Yi Il

Yi Il (Korean: 이일; Hanja: 李鎰; 1538–1601) was a Korean military official of the mid-Joseon Period. During the reign of Seonjo of Joseon, he made a great contribution to the conquest of the Jurchen people in the north. When Imjin War occurred, he was appointed Mobile Border Commander (순변사; 巡邊使). He was defeated in Sangju and Chungju but, he contributed to the restoration of Pyongyang.¹

Biography

Yi Il was born in 1538. In 1558, Yi passed the military examination (무과; 武科) and served as Naval Commander of Left Jeolla Province (전라좌수사; 全羅左水使). In 1583, when Nitangjie (니탕개; 尼湯介) and the Wild Jurchens rebelled against the Joseon government in Kyongwon County and Jongseong, Yi was assigned magistrate of Kyongwon and repelled the rebel forces.² In 1586, as Nitangjie rebelled again in Hoeryong, Yi had swept base of rebel forces as magistrate of Hoeryong and Yi became Army Commander of Hamgyong Province (함경병사; 咸鏡兵使) in recognition of his contribution. Yi also expended Chesŭngbangnyak (제승방략; 制勝方略), the book on military strategy in the Joseon period. In 1587, when he was Commandant of Hamgyong Province, He detained Yi Kyŏngnok, magistrate of Kyonghung and Yi Sun-sin, Subarea Commander of Chosan (조산만호; 造山萬戶), holding them responsible for losing battle after being ambushed by the Jurchen while harvesting at Noktundo.³ Later, Yi attacked Jurchen in revenge for their invasion. In the attack, Yi killed about 380 soldiers of Jurchen and burnt about 200 houses. In 1588 and 1589, Yi discussed national defense in frontier with and as Commander of Army Commander of Jeolla Province (전라병사; 全羅兵使).