Pak Chin

This article is about politician from Joseon era. For South Korean foreign minister, see Park Jin.
In this Korean name, the family name is Pak.
Duke Ŭiyŏl

Pak Chin
Tomb of Pak Chin in Baekhak-myeon, Yeoncheon County
Born25th day, 8th month of 1560
Miryang, Joseon
Died30th day, 3rd month of 1597
Hwanghae Province, Joseon
Cause of deathBattery
Buried
Tomb of Pak Chin
Yeoncheon, South Korea
AllegianceJoseon
Conflicts
  • Imjin War
    • Battle of Sosan
    • Battle of Miryang
    • Siege of Yeongcheon
    • 2nd Siege of Gyeongju
    • 3rd Siege of Gyeongju
Awards3rd Wisŏng Merit Subjects (Deprived)
Korean name
Hangul
박진
Hanja
朴晉
RRBak Jin
MRPak Chin
Royal title
Hangul
응천군
Hanja
凝川君
RREungcheongun
MRŬngch'ŏn'gun
Courtesy name
Hangul
명부, 여회
Hanja
明夫, 汝晦
RRMyeongbu, Yeohoe
MRMyŏngbu, Yŏhoe
Posthumous name
Hangul
의열
Hanja
毅毅
RRUiyeol
MRŬiyŏl

Pak Chin (Korean: 박진; Hanja: 朴晉, 25th day, 8th month of 1560 – 30th day, 3rd month of 1597), was a Korean military leader of the mid-Joseon period.

Early life

Pak Chin was born on the 25th day, 8th month of 1560 in Miryang. He belonged to the Miryang Pak clan; His father, Pak Insu (박인수; 朴麟壽), served during the reign of King Myeongjong as Naval Commander (수군절도사; 水軍節度使[1]) and Army Commander (병마절도사; 兵馬節度使[2]) of Right Gyeongsang Province, among other posts.[3] His mother was a daughter of Kim Chadal (김자달; 金自達) of the Gangneung Kim clan.[4]

Coming from a military family, Pak received an early appointment by special recommendation and was named Royal Messenger (선전관; 宣傳官[5]).[6] In 1584, while holding the junior sixth rank, he sat for the special military service examination (별시무과; 別試武科[7]) and placed 68th with third-tier honors (병과; 丙科).[8]

In 1589, when the Border Defense Council recruited military officials without regard to regular appointment procedures, Pak was recommended by Sim Sugyŏng, then Minister of War, and was appointed accordingly.[9] He subsequently served as Vice Director (부정; 副正[10]) at the Office of Military Training (훈련원; 訓鍊院[11]) before being appointed Magistrate of Miryang in 1592.[12]

Imjin War

Outbreak of the Imjin War

On the 13th day, 4th month of 1592, Japanese forces landed on Chŏryŏngdo Island off the coast of Busan, marking the outbreak of the Imjin War.[13] The following day, they captured Busanjin Fortress and subsequently attacked Dadaejin Fortress and Dongnae Fortress in succession. Upon receiving news of the invasion, the Governor (관찰사; 觀察使[14]) of Gyeongsang Province, Kim Su, immediately issued a mobilization order throughout the province.[15]

At the time, Pak Chin was serving as Magistrate of Miryang and led the local troops toward Dongnae Fortress in accordance with the order.[16][17] However, on the evening of the 15th day, 4th month of 1592, while en route, he learned that Dongnae Fortress had fallen. He therefore withdrew and joined Yi Kak, the Army Commander of Left Gyeongsang Province, who had established a defensive position at Sosan Post Station (소산역; 蘇山驛[18]) after retreating from Dongnae.[19]

Sosan Post Station occupied rugged terrain advantageous for defense and controlled access to the Great Yeongnam Road beyond Dongnae.[20] Pak Chin emphasized to Yi Kak that failure to hold Sosan would result in the collapse of the Yeongnam defensive line and requested reinforcement from the rear.[21][22] Accordingly, a defensive formation was established in which Pak Chin led approximately 500 troops at the front while Yi Kak's forces provided support from the rear.[23] After fighting commenced on the evening of the 15th day, 4th month of 1592, the tide gradually turned against Pak Chin's forces, prompting Yi Kak to retreat to Eonyang.[24] With rear support cut off, Pak Chin also withdrew, passing through Yangsan before retreating to Miryang.[25]

Battle of Miryang

On the 16th day, 4th month of 1592, Pak Chin gathered the scattered remnants of his defeated troops and reorganized his forces, seeking to block the northward advance of the Japanese army in the vicinity of Chagwŏn (작원; 鵲院).[26] Chagwŏn was a strategic point situated at the terminus of the Chakch'ŏn gallery road, beyond the Hwangsan gallery road between Yangsan and Miryang, and contained both a checkpoint and a postal station.[27] Pak Chin deployed his troops near Chagwŏn'gwan and devised a defensive plan to impede the Japanese advance using the narrow cliff road.[23]

When the vanguard of the Japanese First Division led by Konishi Yukinaga was blocked by Joseon forces along the cliff road, the follow-up force led by Matsura Shigenobu attempted to outflank the position by ascending Mount Kŭmbyŏngsan (금병산; 金屛山) and cutting off the rear of Pak Chin's unit.[28] Upon recognizing this maneuver, Pak Chin dispatched his military officers Yi Taesu (이대수; 李大樹[29]) and Kim Hyou (김효우; 金孝友[29]) to Mount Kŭmbyŏngsan to intercept the enemy, but all of their troops were killed in battle after being overpowered.[30]

Following the engagements, the Joseon forces were encircled at Chagwŏn, and Pak Chin withdrew toward Miryang.[31] After setting fire to the government offices, arsenal, and grain stores of Miryang, he broke through the Japanese encirclement and retreated toward Yeongsan. The Japanese First Division subsequently occupied Miryang on the 18th day, 4th month of 1592.[32] Meanwhile, the Japanese Second Division captured Gyeongju on the 21st day, 4th month of 1592, and advanced to occupy Yeoncheon on the 23rd day, 4th month of 1592.[33]

After the Battle of Miryang, Pak Chin executed Confucian scholars of Eonyang who had attempted to collaborate with the Japanese forces, gathered intelligence on Japanese movements under the command of Kim Su, and joined the loyalist forces of Gyeongsang Province.[34]

Army Commander of Left Gyeongsang Province

Regarding his defeat in the early phase of the Imjin War, Yi Sugwang offered a critical assessment, arguing that Pak Chin had used the defense of the gallery road as a pretext to abandon the fortress and retreat.[35] In contrast, Kim Sŏngil evaluated his initial response more positively.[36] On the 6th day, 5th month of 1592, Yun Tusu recommended Pak Chin, together with Kim Sŏngil, to King Seonjo as a suitable candidate for the post of Army Commander. On the 10th day, 5th month of 1592, the Royal Messenger Min Chongsin (민종신; 閔宗信) likewise reported that the defeat might have been avoided had Yi Kak and Yu Sungin cooperated effectively.[37][38] Such defenses served to mitigate negative perceptions of Pak Chin, and in recognition of his military activities and contributions during the early stage of the war, he was promoted to Army Commander of Left Gyeongsang Province.[39]

Historian Kim Jin-su assesses that the post of Army Commander of Left Gyeongsang Province at that time constituted an exceptionally difficult assignment.[40] Owing to the war, the military and administrative command structure in Left Gyeongsang Province had collapsed, and the number of troops Pak Chin could effectively command was no more than fifty.[41][40] Moreover, because his predecessor Yi Kak had lost the official seal while abandoning the military camp, the legitimacy of his orders was called into question, creating further obstacles to the consolidation of command authority.[42]

In the latter half of the 5th month of 1592, Pak Chin was appointed Army Commander of Left Gyeongsang Province upon reaching Onyang with the loyalist forces of Gyeongsang Province.[43] In the middle of the 6th month of 1592, he crossed the Nakdong River at night with some thirty military officers, thereby entering Left Gyeongsang Province. At the same time, he announced his intention to proceed to Andong and ordered the magistrates of each locality to deploy ambush units and report on the military situation.[44] At Punggak, he gathered scattered civilians and secured approximately five hundred troops, then advanced northward toward Andong.[45] Upon arriving at Sinnyŏng, he appointed Kwŏn Ŭngsu as Auxiliary Defense Officer (조방장; 助防將).[46] In Cheongsong, he received the official seal from Han Hyosun, Magistrate of Yŏnghae, thereby establishing the legitimacy necessary for issuing commands.[47] Thereafter, passing through Cheongsong and Andeok, he reached Chinbo on the 5th day, 7th month of 1592.[48]

After consolidating his forces in the Chinbo and Cheongsong areas, Pak Chin drove out the Japanese troops occupying Andong.[49] He entered Andong on the 19th day, 7th month of 1592, and was granted military authority by the Regional Inspector (안집사; 安集使[50]) Kim Rŭk. At Kim's recommendation, he established the Military Headquarters of Left Gyeongsang Province there.[51] Thereafter, he stationed elite troops in Andong, repelled renewed Japanese incursions using artillery, and deployed forces along key routes in preparation for Japanese units advancing southward from the Gangwon region.[52][53]

Kim Jin-su evaluates Pak Chin's activities in Andong as having enabled the stabilization of public sentiment, the reestablishment of a command structure within Left Gyeongsang Province, and the reorganization of military strength.[49] Furthermore, he argues that the pattern of warfare in Left Gyeongsang Province shifted from localized, fragmented defense to a more organized and offensive counterattack phase, and that lines of communication with other regions, including the Right Gyeongsang Province, were also restored.[54][55]

Siege of Gyeongju

During the Imjin War, Pak Chin fought to recapture the city of Gyeongju from the Japanese invaders. His first attack was repelled, but he returned with a mortar and fired a delayed-action bomb over the wall. The Japanese evacuated the city rather than defend it against such mortars.[56]

Family

  • Grandfather
    • Pak Ŏn (박언)
  • Father - Pak Insu (박인수, 朴麟壽)
  • Mother - Lady Kim of the Gangneung Kim clan (증 정경부인 강릉 김씨)
    • Grandfather - Kim Chadal (김자달, 金自達)
  • Spouse(s)
    • Yun Hyesŏn (윤혜선), Lady Yun of the Papyeong Yun clan (파평 윤씨, 坡平 尹氏)
    • Lady Kim of the Andong Kim clan (안동 김씨)

See also

References

  1. ^ 조성도. 수군절도사 (水軍節度使) [Sugunjŏltosa]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  2. ^ 오종록. 병마절도사 (兵馬節度使) [Pyŏngmajŏltosa]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  3. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 246.
  4. ^ 박병련. 박진 [Pak Chin]. Encyclopedia of Korean Local Culture Miryang edition (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  5. ^ 민현구. 선전관 (宣傳官) [Sŏnjŏngwan]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  6. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 554.
  7. ^ 차미희. 별시 (別試) [Pyŏlsi]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-03.
  8. ^ 김진수 2016, pp. 554–555.
  9. ^ 김진수 2015, pp. 246–247.
  10. ^ 나영훈. 부정 (副正) [Pujŏng]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  11. ^ 민현구. 훈련원 (訓鍊院) [Hullyŏnwŏn]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-17.
  12. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 555.
  13. ^ 박순진 2021, p. 69.
  14. ^ 김웅호. 관찰사 (觀察使) [Kwanch'alsa]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
  15. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 247.
  16. ^ 박순진 2021, pp. 70–71.
  17. ^ 이호준 2010, p. 131.
  18. ^ 원경렬. 소산 (蘇山) [Sosan]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
  19. ^ 이호준 2010, pp. 134–135.
  20. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 556.
  21. ^ 금정문화원 2020, pp. 37–38.
  22. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 248.
  23. ^ a b 박순진 2021, p. 73.
  24. ^ 이호준 2010, p. 135.
  25. ^ 김진수 2015, pp. 248–249.
  26. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 249.
  27. ^ 이호준 2010, p. 136.
  28. ^ 박순진 2021, p. 74.
  29. ^ a b 김강식 2005, p. 335.
  30. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 558.
  31. ^ 이호준 2010, p. 137.
  32. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 250.
  33. ^ 이호준 2010, p. 166.
  34. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 559.
  35. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 251.
  36. ^ 김강식 2005, p. 336.
  37. ^ 김진수 2015, pp. 251–252.
  38. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 562.
  39. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 252.
  40. ^ a b 김진수 2015, p. 254.
  41. ^ 정해은 2014, p. 138.
  42. ^ 김진수 2012, pp. 16–17.
  43. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 253.
  44. ^ 김진수 2012, p. 15.
  45. ^ 김진수 2015, pp. 254–255.
  46. ^ 김진수 2012, p. 16.
  47. ^ 김진수 2012, p. 17.
  48. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 255.
  49. ^ a b 김진수 2015, p. 256.
  50. ^ 안집사 (安集使) [Anjipsa]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
  51. ^ 김진수 2012, p. 18.
  52. ^ 박순진 2021, p. 77.
  53. ^ 김진수 2016, p. 564.
  54. ^ 김진수 2015, p. 257.
  55. ^ 이왕무 2021, p. 179.
  56. ^ Turnbull, Stephen: Samurai Invasion. Japan's Korean War 1592–98 (London, 2002), Cassell & Co ISBN 0-304-35948-3

Sources

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