Gim Jeong-ho

Kim Jeong-ho (pen name Gosanja; ‘the guy of old mountain’ 1804–1866?) was a Korean geographer and cartographer. He was born in Hwanghaedo. It is believed that he walked the entire length and breadth of the Korean peninsula, through mountain and valley, in order to research and compile his magnum opus, the Daedongyeojido, (대동여지도, 大東輿地圖) a map of Korea that was published in 1861, from which was subsequently made a single-sheet version, the Daedongyeojijeondo (대동여지전도 大東與地全圖).

In this Korean name, the family name is Gim.
Gim Jeong-ho
Hangul
김정호
Hanja
金正浩
Revised RomanizationGim Jeongho
McCune–ReischauerKim Chŏngho
Pen name
Hangul
고산자
Hanja
古山子
Revised RomanizationGosanja
McCune–ReischauerKosanja
Courtesy name
Hangul
백원 or 백온
Hanja
伯元 or 伯溫
Revised RomanizationBaegwon, or Baegon
McCune–ReischauerPaegwŏn, or Paegon
[kim dʑʌŋho, koːsʰandʑa, pɛɡwʌn/pɛɡon]
Kim Jeong-ho's magnum opus, Daedong Yeojido.

The events surrounding Kim's death are obscure. Following the publication of a later version of the Daedong Yeojido in 1866. Kim is not heard from again. The document from the Governor-General of Korea asserts that the Korean regent Daewongun, upon viewing the later version of Kim's great map, became incensed by its inclusion of details of a sensitive nature critical to national defense. According to the document, the Daewongun had Kim arrested and jailed and the maps had been destroyed.[1]

However, this is not true, as the original wood printing block of Daedong Yeojido still can be found in the Soongsil University and also in the Korea University. Furthermore, the people who helped to develop the map such as Choe Han-gi and Shin Hun was not convicted at all. The Korean historical community believes that the document was a fabrication by the General-Government, which was under control by Japan during Japanese colonization.[2]

The asteroid 95016 Kimjeongho is named in his honour.

  • Daedong Yeoji Jeondo
  • Daedong Yeoji Jeondo, another version
  • Yeoji Jeondo
  • Suseon jeondo
  • Dongyeodo

See also

References
  1. General-Government of Korea, 〈조선어 독본 5〉, 1934, page 23 ~ 24
  2. Lee Sang-tae, 〈고산자 김정호의 생애와 사상〉, 1991, page 141

Further reading
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