Joseon military official who rose to Police Commander; the Cheolsan magistrate of the Janghwa Hongryeon tale
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 천안 전씨 |
Jeon Dong-heul was a military official of the Hyojong to Sukjong period of the Cheonan Jeon clan (courtesy name Satak, pen name Gajae). His dates are unknown. He passed the military examination in 1651, and King Hyojong, who was planning a northern expedition, promoted him for his courage; he, Yi Sang-jin and So Du-san were called the "three heroes."
Punished briefly in 1662 over a grain-loan case in Gobu, he became commander of the Jeongcho central army around 1672 and in 1673 served four years as Southern Army Commander of Hamgyeong, winning the people's praise by securing forgiveness of a 7,706-seok grain deficit. He later became Chongyungsa and rose to Police Commander (podo daejang).
As magistrate of Cheolsan he is said to have avenged the unjust deaths of the sisters Janghwa and Hongryeon, which is thought to underlie the novel "Janghwa Hongryeon-jeon," but this is tradition. Some texts call him Hullyeon Daejang, whereas the Encyclopedia of Korean Culture records the posts of Chongyungsa and Police Commander.
Not confirmed.
Records of his descendants could not be confirmed. See also the Cheonan Jeon clan page.