Yi Gu-chim

Yi Gu-chim (李龜琛, 1514 – 1592) was a military officer of the mid-Joseon period. He was the great-grandson of Prince Sudo-gun Deok-saeng, the seventh son of King Jeongjong. His family seat was Jeonju.

After serving as Seonjeongwan (宣傳官) and Dosa (都事) of the Dochongbu, he became the magistrate (hyeongam) of Ungcheon. He later held posts including Yukjo Nangcheong (六曹郞廳), Naval Commander of Gyeongsang Right Province (慶尙右道水軍節度使), and Military Commander of Pyeongan Province (平安道兵馬節度使). He died in the Imjin War and was posthumously conferred the title of Minister of War (兵曺判書). His maternal grandson was Yi Bok-nam (李福男), who fought in the Battle of Ungchi and the Battle of Namwon Fortress.

생애

Yi Gu-chim was born in Hanseong in 1514, the son of Posthumously conferred Gunsan-gun Geum-son (群山君 金孫), who was the grandson of Prince Sudo-gun Deok-saeng (守道君 德生) and great-grandson of King Jeongjong's seventh son. His mother was the daughter of Kim Maeng-seo (金孟瑞).

While serving as a Seonjeongwan, in the 31st year of King Jungjong's reign (1536), he was ordered by the king to go with Hongmungwan Jeongja Yi Seung-hyo (李承孝) and Geomyeol Hong Chun-nyeon (洪春年) to the Seonggyungwan and the Four Schools, and in the seventh month he brought back the attendance records (到記) of the Confucian students.

Later, while serving as an examiner in the military examination, he was removed from his post for having used his influence in writing the examination results. In 1536 (the 31st year of Jungjong), the king asked him about battle formations (陣法), but he could not answer.

He afterward rose to the post of Dosa of the Dochongbu, but in 1543 (the 38th year of Jungjong) he was dismissed after being found to have accepted private requests and done favors for an applicant. He was then impeached and dismissed for ignoring the funeral of Jeongnang (正郞) Yi Yeong-seong (李永成), his brother-in-law by marriage. The Saheonbu impeached him, saying: "Not long after he was removed from his post for using his influence as an examiner, he was suddenly reinstated to a regular position, which shows no real sense of punishment. Moreover, the late Jeongnang Yi Yeong-seong was Gu-chim's brother-in-law. When he died, Gu-chim did not visit even once, and on the day of the coffin's closing he gathered guests and held a feast, behaving with utter disrespect. Although brothers-in-law by marriage are distant relatives without any blessing, they should be treated as members of the same family in mourning, yet he regarded it as if he were watching a passerby. His conduct has reached this point, and it is clearly wrong. He should be dismissed from office." The king approved and he was dismissed.