Min Seung-ho

Min Seung-ho (閔升鎬, 1830 – 28th day of the 11th lunar month, 1874) was a civil official of the Joseon period. He was the adopted son of Min Chi-rok and the adoptive older brother of Empress Myeongseong. He was the full younger brother of Grand Lady Yeoheung Min, the brother-in-law of Heungseon Daewongun, and the maternal uncle of Gojong and Prince Heungchin. Shortly after Heungseon Daewongun was removed from power in the 11th month of 1874, he became the head of the Min political faction, but he was killed in a mysterious explosion. His ancestral seat was Yeoheung, his courtesy name was Bokgyeong (復卿), and his posthumous name was Chungjeong (忠正).

Life

He was the second son of Min Chi-gu, who served as Director-General of the Donryeong Office and as Minister of the Board of Works, and of his wife, a woman of the Jeonju Yi clan. On his maternal side, he was a descendant of Deokheung Daewongun through the Dojeong branch. Through his older sister, Grand Lady Yeoheung, who married Heungseon Daewongun, the fourth son of Namyeon-gun, he became a close relative of the royal family.

Although he was originally the second son of Min Chi-gu, he was adopted by Min Chi-rok, the biological father of Empress Myeongseong, who was his eleventh-degree paternal relative.¹ Accordingly, as the ritual heir of Min Yu-jung, Prince Yeoyang, he entered government service through hereditary appointment in 1861, the 12th year of King Cheoljong (the year Sinyu).² In 1863, his nephew (), the son of his sister, ascended the throne. In 1864, the 1st year of Gojong's reign, he passed the and was ranked in the lower group of successful candidates. In the same year he was appointed Lecturer (Gyori, senior 5th rank) of the Hongmungwan. He was soon promoted rapidly through the posts of Eungyo (junior 4th rank), Jeonhan (senior 3rd rank), Straight Scholar of the Gyujanggak (junior 3rd rank), and Deputy Director of the Royal Wedding Office (junior 3rd rank, senior officer).