Geom Mojam

Who was Geom Mojam?

Geom Mojam was the military leader of a short-lived movement to restore Goguryeo after its fall to Silla in the later 7th century CE. After the kingdom fell to Tang and Silla in 668, he kindled an opposition movement in the Taedong River valley and in 670 established Anseung as the new King of Goguryeo. Anseung is believed to have been the illegitimate son of King Bojang, the last ruler of that kingdom. The capital was set up in modern-day Chaeryŏng-gun, South Hwanghae, North Korea. The rebellion is briefly described in the Samguk Sagi, Goguryeo Book 10.

One source gives Geom's birthplace as Surimseong, while the Samguk Sagi relates that he was a native of the walled city of Yeongnim. His date of birth is unknown. As military official, the Samguk Sagi relates, he reached the rank of daehyeong, seventh among the 14 ranks of Goguryeo officialdom. However, the New History of Tang records his name as Gyeom Mojam and his office as that of daejang.

The Samguk Sagi relates how following the fall of Goguryeo Geom departed from Gungmo fortress and arriving to the south of the Pae River he met and killed several Tang officials and the monk Fa An before heading for Silla territory.