Ch'oe Uch'ŏng (; ? – August 8, 1184) was a Goryeo civil official who served from the reign of King Injong until King Myeongjong. Ch'oe was the progenitor of the Chungju Ch'oe clan.
Biography Considered as the apical ancestor of the Chungju Ch'oe clan, Ch'oe Uch'ŏng was the son of vice director of the Chancellery (), Ch'oe Ok (). Ch'oe first started out as a hyangni (local functionary) in Chungju. He passed the kwagŏ in the reign of King Injong, and became the assistant magistrate () of Jillye. Ch'oe was the Master of Divination () of Myeongjong's household bureau before Myeongjong was enthroned as king by the ringleaders of the 1170 military coup. Due to Ch'oe ties to the king before his enthronement, he was trusted and favoured by the king. Upon becoming king, Myeongjong promoted Ch'oe to a censor ().
Ch'oe helped the government suppress two different rebellions. In 1174, he was appointed as a deputy provincial military commander () for the suppression of the rebellion of Cho Wich'ong (). For his feats during the conflict, Ch'oe was promoted to a ritual master of the Kukchagam (). In 1177, he was promoted to the left grand master of remonstrance (). As the military commissioner () of Sŏbungmyŏn (), Ch'oe Uch'ŏng also put down a rebellion by Chŏngju commandant () Sun Pu () and junior colonel () Kim Sung (). On January 14, 1181, he was appointed as a commissioner of the Security Council () and the advisor to the heir apparent ().
In 1183, Ch'oe requested to retire at the age of 72. This was over the regular retirement request age of 70, which caused him to receive criticism. According to the Koryŏsa chŏryo, it stated that the people of Ch'oe's time ridiculed him for his late retirement. Ch'oe died on August 8, 1184.
Notes
References