Royal in-law who led the 1680 Gyeongsin purge; Right State Councillor; pen name Sigam; posthumous title Munchung
| Life | 1634 ~ 1684 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 청풍 김씨 |
Gim Seok-ju (1634-1684) of the Cheongpung Gim clan was a Sukjong-era official and royal in-law with courtesy name Sabaek, pen name Sigam and posthumous title Munchung. His father was Gim Jwa-myeong, his mother a Pyeongsan Sin woman, and his grandfather Gim Yuk. As cousin of Queen Myeongseong and a maternal relative of King Sukjong he was deeply involved in politics.
He placed first in the 1662 special civil examination and held key posts such as Personnel Ministry secretary, Censor, Inspector and Hongmungwan editor. Around the second ritual dispute (1674) he allied with the Southerner Heo Jeok to oust Westerner elders such as Song Si-yeol and Gim Su-hang, then served as defense commander, Chief Royal Secretary, Minister of War and Grand Academician. He backed the northern expedition idea and proposed 53 forts on Ganghwa Island.
In the 1680 Gyeongsin purge he and Gim Ik-hun branded the Southerners traitors and removed them, receiving first-class merit and the title Prince Cheongseong. As Minister of War he merged two units into the Geumwiyeong guard; he became Right State Councillor in 1682 and went to Qing China in 1683. His works include Sigam Seonsaeng Munjip and Haedong Sabu.
The purge saw Southerner leaders Heo Jeok and Yun Hyu put to death and the Southerners sidelined until 1689. Many scholars see it as triggering the Westerners’ split into Noron and Soron.
Stripped of merit titles in 1689, he was restored in 1694 and again in 1886, when he was enshrined with King Sukjong. Accounts call him a brilliant strategist and powerful minister who earned strong resentment from younger Westerners.
Sources differ on the exact tomb site; the family has graves in Sampae-dong, Namyangju. The precise location was not confirmed here.
Son Gim Do-yeon.