Kyŏng Tae-sŭng

Kyŏng Tae-sŭng (1154 – 4 August 1183) was the third of many military dictators who ruled during the late period of the Goryeo. Unlike his predecessors, General Kyŏng was determined to fix Goryeo's problems and help the people prosper. His popularity with the people aroused the jealousy of King Myeongjong of Goryeo. His military dictatorship over Goryeo signified a brief period of peace within the war-ravaged kingdom.

Background
General Kyŏng Tae-sŭng was born to Kyŏng Chin into the Cheongju Kyŏng clan in the year 1154. At the time of his birth, the warrior-class of the nation was highly undermined and deprived of the luxuries that its civilian and scholar counterparts were able to see excessively. The young Kyŏng began his military training at the age of 15, and served under the regimes of both Yi Ŭi-bang and Chŏng Chung-bu. When his father died, he took charge of his household and began helping the poor, and made the decision of using the private army, Tobang that his father had built.

Dictator
In 1179, the young General Kyŏng led a revolt against the current-reigning dictator Chŏng Chung-bu, killing his son and son-in-law in the process of overthrowing the regime. At the age of 26, Kyŏng had overthrown the powerful Chŏng military regime and had become the undisputed military dictator of Goryeo. The greatest help to Kyŏng was his lifelong friend General Kim Cha-gyŏk, who wanted to put Kyŏng on the Imperial throne. Kyŏng did not allow such things to overcome his original purpose for taking power. Kyŏng Tae-sŭng became very popular among the people and received the name, "Righteous, young general." Emperor Myeongjong became jealous of Kyŏng's popularity and power, and rejected the young general as merely another bloodthirsty barbaric warrior who was greedy for power. Despite efforts to restore peace, Kyŏng was faced with assassination attempts, the most notable being an attempt by his friend Kim Cha-gyŏk to poison him. This attempt failed and Kyŏng was the military dictator of Goryeo for five years until he became ill (possibly tuberculosis) that eventually killed him.

Death and aftermath
Kyŏng Tae-sŭng died in August 1183. With the death of Kyŏng, Yi Ŭi-bang's former lieutenant Yi Ŭi-min returned to Kaesong and took power over Goryeo, undoing Kyŏng's legacy.

Popular culture

 * Portrayed by Park Yong-woo in the 2003-2004 KBS TV series Age of Warriors.