Kim Jong-seo (김종서, 金宗瑞; 1383 – 10 November 1453) was a prominent military official and politician of the early

Joseon Dynasty Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...

. His ancestral home was

Suncheon Suncheon () (''Suncheon-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. It is a scenic agricultural and industrial city of around 250,000 people near Suncheon Bay. It is located in the southeastern corner of Jeollanam-do, just over an hour ...

(順天). He was also known under the names Gukgyeong (國卿) and Jeoljae (節齋), and his posthumous name is Chungik (忠翼). In 1405, he passed the state examination and became a rank 13 official. He served

King Sejong the Great Sejong of Joseon (15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), personal name Yi Do ( Korean: 이도; Hanja: 李祹), widely known as Sejong the Great ( Korean: 세종대왕; Hanja: 世宗大王), was the fourth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Initi ...

as a general during the campaign against the

Jurchens Jurchen (Manchu language, Manchu: ''Jušen'', ; zh, 女真, ''Nǚzhēn'', ) is a term used to collectively describe a number of East Asian people, East Asian Tungusic languages, Tungusic-speaking peoples, descended from the Donghu people. They ...

. In 1453, he was assassinated on the order of Prince Suyang along with his two sons. His tomb is located near

Sejong City Sejong (; ), officially the Sejong Special Self-Governing City (), is a special self-governing city and ''de facto'' administrative capital of South Korea. Sejong was founded in 2007 as the new planned capital of South Korea from many parts of ...

Biography

Early life

Kim Jong-Seo was born in 1383 in Yanggwang-do, Gongju as the son of Kim Su and Lady Bae of the Seongju Bae clan. He was the second of 3 brothers. All three siblings achieved successful political careers: his older brother Kim Jonghan was a high-ranking official, and his younger brother Kim Jongheung was the magistrate of

Yangju Yangju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Yangju is located south of Dongducheon and north of Uijeongbu, not far from Seoul. History * 1395 - Renamed to Yangju. * January 1, 1963 - Uijeongbu is separated and becomes a city. * Apr ...

Career

He passed the state examination in 1405 and in 1411 he was posted as a royal inspector to Gangwon Province. In 1433, he was sent by

to conquer the

Manchu The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and ...

. Kim's military campaign captured several castles, pushed north, and restored Korean territory roughly to the present-day border between North Korea and China.Reference 1 박영규 (2008). 한권으로 읽는 세종대왕실록. 웅진, 지식하우스. .

The campaigns against the Jurchens

The tribe of

Wild Jurchens The Wild Jurchens () or Haidong Jurchens () were a group of the Jurchens as identified by the Ming Dynasty. They were the northernmost group of the Jurchen people (the other being the Jianzhou Jurchens and Haixi Jurchens). In the 14th century, the ...

(Yeren, 野人) often crossed the Tumen and Yalu rivers and made marauding incursions through the Joseon border. Since the times of the

Goryeo Dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...

, they have been conciliatory efforts through trade as well as attempted suppression of the raiders by force, but the border conflicts did not cease. Early in the Joseon Dynasty, the northern part of Yeongbyeon county was lost to the Jurchen invaders. To solve the issue once for all, in 1433, King Sejong sent General Choi Yun-deok to suppress the Yeren in the Yalu River Basin. In October of the same year, Kim Jong-seo led another expedition to the northern part of Hamgyeong province, where he defeated the Jurchens and strengthened the borders against future attacks.

Later life and death

Following King Sejong's death, Grand Prince Suyang's ill brother, Munjong took the throne but soon died. The crown passed to his 12-year-old son,

Danjong Danjong of Joseon (18 August 1441 – 17 November 1457), personal name Yi Hong-wi (Korean: 이홍위; Hanja: 李弘暐), was the sixth ruler of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. He was forced to abdicate by his uncle, Grand Prince Suyang (the futu ...

. The new king was too young to rule the nation and all political processes were controlled by then- Chief State Councilor

Hwangbo In Hwangbo In (1387–10 November 1453) was a Joseon Dynasty politician who was Chief State Councillor from 1450 to 1453 during the era of King Munjong and King Danjong. As the King Danjong was 12 years old when the latter succeeded as King, Hwa ...

and General Kim Jongseo. As Kim Jongseo and his faction, which included Danjong's guardian

Princess Gyeonghye Princess Gyeonghye (1436 – 17 January 1474), also known before as Princess Pyeongchang before her marriage, was a Joseon princess and the eldest child of Munjong of Joseon. She served as guardian for her only younger brother, Danjong of Joseon, ...

, used the chance to extend the power of court officials against many royal family members, the tension between Kim and Suyang greatly increased; not only Suyang himself, but his younger brother, Grand Prince Anpyeong, also sought an opportunity to take control of the kingdom. Suyang surrounded himself with trusted allies, including his famous adviser,

Han Myeong-hoe Han Myeong-hoe (Hangul: 한명회, Hanja: 韓明澮; 26 November 1415 – 28 November 1487) was a Korean politician and soldier during the Joseon period. He was the most trusted tactician of Grand Prince Suyang during the 1453 coup and the subs ...

, who was the father of two queens:

Queen Jangsun Queen Jangsun (; 22 February 1445 - 5 January 1462), of the Cheongju Han clan, personal name was Han Naeng-Yi (한냉이) and also known as Crown Princess Consort Jangsun (장순빈) during her lifetime. She was the first wife of Yejong of Joseo ...

, the daughter-in-law of

Queen Jeonghui Queen Jeonghui (Hangul: 정희왕후, Hanja: 貞熹王后; 8 December 1418 – 6 May 1483), of the Papyeong Yun clan, was a posthumous name bestowed on the wife and queen of Yi Yu, King Sejo. She was Queen of Joseon from 1455 until her husband's ...

and

King Sejo Sejo of Joseon (2 November 1417 – 23 September 1468), personal name Yi Yu (Korean: 이유; Hanja: 李瑈), sometimes known as Grand Prince Suyang (Korean: 수양대군; Hanja: 首陽大君), was the seventh ruler of the Joseon dynasty of K ...

, and

Queen Gonghye Queen Gonghye (Korean: 공혜왕후, Hanja: 恭惠王后; 8 November 1456 – 30 April 1474), of the Cheongju Han clan (Korean: 청주 한씨, Hanja: 淸州韓氏), was the first wife of King Seongjong, 9th monarch of Joseon. She was the Que ...

, the daughter-in-law of Queen Insu and King Deokjong. Han was also an 8th cousin of

Queen Insu Queen Sohye (舊1437-09-08 - 舊1504-04-27), of the Cheongju Han clan, was the only wife of Crown Prince Uigyeong. She never was the consort of a reigning king. Nevertheless, she was honored as Queen Insu (인수왕후) and later as Queen Dowager ...

. Han advised Suyang to take over the government in a coup, and in October 1453, he killed Kim Jongseo and his faction, thereby taking the reins of power into his own hands. After the coup he arrested his own brother, Anpyong, first sending him into exile, then putting him to death.

Family

* Great-Great-Grandfather ** Kim Tong-hae (김통해, 金通海) * Great-Grandfather ** Kim Ok (김욱, 金煜) * Grandfather ** Kim Tae-young (김태영, 金台泳) * Father ** Kim Su (김수, 金陲) or Kim Chu (김추, 金錘) * Mother ** Lady Bae of Seongju Bae clan (성주 배씨, 星州裵氏) *** Grandfather - Bae Gyu (배규, 裵規) * Siblings ** Older brother - Kim Jong-han (김종한, 金宗漢) ** Younger brother - Kim Jong-heung (김종흥, 金宗興) * Wives and their children ** Lady Yun of Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨, 坡平尹氏) *** Son - Kim Seung-gyu (김승규, 金承珪) **** Granddaughter - Lady Kim of the Suncheon Kim clan (순천 김씨) ***** Grandson-in-law - Sim Chi (심치, 沈淄) **** Grandson - Kim Jo-dong (김조동, 金祖同) **** Grandson - Kim Su-dong (김수동, 金壽同) *** Son - Kim Seung-byeok (김승벽, 金承璧) (? - 1453) **** Grandson - Kim Jung-nam (김중남, 金中南) ***** Great-Grandson - Kim Cha-dong (김차동) ****** Great Granddaughter-in-law - Yi Se-hui (이세희, 李世熺), Princess Uiryeong or Princess Uihwa (의령공주/의화공주) *** Son - Kim Seung-yu (김승유, 金承琉) **** Daughter-in-law - Lady Min of the

Yeoheung Min clan The Yeoheung Min clan () is a Korean clan that traces its origin to Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. The 2015 Korean Census counted 167,124 members of the Yeoheung Min clan. Origin The Yeoheung Min clan's progenitor was Min Ching-do (민칭도, 閔� ...

(여흥 민씨, 驪興閔氏) ***** Grandson - Kim Hyo-dal (김효달, 金孝達) ****** Granddaughter-in-law - Lady Jeong of the

Hanam Jeong clan Henan Jeong clan () is one of the Korean clans. Their Bon-gwan is in Henan, China. According to the research held in 2000, the number of Henan Jeong clan’s member was 7766. Their founder was who worked as ''Minister of the Guards'' () in Yuan d ...

(하남 정씨, 河南程氏) ******* Great-Grandson - Kim Seok-gyun (김석균, 金錫龜) ******* Great-Grandson - Kim Seok-rin (김석린, 金錫麟) *** Daughter - Lady Kim of the Suncheon Kim clan (순천 김씨) ** Unnamed concubine *** Son - Kim Mok-dae (김목대, 金目臺) *** Son - Kim Seok-dae (김석대, 金石臺) ** Concubine - Lady Yeo Jin-jok (여진족) — no issue.

Popular culture

* Portrayed by

Choi Il-hwa Choi Il-hwa (born May 9, 1959) is a South Korean actor. He joined the Madang Sesil Theatre Group in 1983, and has since continued acting in Korean theater, television and film. Filmography Film *'' No Tomorrow (2016) *''Wonderful Nightmare'' ...

in the 2011 SBS TV series ''

Deep Rooted Tree ''Deep Rooted Tree'' () is a 2011 South Korean television series starring Han Suk-kyu, Jang Hyuk and Shin Se-kyung. Based on the novel of the same name by Lee Jung-myung, it aired on SBS from 5 October to 22 December 2011 on Wednesdays and Thu ...

''. * Portrayed by Han In-soo in the 2011-2012

JTBC JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...

TV series ''

Insu, The Queen Mother ''Insu, the Queen Mother'' () is a 2011 South Korean historical television series, starring Chae Shi-ra, Hahm Eun-jung, Kim Young-ho, Kim Mi-sook, Baek Sung-hyun and Jeon Hye-bin. Focusing on the fierce power struggle among three women in the ro ...

''. * Portrayed by

Lee Soon-jae Lee Soon-jae (; born November 16, 1934) is a South Korean actor. He has had a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning over six decades, and was given a second-class Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit for his work as an actor. Early an ...

in the 2011 KBS2 TV series ''

The Princess' Man ''The Princess' Man'' () is a 2011 South Korean television series, starring Park Si-hoo, Moon Chae-won, Kim Yeong-cheol, Song Jong-ho, Hong Soo-hyun and Lee Soon-jae. It's a period drama about the forbidden romance between the daughter of Gra ...

''. * Portrayed by

Baek Yoon-sik Baek Yoon-sik (born 16 March 1947) is a South Korean actor. He is known for his characteristic near-expressionless facial acting. Career Baek Yoon-sik made his debut in 1970 on KBS TV. In the coming years he would appear in four films, taking l ...

in the 2013 film ''

The Face Reader ''The Face Reader'' (; lit. "Physiognomy") is a 2013 South Korean film starring Song Kang-ho as the son of a disgraced noble family who goes around Joseon and a ''gwansang'' expert. He is able to assess the personality, mental state and habits of ...

''.

Notes

References

Date of birth missing 1453 deaths Korean generals 1383 births 15th-century Korean poets {{Korea-bio-stub