Eo Jae-yeon

Eo Jae-yeon (魚在淵, 1823–1871) was a Korean general who lived during the late Joseon Dynasty. He served as the inspector in the Hoeryong region in 1866 and led the army of Ganghwado Island against the United States military during the U.S. expedition to Korea in 1871.^[1]

Eo Jae-yeon was born in 1823. His father's name was Eo Yong-In. In 1841, at eighteen years of age, Eo Jae-yeon passed the military service examination, which was arranged at Ganghwado Island. In 1866, Eo Jae-yeon and his troops were able to defend the Gwangsung camp from French troops invading Ganghwado Island during the French campaign against Korea (1866). He was then appointed the minister of Hoeryong, where, among other successes, he was able to suppress a band of marauders. He also constructed a market in Hoeryong and revitalized border trade with the Qing dynasty.

When the American Asiatic Rogers' Squadron arrived on the coast of the island in 1871, the royal council appointed Eo Jae-yeon to serve as the Commandant. He exerted himself in this duty, and he and his brother, Eo Jae-sun, were killed by U.S. Marines during the military action. He was posthumously appointed the Minister of War.^[2] During the war, Eo Jae-yeon's flag, 'Sujagi' was taken by the American Squadron.