Yang Kyu

Yang Kyu (? – March 5, 1011) was a Korean military official who served the Goryeo dynasty. He fought in the second conflict in the Goryeo–Khitan War.

Biography During the reign of King Mokjong, Yang Kyu served as the director of the Ministry of Justice . In 1010, during the Liao invasion, Yang was appointed as military inspector of Sŏbungmyŏn. He defeated the Liao army at Hŭnghwa-jin, resisting calls to surrender, and prevented the fortress' fall. The Liao army lifted the siege and left Hŭnghwa-jin. The Liao defeated Kang Cho's 300, 000 man army at T'ongju (modern day Sonchon County).

The Khitans sent No Chŏn , a captured Goryeo official, with forged edict purporting to be from Kang Cho asking Yang to surrender the fortress. Yang refused as he would only take orders from the king, not Kang. After this, Yang left Hŭnghwa-jin with 700 men and regrouped with 1000 man strong remnant of Kang Cho's army at T'ongju. With the combined 1,700 man army, Yang recaptured Kwakchu , modern-day Chongju, from a Liao force of 6,000. The liberated civilian population of 7,000 was relocated to T'ongju.

In popular culture Portrayed by Hong Il-kwon in the 2009 KBS2 TV series Empress Cheonchu. Portrayed by Ji Seung-hyun in the 2023 KBS1 TV series Korea–Khitan War.