Sin Kak

Sin Kak (; died in 1592) was a Korean military leader of the mid-Joseon period. A member of the Pyongsan Sin clan, he passed the military examination and held various local and provincial commands. Shortly before the Imjin War he became magistrate of Yŏnan, where, acting on Cho Hŏn's advice, he strengthened Yŏnan Fortress with rebuilt walls, a moat, and hidden water supplies.

At the outbreak of the Imjin War in 1592, Sin was appointed Vice Commander-in-Chief under Kim Myŏngwŏn todefend the Han River. The underprepared Joseon army collapsed against a larger Japanese force, Kim fled, and Sin withdrew through the capital to Yangju with Yi Yangwŏn. Joined there by Yi Hon, they ambushed Japanese troops at Haeyuryŏng, winning one of Joseon's earliest land victories.

However, before news of the victory at Haeyuryŏng reached the court, Kim Myŏngwon accused him of abandoning his post, and and the Border Defense Council ordered Sin's execution. A second Royal Messenger was immediately dispatched to halt the execution, but by the time he arrived, the sentence had already been carried out.

Later writers, including Yu Sŏngnyong and Ku Samaeng, condemned the decision and expressed deep regret over his death. In recognition of his fortification of Yŏnan and his victory at Haeyuryŏng, Sin was posthumously honored through enshrinement and annual memorial rites in Yŏnan and Yangju.

Early life and career

Birth and early career Sin Kak was a member of the Pyongsan Sin clan. His father was the civil official Sin Ŭich'ung , and his mother was a lady of the , daughter of Ha Wŏnno and Sin Kak as Vice Commander-in-Chief , which offered a commanding view of the river, with a force of roughly one thousand men.

However, the Joseon army was at a severe disadvantage both numerically and technologically, facing Japanese troops well equipped with arquebuses. When the Japanese assault reached Chech'ŏnjŏng, Kim Myŏngwon ordered his troops to throw their weapons into the Han River and fled. Sin Kak, rather than following Kim's retreat, entered the capital instead and then withdrew to Yangju with Yi Yangwŏn, the Commander of the Capital Defense Forces , who had been charged with defending the city.

Battle of Haeyuryŏng Sin Kak and Yi Yangwŏn regrouped their troops at Yangju. They were soon joined there by Yi Hon, the Provincial Military Commander of South Hamgyŏng, who had led his forces southward to help defend the capital, and the three commanders formed a joint encampment. After learning from reports that the Japanese contingent holding Hansŏng was looting the surrounding countryside, they decided to intercept the enemy. The combined force set an ambush at Haeyuryŏng , a pass on the road between Yangju and Paju, and on the 16th day, 5th lunar month of 1592 they struck the Japanese column there, using the local topography to their advantage and driving it into a disorderly retreat. After his victory at Haeyuryŏng, Sin Kak joined Yi Yangwŏn in reinforcing the defensive line at Taet'an on the Imjin River.

Death Before the ensuing Battle of the Imjin River, Kim Myŏngwon submitted a memorial to the court accusing Sin Kak of abandoning his position and fleeing on his own accord to follow Yi Yangwŏn, and he requested that Sin be punished. Later historians have generally interpreted Kim's memorial as being motivated by a desire to evade responsibility for the failure of the Han River defense and to justify his own refusal to advance at the Imjin River despite royal orders. Upon reviewing the memorial, Right State Councillor and the Border Defense Council concurred that strict punishment should be imposed on Sin Kak to restore military order and discipline.

On the 18th day of the 5th lunar month, with King Seonjo's approval, the Border Defense Council dispatched a Royal Messenger to the Imjin River to carry out Sin Kak's execution. Soon afterward, however, news of the victory at Haeyuryŏng reached the court, and the Border Defense Council, deeming his merit sufficient to atone for his alleged offense, petitioned the king for clemency. A second Royal Messenger was immediately dispatched to halt the execution, but by the time he arrived, the sentence had already been carried out.

Legacy

Reaction to Sin Kak's execution The execution of Sin Kak was followed by expressions of sorrow and protest from contemporaries. Yun Kŭnsu and Cho Hŏn both expressed deep regret at what they regarded as his unjust death. In 1594, the licentiate submitted a memorial to the throne declaring Sin's execution unjust, requesting that he be posthumously rehabilitated and promoted in rank. Yu Sŏngnyong likewise wrote in the Chingbirok that Sin's death was the result of errors committed during the earlier chaos of war, while Ku Samaeng and Yi Haesu composed elegiac poems mourning him. The later scholar Chŏng Yagyong also lamented Sin's death, writing that “the furious winds of the Yangju plains cry out over his death.”

Memorial and posthumous recognition

During the Imjin War, Yi Chŏngam repelled the forces of Kuroda Nagamasa at Yŏnan Fortress, which had been strengthened under Sin Kak's supervision. Yu Sŏngnyong credited this success to Sin's earlier fortification efforts, and Chŏng Yagyong also highly praised his contributions to Yŏnan's defense. In recognition of these merits, Sin Kak was enshrined in 1704 at the Hyŏnch'ungsa Shrine in Yŏnan, where he is venerated alongside Yi Chŏngam and other figures commemorated for their loyalty.

On 21 April 1977, a monument commemorating the victory at the Battle of Haeyuryŏng was erected in , Yangju. The first commemorative rite was held on 6 April 1980, and since then, annual memorial services have been performed regularly on the 19th day, 5th lunar month to honor Sin Kak, in recognition of his loyalty and valor.