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Kim Yu-sin (; 595 – 21 August 673) was a Korean military general and politician in 7th-century Silla. He led the unification of the Korean Peninsula by Silla under the reign of King Muyeol and King Munmu. He is said to have been the great-grandchild of King Guhae of Geumgwan Gaya, the last ruler of the Geumgwan Gaya state. This would have given him a very high position in the Silla bone rank system, which governed the political and military status that a person could attain.
Much of what is known about Kim's life comes from the detailed account in the Samguk Sagi, Yeoljeon 1-3, and the much briefer record in the Samguk Yusa, vol. 1.
Baekje and Silla had formed an alliance to counter Goguryeo's power and its intentions to push southwards, and together they launched a successful attack on it, Silla taking the northern territory and Baekje the one south of the Han river. But Silla broke the alliance and attacked Baekje in order to claim both territories for itself. After this betrayal, Baekje allied with Goguryeo. When Goguryeo and Baekje attacked Silla in 655, Silla joined forces with Tang dynasty China to battle the invaders. Although it is not clear when Kim Yu-sin first became a general, he was certainly commanding the Silla forces by this time. Eventually, with the help of a 50,000 man Silla army and some 130,000 Tang forces, Yushin attacked the Baekje capital, Sabi, in 660, in the Battle of Hwangsanbeol.
The Baekje defenders were commanded by General Gyebaek, but the Baekje forces only consisted of about 5,000 men and were no match for Yu-sin's warriors, which numbered about ten times as many. Baekje, which had already been experiencing internal political problems, crumbled. Kim Yu-sin's Silla forces and their Tang allies now moved on Goguryeo from two directions, and in 661 they attacked the seemingly impregnable Goguryeo kingdom, but were repelled. The attack had weakened Goguryeo, though. In 667 another offensive was launched which, in 668, finally destroyed Goguryeo.
Silla still had to subdue various pockets of resistance, but their efforts were then focused on ensuring that their Tang allies did not overstay their welcome on the peninsula. After some Silla-Tang War, Silla eventually forced out the Tang troops and united the peninsula under their rule.
Kim Yu-sin once spent the night at a courtesan's tavern, and when his mother learned of this, she cried and asked Kim Yu-sin to never again set his foot in that kind of place. One night, Kim Yu-sin was very drunk, and his horse took him to the courtesan's house. When Kim Yu-sin woke, he was angry at having broken his promise to his mother and slit the horse's throat.
Kim Yu-sin was rewarded handsomely for his efforts in the campaigns. In 668, King Munmu bestowed upon him the honorary title of Taedaegakgan (), something like "Supreme Herald of Defense" (literally "greatest-great-trumpet-shield"). He reportedly received a village of over 500 households, and in 669 was given some 142 separate horse farms, spread throughout the kingdom. He died four years later, leaving behind ten children.
Kim Yu-sin lived to the age of 79 and is considered to be one of the most famous generals and masters of in Korean history. He is the focus of numerous stories and legends, and is familiar to most Koreans from a very early age. Following his death on 21 August (the 1st day of the 7th lunar month) 673, General Kim was awarded the honorary title of King Heungmu.
A tomb in Gyeongju is believed to belong to Kim, although its owner is debated by academics.
Kim Yu-sin's third wife, Lady Jiso (Hanja: 智炤夫人), was the third daughter of King Muyeol of Silla. Yu-sin had ten children. His second son, Kim Won-sul, would later play a central role in completing the independence of Silla from the Tang dynasty.
論曰：《新羅古事》云：「天降金樻，故姓金氏。」其言可怪。
In another account, it also states that he was a descendant of the god Shaohao.『三國史記』列傳 第一：金庾信 上其言可怪而不可信，臣修史，以其傳之舊，不得刪落其辭。
as much of these legends are considered as an attempt of aggrandization on the basis of claiming favoritism from the heavens or being a descendent of a god. In actuality, Kim Yu-sin and his clan descend from King Suro and Queen Heo Hwang-ok, a supposed Indian people princess. However, her unique background is also believed to be an embellishment similar to the claim surrounding Kim and the heavens or Shaohao as it was a common practice in pre-modern history.Today, Kim Yu-sin is remembered by Koreans as one of the greatest generals in Korean history. His ultimate legacy is the first unification of the Korean nation. One of his ten children, his second son Kim Won-sul, became a general during the reign of King Munmu and was essential in unifying Silla.
Jincheon Gilsangsa is a shrine dedicated to his portrait in Jincheon-eup, Jincheon-gun, North Chungcheong Province.
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