Min Jong-do

Min Jong-do (閔宗道, 1633 ~ 1693) was a Korean scholar-official of the late Joseon period. His family seat was Yeoheung, and during the reign of King Sukjong he served as Minister of War (Byeongjo panseo), and he was close to Jang Hui-jae.

Life

In 1663, during the reign of King Hyeonjong, he passed the civil service examination and became Civil Examiner (Yeomyeol), then served as Daegyo, Bonggyo, and Jipyeong before becoming Jeongeon. He was again appointed Jipyeong, and after serving in turn as Jeongeon, Jipyeong, and Saseo, he was appointed Munhak. Soon after, he served as Jipyeong and Jeongeon, and in 1669 he was appointed magistrate of Suncheon County and left the capital for a provincial post. In 1670 he was appointed Sangui and returned to a central government post, and soon after he served in turn as Saseo, Jipyeong, Sujan, Heonnap, Bugyori, and Pilseon. In 1672 he became Seungji and attained senior official rank (dangsanggwan), and soon after served as Dongbu seungji and Ubu seungji. In 1674, after the Westerners (Seoin) were driven out, he served as Byeongjo chamji and Daesaseong, then after serving as Governor of Pyeongan Province (Pyeongando gwalchalsa), he served as Buje-hak and Daesagan, and in 1679 he became Doseungji. In the early part of the Southern Faction (Namin) ascendancy, as a member of the Tak Namin, he advocated a moderate line toward the Westerners. Afterward he served as Daesaheon and Buje-hak, and in 1680 he became Chamchan-gwan, but he was exiled due to the Gyeongsin Purge (Gyeongsin hwan-guk).

However, in 1689, after the Gisa Purge (Gisa hwan-guk), he was reinstated, and afterward he colluded with Min Am and Yi Ui-jing, who were relatives of Jang Hui-jae, and became close with Min Jang-do. As a hardline member of the Southern Faction, he insisted that Song Si-yeol, Kim Su-hang, and others be executed. He was then promoted to Ijo champ'an, and soon after served as Gongjo p'an'gyeong and Daesaheon, then again as Byeongjo p'an'gyeong, Daesaheon, and Yejo p'an'gyeong, concurrently serving as Dongji Gyeongyeonsa. Afterward he served as Ucham-chan, Jwa-chamchan, Daesaheon, Gongjo p'an'gyeong, and Byeongjo p'an'gyeong, and he also concurrently held the post of Geumwi Daejang. He died in 1693. However, in 1694, after the Gapsul Purge (Gapsul hwan-guk), his official rank and titles were stripped posthumously, and in 1701, in the Mugo Incident (Mugo ui ok), his son Min Eon-ryang was beheaded, and his entire clan was wiped out.