Choe Rok

Choe Rok (崔祿, 1325 – 1362?) was a military officer of late Goryeo.

Life

His family seat was Tongcheon (通川), and he was born in the 12th year of King Chungsuk (1325). His birth name was Chiyeon (致淵). His son was the renowned general Choe Un-hae, who gained fame for suppressing Japanese pirates in the late Goryeo and early Joseon periods, and his grandson was Choe Yun-deok, who during the reign of King Sejong subjugated Tsushima, opened the Four Commanderies, and served as Left State Councillor.

He passed the military examination during the Goryeo period, and his official career went through the post of Left and Right Guards Junior Central Commander, and during the reign of King Chungsuk he was Hogun. In the reign of King Gongmin, the title of Janggun was changed to Hogun. The Tongcheon Choe clan genealogy records him as Sanghogun, which is thought to be an error in which the later rank of Sanghogun was mistakenly recorded.

In 1354 (2nd year of King Gongmin), the Yuan dynasty requested Goryeo to send an auxiliary force to suppress the rebellion led by Zhang Shicheng in the Shandong region of China, and he was dispatched to the Yuan dynasty with 2,000 troops together with Yu Tak, Yeom Je-sin, and Choe Yeong. In 1355 (3rd year of King Gongmin), upon returning from the Yuan, he was granted by King Gongmin the name Rok (祿) in recognition of his merit in defeating Zhang Shicheng at the Battle of Goou, with the words "The public merit of the state was not in vain." Afterward, as Goryeo suffered repeated internal and external troubles, the Tongcheon Choe clan genealogy records that he served as Sanghogun, Governor-General of Taewon, and Pyeongjangsa of the Secretariat-Chancellery. Other records also state that he served as Daejanggun.

He took part in the fighting when the Red Turban bandits invaded Goryeo and achieved military merit. For his contribution in repelling the Red Turban bandits during the first invasion in 1359, he received the title of Meritorious Subject of Great Righteousness. Then, during the second Red Turban invasion in 1361, he contributed to repelling them but died of wounds sustained during the campaign.

Meanwhile, the old Tongcheon Choe clan genealogy records that he survived until the age of 81. However, given that the military man who had even received a name from the king does not appear in later records amid the chaotic domestic situation of late Goryeo, it appears that he died during the second Red Turban invasion, contrary to the genealogy's account. The records that his son Choe Un-hae was recruited through the hereditary privilege system five years after the Red Turban invasion, and that he was recruited to honor the merit of his father "Choe Rok." However, the term "honor" (기리다) is a term used for the dead, and furthermore, it is recorded that when the son's wife, of the , died of illness in 1382, she could not care for her son Choe Yun-deok due to military duties and entrusted him to the outcaste Yangsucheok. If the old genealogy's account were followed, his grandfather Choe Rok would naturally have appeared, yet no such record exists anywhere.