Military commander in the Imjin War; second-class Seonmu merit subject; Lord of Jeheung
| Life | 1609 |
| Era | 조선 중기 |
| Clan | 제주 고씨 |
Go Eon-baek (高彦伯, ?-1609) was a mid-Joseon military officer of the Jeju Go clan. He was a local clerk in Gyodong before passing the military examination. Some sources give his death year as 1608.
When the Imjin War began he fought the Japanese along the Daedong River as magistrate of Yeongwon and lost the First Battle of Pyongyang. In September 1592 he lured Japanese troops into the hills and killed 62, and in 1593 he killed 42 at Yangju and became magistrate there. He then won at Icheon, became Gyeonggi defense commander, and joined Ming forces in retaking Hanyang. Promoted to Left Gyeongsang army commander, he fought at Yangju and Ulsan and took part in the second invasion of 1597.
In 1604 he was named a second-class Seonmu merit subject and Lord of Jeheung. In 1609, under Gwanghaegun, he was regarded as a close follower of Prince Imhae, who was killed that year, and is said to have died after being flogged. While Yi Sun-sin is remembered for naval victories, he is remembered as a land commander who led skirmishes and defense.
He defended the Daedong River as magistrate of Yeongwon, and his 1592-1593 ambush and Yangju victories made him magistrate of Yangju.
After Icheon he became Gyeonggi defense commander and helped Ming forces retake Hanyang, then fought toward Ulsan as an army commander in Gyeongsang.
He became a second-class Seonmu merit subject in 1604 but died in 1609 amid the Prince Imhae affair. If Go Yeo was a soldier of Joseon's founding, he was one of its wartime commanders.
His tomb was not confirmed.