Seongjong of Goryeo

Infobox Korean name
hangul=성종
hanja=成宗
rr=Seongjong
mr=Sŏngjong

Seongjong of Goryeo (960–997; r. 981–997) was the sixth emperor of the medieval Korean kingdom Goryeo. He was the second son of "Daejong", and a grandson of Emperor Taejo. He ascended the throne after Gyeongjong stepped down.

Seongjong set out to reform the Goryeo state and establish it as a centralised monarchy on a firmly Confucian foundation. In 983, he established the system of twelve "mok", the administrative divisions which prevailed for most of the rest of the Goryeo period. He also sent learned men to each of the "mok" to oversee local education. This was intended particularly as a way to integrate the country aristocracy into the new bureaucratic system.

In 993, the Khitan invaded Goryeo's northwest border with 800,000 troops. Minister Seo Hui volunteered to negotiate directly with khitan general Xiao Sunning. Minister Seo Hui obtained Khitan consent to allow the region up to the Yalu River to be incorporated into Goryeo territory. Seo Hui's brilliant diplomatic maneuver underscored his correct understanding of both the contemporary international situation and Goryeo's position in the region.

The Khitan withdrew and ceded territory to the east of the Yalu River when Goryeo agreed to end its alliance with Song China. However, Goryeo continued to communicate with Song, having strengthened its position by building fortress in the newly gained northern territories.

ee also

*List of Korea-related topics
*Rulers of Korea
*History of Korea
*First Goryeo-Khitan War

References

*Lee, K.-b. (1984). "A new history of Korea." Tr. by E.W. Wagner & E.J. Schulz, based on the Korean rev. ed. of 1979. Seoul: Ilchogak. ISBN 89-337-0204-0