Jeongjong, 3rd monarch of Goryeo

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Jeongjong, personal name Wang Yo, was the third king of the Goryeo dynasty. He ruled from 945 to 949, following his half-brother Hyejong. He was the son of King Taejo and Queen Sinmyeong and was born in 923 in Gaegyeong.

During his reign, Jeongjong tried to weaken the power of powerful royal in-laws, including Wang Gyu and Pak Sul-hui. He did not win the support of many Gaegyeong nobles, so he could not strengthen the throne very much. In 946, he spent a large amount of grain from royal stores to support Buddhism. In 947, he built the fortress of Pyongyang as the country’s Western Capital and hoped to move the capital north to Pyongyang to recover old Goguryeo lands, but his plan faced strong opposition.

Jeongjong grew paranoid that people inside the palace were plotting against him, and some say he began to lose his grip on reality. After about four years on the throne, he died, soon after signing a decree making his brother Wang So (Gwangjong) king instead of his own son.