Early Life
He was born in Chungju (충주;忠州) during the Imjin Wars. As a descendant of a high minister, in 1618 he and his brother applied for military tests and passed. He rose in ranks until the 1624 rebellion of Yi Gwal in which he was placed under general Jeong Chung-shin. He earned great merit in suppressing Yi Gwal's rebels, which led him to promotion and fame. He again rose in ranks such as associate commander (첨절제사;僉節制使).
In 1627, the Manchu invasions began, and he was sent to Ganghwa Island to assist in its defense, but by the time he arrived, a treaty had already been signed. In 1630, a Ming general, Liu Xingzhi (劉興治), entered Korea and set up camp between a road between two castles. Im was sent to keep an eye on this general and suppress him if needed.
He was later appointed as Northern Defense General and Yongbyon magistrate and was responsible for the defenses of Beakma Mountain Fortress and Uiju Castle. Several Ming rebels crossed the border, only to be defeated by Im, who then also gained a title from the Ming court. In 1634, he was relieved of command after releasing some prisoners, but regained his position two years later, when the government realized his value.
Read more about this topic: Im Gyeong Eop
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