Cheongnam-wing Southerner, Minister of Rites and Second Minister; pen name Dongsa; entered the Elders' Office after 1689
| Life | 1616 ~ 1692 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 동복 오씨 |
O Jeong-wi (1616-1692) was a late-Joseon official from Dongbok, courtesy names Gunseo and Seojang, pen name Dongsa. A licentiate, he passed the 1645 special civil examination and held posts as editor, royal secretary (1659) and Vice-Director of Rites (1664). As governor of Chungcheong he rebuilt Gongju's old fortress and founded two temples to garrison it.
After serving as magistrate of Yangju and governor of Gyeonggi he was Minister of Revenue, Punishments and Works in 1672. When the Southerners split in the early Sukjong reign he joined the hard-line Cheongnam wing, supporting severe measures against Song Si-yeol, and after an envoy mission to Qing in 1677 he became Minister of Rites and Second Minister.
He was exiled in 1680 to Muan, later Sakju and Boseong, freed in 1689 and made Minister of Works again, then entered the Elders' Office. Wikipedia lists his father as O Dan in the text but as O Jeon, whose line adopted him, in the family tree, so the record conflicts. His son O Si-man is described as an adopted son in that article. His younger sister married Grand Prince Inpyeong.
Even within Wikipedia, O Jeong-wi's father is inconsistent. The lead gives O Dan and a sister who married Grand Prince Inpyeong, while the family tree gives O Jeon with a Jinju Yu mother and notes adoption by uncle O Jeon. The record of great-grandfather O Se-hyeon and grandfather O Eok-ryeong points to the O Eok-ryeong line either way, so he can be seen as a descendant of the Manchwi-gong branch.
He is remembered for rebuilding Gongju's old fortress and founding two temples to guard it.
As a Cheongnam he was exiled in 1680 and restored in 1689 as Minister of Works. His brother is given as O Jeong-il.
Sources: Wikipedia and Encyclopedia of Korean Culture-based material; genealogies may differ.
His tomb location was not confirmed here.