Gyeongmyeong of Silla

Gyeongmyeong (860 – August 924), personal name Pak Sŭngyŏng, was the 54th ruler of the Koreanic kingdom Silla. He was the eldest son of King Sindeok and Princess Uiseong. He ruled during the Later Three Kingdoms period, when much of his country's former domain was divided between Later Baekje and Taebong.

In 918, Wang Kŏn overthrew Kung Ye, who had been the ruler of Taebong, and established Goryeo. Gyeongmyeong joined forces with him in 920, and their allied armies were able to repel a Later Baekje assault on Daeya Castle.^[1] However, after this many border commanders chose to desert Silla in favor of Goryeo, so Gyeongmyeong was left no better off than before.^[2] His son Prince Pak Ŏn-ch'ang, a Sillan commander stationed in Sabeol, was among those who were cut off and isolated due to the conflict with Later Baekje. As a result, Prince Ŏn-ch'ang founded the short-lived state of Later Sabeol in 919, and resisted Later Baekje for nearly ten years before falling in 927.

King Gyeongmyeong sought to get aid from Later Tang, and sent missions bearing tribute, but was unsuccessful. After his death in 924, King Gyeongmyeong was buried to the north of Hwangboksa temple and the throne was passed to his younger brother, King Gyeongae of Silla.