Pyeongsan Shin Clan - Sagangong Branch of The Pyeongsan Shin Clan in Korea

Sagangong Branch of The Pyeongsan Shin Clan in Korea

A famous branch of the Pyeongsan Shin clan is the Sagangong branch, which originated with Shin Ho in the Joseon Dynasty. The later part of the branch is described below, based on documents issued by the Korean Embassy in Belgium.

One notable and direct descendant of Shin Ho was the military commander Lord Shin Seok-Yeong (b.~1730), son of Lord Shin Sae-Gwan (b.~1700). Lord Shin O-Seon (b.~1755), son of Seok-Yeong, was a Government legislator, later rewarded for his work with the position of Director of the Royal Orchestra. Lord Shin Gi-Jae (b.~1780), son of Shin O-Seon, served as Vice-Minister of the Interior.

Shin Gi-Jae had a son, Lord Shin Gwang-Hyun (b.~1805), who held several high-ranking positions in the Government at the time. After a successful military career, first as General of the Royal Guard, then as Vice-Supreme Commander of the Army, Shin Gi-Jae held successful positions in the civil service as Minister of the Interior and Attorney-General.

Lord Shin Jeong-Gyoon (b. 1839), son of Shin Gi-Jae, held as his father several successful military and civil positions in the Government. Shin Jeong-Gyoon served as Commander of Army and later as Attorney-General and County-Governor of Yesan.

Shin Jeong-Gyoon had a son, Prince Shin Tae-Yu (1865–1941), who married one of the younger nieces of King Gojong of Korea. When presented to the King, Prince Tae-Yu bowed, as was customary at the time, and was offered to drink a bowl of Soju (a strong Korean alcohol beverage). Amazed at the speed at which Tae-Yu drank, the King offered three consecutive bowls, all drank swiftly by Tae-Yu. Impressed, the King asked Tae-Yu to show his face closely and was pleased at Tae-Yu's appearance. The King later offered Tae-Yu the hand of Princess Ai-Ki, one of his young nieces. Tae-Yu worked as a high-ranking legislator and later became Minister of the Interior, where he personally headed the Bureau of Telegraphy (a novelty at the time in Korea).

Following Korean Confucian traditions, Tae-Yu decided to leave his office for several years, due to the consecutive deaths of his father (Shin Jeong-Kyun, 1839-?) and mother. During that time, Tae-Yu concentrated on his poetry. Tae-Yu was particularly known for his poetic talents and his unorthodox manner to dress in blue, while typical Korean gentlemen used to dress in white at the time.

Tae-Yu had one son, Prince Shin Yun (1892–1973), who became a prominent member of the Korean civil service. Interestingly, Yun was one of the first few Koreans to graduate from the Korea YMCA in Seoul, which influenced many members of the Korean independence movement at the time. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, Shin Yun was offered to collaborate with the occupants, in return for the lower Japanese aristocratic title of baron. This practice was common at the time among yangban families. However, pressured by his father Tae-Yu, Shin Yun refused the offer. This refusal later gained him the respect (and saved the family reputation), when the Japanese occupation finished in 1945. Shin Yun later climbed to the position of Vice-Minister of Finance.

Shin Yun had one son, Prince Shin Ki-Young (1914- ), who became a prominent civil servant. An intellectual man and Doctor in Law, Ki-Young was appointed President of the Donghwa public company, one of the largest chains of department stores at the time. Ki-Young retired after 1970 outside Seoul, where he still lives. Shin Ki-Young married Kwon Yeong-Ja (1926- ), a descendant of the Andong Kwon clan.