Heungseon Daewongun

Heungseon Daewongun (Hangul: , Hanja: , 21 December 1820 - 22 February 1898) was the title of Korean politician and regent of the Joseon dynasty Yi Ha-eung. Yi Ha-eung received the title when he became regent for King Gojong who was a child when he became King of Korea. Yi ruled between 1863 and 1874, during his rule he tried to close Korea from foreign influences and protect the traditional Korean way of life; when Christian missionaries threatened the traditional Korean social hierarchy, he became a persecutor of Christians martyring Korean converts and Western missionaries.