Mok Haeng-seon

Mok Haeng-seon (睦行善, 1609 – 1661) was a Korean civil official and politician of the Joseon period. His courtesy name was Haengji (行之), his art name was Namgan, and his family seat was Sacheon (泗川). He served as Seonggyungjeon jeokjo (Sungkyunkwan Archivist), Ye-jo jwarang (Ministry of Rites Secretary), Jipyeong of the Office of the Inspector-General, Suchan of the Hongmun-gwan, Daesaseong (Sungkyunkwan Chancellor), Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War, Daesagan (Grand Remonstrator), Seungji (Royal Secretariat Secretary), Governor of Hwanghae Province, and vice minister of the Ministry of Rites.

Life

He was born the son of Mok Jang-heum (睦長欽) and became the adopted son of his uncle Mok Dae-heum (睦大欽), who was vice minister of the Ministry of Works.

In 1630 (8th year of Injo) he became a jinsa (Licentiate). In 1633 (11th year of Injo), he passed the civil service examination of the regular year and ranked first in the top grade (gap) of the palace examination. He served as Seonggyungwan jeonjeok (Sungkyunkwan Archivist), Secretary of the Ministry of Rites concurrently as a recording official, and Jije-gyo (drafter of royal edicts), taking part in the compilation of national histories. He then served as Secretary of the Ministry of War and, as Governor's Assistant of Gyeonggi Province, distinguished himself during the Manchu invasion of 1636–1637. In 1637 (15th year of Injo), while serving as Jipyeong of the Office of the Inspector-General, he was criticized in a memorial by Kim Si-yang (金時讓), a Jisa (Magistrate). On the basis of this, officials of the Okdang requested the resignation of the Office's officials, and Injo accepted and dismissed them.¹ That same year he was reinstated, but due to illness he resigned as Jipyeong in June of that year, and in December he was appointed Suchan of the .