Sim Ui-myeon

Sim Ui-myeon (沈宜冕, 1808 – 1865) was a civil official of the late Joseon period. His courtesy name was Jugyeong (周卿), and his family seat was Cheongsong. During the reign of Gojong, he was the father of Sim I-taek (沈履澤), who served as Minister of Personnel and Minister of Home Affairs. He was also the younger brother of Sim Ui-won (沈宜元), who served as Minister of Works under Gojong. He mocked and despised the Heungseon Daewongun, and was ruined after Gojong took the throne.

After passing the civil service examination, he was dispatched as a Secret royal inspector to Hwanghae Province in 1842 (8th year of King Heonjong). He then held key posts in the Three Offices, becoming a Responsible Reader (應教) of the Hongmun-gwan in 1848. After Cheoljong took the throne, he was promoted to Royal secretary of the Royal Secretariat. In 1855 (6th year of Cheoljong), he became Vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and in 1860 he became Minister of the Ministry of Justice. In 1864 (1st year of Gojong), he became Chief Commissioner of the Uigeumbu, but he was exiled as part of the political retribution of the Heungseon Daewongun and died at his place of exile.

Life

He was a collateral descendant of Queen Insun, consort of King Myeongjong. He was the 11th-generation descendant of Sim Gang (沈鋼), Prince Cheongreung, and the 10th-generation descendant of Sim Gang's son Sim In-gyeom. He was the 9th-generation great-grandson (從9代孫) of Sim Ui-gyeom and Sim Chung-gyeom, the founding leaders of the faction. His lineage was later Westerner, and when the Westerners split into and , his ancestors became Noron. When the matter of arose, the Noron split into and , and his family joined the Byeokpa faction of the Noron. His grandfather , a senior figure of the Noron Byeokpa, strongly opposed 's appointment of figures.