강릉 김씨(江陵 金氏) — A clan said to trace its founding ancestor to Kim Ju-won, the Prince of Myeongju (Myeongjugunwang) and a descendant of King Taejong Muyeol of Silla.
A clan said to trace its founding ancestor to Kim Ju-won, the Prince of Myeongju (Myeongjugunwang) and a descendant of King Taejong Muyeol of Silla. In the 2015 Census the 강릉 김씨 clan numbered about 179,593 people, one of Korea's major surnames and clans. Even among people surnamed 김, a different clan seat (bon-gwan, 강릉) means a different lineage. New to these terms? See the bon-gwan, pa & hangnyeol guide.
The Gangneung Kim (江陵 金氏) take Gangneung, Gangwon, as their seat and numbered 179,593 in the 2015 census. Their founder is Kim Ju-won, said to descend from King Taejong Muyeol of Silla. They are separate from the Andong, Gimhae and Gyeongju Kim.
When King Seondeok died without an heir in 785, officials tried to enthrone Kim Ju-won, but the Alcheon stream, swollen by heavy rain, kept him from the palace; taking this as Heaven's will, Kim Gyeong-sin became King Wonseong. Kim Ju-won withdrew to Gangneung, Wonseong enfeoffed him as Prince of Myeongju, and his descendants took Gangneung as their seat. His son Kim Heon-chang founded the state of Jang'an in rebellion at Ungcheonju in 822 and was crushed.
At the founding of Goryeo, the Myeongju general Sunsik (Wang Sun-sik, also given as Kim Sun-sik) submitted to Wang Geon and is said to have been granted the royal surname Wang; an account says his descendants reverted to Kim after Joseon's founding. In mid-Goryeo Kim In-jon opposed Yun Gwan's Jurchen campaign and later rose to Munha Sijung, and Kim Sang-gi, Kim Yeong-seok and Kim Sa-hyeok are also remembered.
In early Joseon Kim Si-seup (pen name Maewoldang, 1435-1493), one of the Six Surviving Subjects, protested Sejo's usurpation by wandering and becoming a monk, and wrote Geumo Sinhwa, regarded as Korea's first collection of Chinese-language fiction. Later the clan produced Kim Sang-cheol, three-time Chief State Councillor, and Minister of Personnel Kim Sang-seong.
Descendants are numerous in Gangneung, Samcheok and Cheorwon in Gangwon; Yangju, Gimpo and Yongin in Gyeonggi; Dangjin in South Chungcheong; Yeonseo-myeon in Sejong; Nangsan-myeon in Iksan; and Angye-myeon in Uiseong. This site introduces the four major branches (Hallim-gong, Pyeongui-gong, Bujeong-gong, Okga) plus Cheongpung and Songo-gong, and the clan association is the Gangneung Kim Daejonghoe.
Hallim-gong-pa, Pyeongui-gong-pa, Bujeong-gong-pa, Okga-pa, Cheongpung-pa, Songo-gong-pa
The Hallim-gong branch comes from Kim Yeong-gyeon (金英堅, the Hallim-gong), the third of the great-grandsons of Kim Sin, a son of the founder Kim Ju-won, and is one of the four major branches of the Gangneung Kim.
Its sub-branches include the Sangseo-gong Sinri, Manho-gong Gimpo, Jisan-gun Gimpo, Cheomsa-gong and Chungsun-gong Dongnae branches. Kim Il-sin, founder of the Chungsun-gong Dongnae branch in Busan, is said to be an 18th-generation descendant of Kim Yeong-gyeon.
The Pyeongui-gong branch comes from the line of Kim Yeong-gil (金英吉), the second of Kim Sin's great-grandsons, and is also called the Wang Kim branch.
It is counted among the four major branches of the Gangneung Kim based in Gangneung.
The Bujeong-gong branch split from the line of Kim Yeong-jin (金英珍), the eldest of Kim Sin's great-grandsons, and takes Kim Gyeong-saeng (金慶生) as its founder. Born in 1326 (13th year of King Chungsuk), he served as deputy director of the Office of Royal Receptions (yebinsi bujeong) in early Joseon.
Because his grave is lost, an altar and memorial stone were set up at the entrance to the Sinboksa temple site in Naegok-dong, Gangneung, together with altars for his son Kim Yun-gwi (金允貴) and grandson Kim Pil-yang (金匹陽). It is one of the four major Gangneung Kim branches.
The Okga branch split from Kim Yeong-jin's line and takes as its founder Kim Yun-sin (金潤身) of the 22nd generation, whose pen name was Goedang, so it is also called the Goedang-gong Okga branch. He passed the civil examination and served as magistrate of Wonju and Paju.
Descendants of his eldest son Kim Im (金銋) settled in Okga and in Haksan-ri (Gujeong-myeon) and Samwang-dong (Seongsan-myeon) in Gangneung, in Dunnae-myeon, Hoengseong, and in Dongnae, Busan. It is one of the four major Gangneung Kim branches.
The Cheongpung branch split from the line of Kim Yeong-jin, the eldest of Kim Sin's great-grandsons, and is also called the Panseo-gong Cheongpung branch.
The same Kim Yeong-jin line also gave rise to the Yeongsa-gong Yeongwol, Bujeong-gong, Jisa-gong Moan and Goedang-gong Okga branches.
The Songo-gong branch descends from Kim Seung-ro (金承露, 1359-1438), said to be one of the 72 worthies of Dumundong who refused to serve the new Joseon dynasty.
He was also the settling ancestor of this branch, which today forms the main Gangneung Kim group in the Sejong City area.
Branch divisions vary by lineage and jokbo; confirm your own branch in your family's records.
김주원(founder, Prince of Myeongju), 김헌창(son of Kim Ju-won who founded Jang'an), 김인존(Goryeo Munha Sijung), 김시습(pen name Maewoldang, Surviving Subject and author of Geumo Sinhwa), 김상철(Chief State Councillor of Joseon), 김상성(Minister of Personnel of Joseon)
Tap a name for the full profile (life, career, grave, descendants).
Kim Si-seup (金時習, 1435-1493) belonged to Gangneung, with courtesy name Yeolgyeong, pen names Maewoldang (梅月堂), Dongbong, Byeoksan Cheongeun and Chwesewong, and dharma name Seoljam. Known as a prodigy at five, he burned his books on hearing of the deposition of Danjong and took to wandering at 21. He wrote Geumo Sinhwa at Mount Geumo in Gyeongju and died at Muryangsa in Hongsan in 1493. He is thus the clan's best-known figure, found under searches like 'Maewoldang Gangneung Kim'.
In modern times figures such as Kim Jin-man (Deputy Speaker), Kim Ju-nam (Minister of Construction), Kim Yun-gi (Minister of Construction and Transportation), Kim Jun-gi (Dongbu Group chairman), Kim Jin-seon (Gangwon governor) and Kim Geum-rae (Minister of Gender Equality and Family) are presented as Gangneung Kim (dates and details not verified, so not linked).
Kim Ju-won's ancestry is given as a 21st-generation descendant of Kim Alji (clan article) or a fifth-generation descendant of Kim Mun-wang (his own article). Whether Wang Sun-sik (Kim Sun-sik) is an ancestor of the clan is described differently across sources, so no descent is asserted.
For other branch associations, see the Korean E-Jokbo Library clan-association directory.
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