Gijun of Wiman Joseon

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King Jun of Beonjoseon
Hangul:	준왕
Revised Romanization:	Jun Wang

Gijun of Gojoseon (Posthumous name: Jun) was a king of the Korean kingdom of Beonjoseon. He was succeeded by Wiman, whose usurpation of the throne began the Wiman Joseon period of Gojoseon.

1 Background
2 Overthrowing and exile into Majoseon
3 References
4 See also

[edit] Background

Gijun was a descendant of Gihu, the first king of Gija Joseon, which replaced the former Vice-danguns of Beonjoseon. Gihu, in turn, was the descendant of Gija, who is said to have been a prince of the Shang dynasty.

[edit] Overthrowing and exile into Majoseon

Wiman entered Gojoseon as a refugee, and submitted to King Jun. Jun granted Wiman's request to serve as a commander of the western borders in Beonjoseon. However, sometime between 194 and 180 BC, Wiman led a revolt, and chased Gijun down into Majoseon, which encompassed the Korean peninsula.

Jun and his followers escaped by boat to Majoseon and overthrew the vice-dangun to established his own territory in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, calling himself the Heavenly King. Gijun's new kingdom eventually became Mahan, which was later conquered by King Onjo.

Records describe Jun as a descendant of Gija, although Korean scholars dispute the Gija Joseon account.