conveying the funds of the Corps for Restoration of National Rights of Joseon.

After the 3ㆍ1 Independence Movement, he went to the Provisional Government in Shanghai and worked for it as Minster of Transportation, Minster of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs. In 1921, he organized the Sindaehan-dongmaeng-dan (the New Korean League Corps) and actively unfolded anti-Japanese movement. In 1922, he integrated the independence movement organizations by establishing Gukmin-daepyohoe-junbiwiwonhoe (the Arrangements Committee for Meeting of the People’s Representatives).

In 1925, he continued to unfold anti-Japanese movement with Bae Cheon-taek and Won Se-hun in Peking. He collected independence movement funds and devoted all his energies to assassinate wicked pro-Japanese people by organizing Damluldan which means the association of people who shut a mouth and keep a secret.

In 1928, he moved to Harbin in Manchuria and endeavored to educate Korean people and to enhance their spirit of independence by managing a private academy. He was arrested by the Japanese police and was forcibly convoyed to his hometown. His health got worse due to overwork and disease in Manchuria and the vigil of the Japanese imperialists became more and more severe. Eventually, he committed suicide by taking poison on March 13th of 1943.

In 1983, the Korean government awarded him the National Foundation Medal. In 1984, the patriotic martyrdom monument which extols his merits was built in Daegaya Park.

Kim Sang-deok (1891～?)

Independence movement leader and politician.

Kim Sang-deok was born in Jeojeon-ri of Goryeong-eup on December 10 of 1891. His title is Yeongju. He is the twelfth generation offspring of Gijae Kim Su-ong. He was bright from his childhood and learnt Chinese writing from Lee Du-hun, the schoolmaster of the Naegok Seodang (Nagok schoolhouse for the study of Chinese classics).

In 1917, he went to Japan. He graduated from the Jeongchik English Language School in Tokyo and entered the Waseda University. While he studied in Japan he came to be highly indignant of the miserable reality of Korean people. In 1918, he organized the Jaeilbon-donggyeong-joseon-cheongyeon-donglipdan (Joseon’s Youth Independence Corps in Tokyo of Japan) with Joseon overseas students.

In 1919, he was elected representative of the organization and the executive member of the Joseon-jajudonglipdan (the Corps for Autonomous Independence of Joseon). On February 8th of 1919, when he announced the resolution of the 2ㆍ8 Independence Declaration written by Joseon’s Youth Independence Corps, Kim Sang-deok (the representative of the Declaration) was arrested by the Japanese police and was imprisoned for seven and a half months.

He was released from prison in the next year and then exiled to Shanghai to unfold an independence movement. In 1927, he moved the headquarter of the independence movement to Gillimseong and became a founding member of Joseon-donglip-wundongja-huwonhoe (the Society for the Support of People Working for Independence of Joseon).

Then, he organized the Chaekjinhoe with Kim Jwa-jin and Lee Cheong-cheon. In addition, he acted as an executive member of the Hanguk-donglipdan (the Corps for Independence of Korea) and the representative of the Jujungcheong-yeonhoe (the Korean Youth Association in China).

As the Provisional Government in Shanghai moved to Junggyeong in 1937, he moved to the Son-ga Garden in Sacheon-seong and continued to unfold fights to save the motherland with Kim Gyu-sik. In 1942, he became the Government’s minister who takes charge of educational affairs. In August 1945 when Joseon was liberated from Japan, he came back to Korea with Kim Gu, president of the Government. At that time, he was the Government’s minister who takes charge of cultural affairs.

In 1947, he acted as a member of the Transitional Legislative Council, on the one hand, and devoted his energies to his old school, the Gyeongsin Middle and High school, as its principal, on the other hand. In 1948, in the general election he was elected as a member of the Constitutional Assembly who drafted the constitution. He was appointed head of the Special Investigation Committee of Anti-National Action and devoted his energies to purge pro-Japanese force.

He was kidnapped by North Korea during the Korean War and died in Byeokdong of Gwanseo. The Korean government awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation. In 1993, Goryeong-gun people built his vestige monument in the foot of the Jusan.