Military officer who was Naval Commander of Left Gyeongsang at the start of the Imjin War
| Life | 1534 ~ 1593 |
| Era | 조선 중기(임진왜란) |
| Clan | 울산 박씨 |
Park Hong (朴泓, 1534-1593) was a mid-Joseon military officer whose seat Wikipedia gives as Ulsan, with courtesy name Cheong-won. He passed the military examination in 1556 and served as Seonjeongwan, assistant magistrate of Gangye and magistrate of Jongseong. A passage quoted in Wikipedia says his founder Park Yun-ung helped Goryeo's Taejo, that Park Yu (朴愈) passed the civil examination in Joseon and moved to Daeheung, and then traces great-grandfather Park Won-chang, grandfather Park Han and father Park Yeong-mu; his mother was a daughter of Jeong In-geol.
In 1592, when the Imjin War began, he was Naval Commander of Left Gyeongsang. Wikipedia's main text says that when the Japanese came he scuttled 40 panokseon warships, burned the grain store and fled, then withdrew from the Dongnae battle without fighting. The passage it cites says instead that, outnumbered, he only held his base, and praises his courage, administration and filial devotion. Assessments thus differ.
He later held the Imjin River as Left Guard Commander but was defeated and became Right Guard Commander and Volunteer Army Commander at Seongcheon. He was once stripped of rank by impeachment and served as a common soldier; after Pyongyang was recovered in 1593 he went to Paju with the army, fell gravely ill and died aged 60 aboard a boat on his way home to Hoseo. He was posthumously made Vice-Minister of Military Affairs, and sons Park Jin-nam, Park Jeong-nam and Park U-nam are recorded.
Skilled with the bow from youth, he was rewarded as Jeongpyeong magistrate, hosted a Ming envoy and dispersed bandits as Pyeongsan magistrate, pacified the Jurchen as Manpo commander, and as Jongseong magistrate lured a chieftain into surrender and recovered captives and grain.
The main text says he fled while the cited passage says he held out against odds; the passage itself says information was poor because the court was at Uiju and rewards and punishments were reversed. This site does not settle on either view.
His wife was a daughter of the magistrate Choe Gong-pil of the Gangneung Choe; they had 3 sons and 2 daughters, including Park Jin-nam (magistrate, military exam), Park Jeong-nam (jinsa) and Park U-nam (magistrate, military exam). Five sons and two daughters by a concubine are also recorded, most passing the military examination.
He is said to have been buried on Bongsusan near his hometown, below the family graves; the exact location is not confirmed.