Battle of Illicheon

Battle of Illicheon was fought in September 936 (the 19th year of King Taejo of Goryeo) between the Goryeo army and the Later Baekje army at Illicheon (一利川, present-day Indong-dong, Gumi) in Ilseon County (一善郡). Goryeo won an overwhelming victory over Later Baekje. In this battle, the Later Baekje army, seeing Gyeonhwon (甄萱) fighting on the Goryeo side, lost its morale sharply, and soldiers surrendered to the Goryeo army in large numbers, leading to a crushing defeat. Singeom's Later Baekje army fled to Hwangsanbeol, which led to the Battle of Hwangsan. However, alarmed by the strength and majesty of the pursuing Goryeo army, they ultimately surrendered. Later Baekje thus fell, and the outcome was that Wang Geon, Taejo of Goryeo, achieved the unification of the Later Three Kingdoms.

Among the Later Baekje army, 5,700 soldiers were beheaded and 3,200 soldiers were captured. Goryeo sent the captured soldiers home, and escorted 40 generals to the capital, where they were executed. Yanggeom and Yonggeom were exiled and then killed, and the commander Singeom was spared. Gyeonhwon, unable to contain his rage and grief, soon died.

Goryeo army deployment at Illicheon

Overall command: Wang Geon, Gyeonhwon

Left Gang (左綱)

• Daesang (大相) Gyeon Gwon (堅權), Sulhui (述希), Hwangbo Geumsan (皇甫金山) Wonyun (元尹) Gang Yuyeong (康柔英) and others, cavalry of 10,000
• Jicheongun (支天軍) Daejanggun (大將軍) Wonyun Neungdal (能達), Gieon (奇言), Han Sunmyeong (韓順明), Heunak (昕岳), Jeongjo (正朝) Yeongjik (英直), Gwangse (廣世) and others, infantry of 10,000

Central army (中軍)

• Myeongju Daegwang (溟州大匡) Wang Sunsik (王順式), Daesang Geungjun (兢俊), Wang Ryeom (王廉), Wang Ye (王乂), Wonbo (元甫) Inil (仁一) and others, cavalry of 20,000
• Daesang Yu Geum-pil (庾黔弼), Wonyun Gwanmu (官茂), Gwan Heon (官憲) and others, Heuksu (黑水), Dalgo (達姑), Cheollyuk (鐵勒) Jebeon¹ Gyeonggi (諸蕃勁騎) cavalry of 9,500