Kyŏn Hwŏn (Korean: 견훤; Hanja: 甄萱; c.867 – 27 September 936,[a] ruled from 892 – March 935[b]) was the king and founder of Later Baekje, one of the Later Three Kingdoms of Korea, and reigned from 892 to 935.
Most accounts agree that Kyŏn Hwŏn's father was Ajagae, a farmer and rebel leader surnamed Yi, and that he was born in what is today Gaeun-eup in Mungyeong, South Korea, as the oldest of six children.
Legends state that his mother was from Gwangju and gave birth to her firstborn son after having physical contact with a worm disguised as a man, and that Kyŏn Hwŏn grew up drinking the milk of a tiger.
The government who had tried to implement a forceful taxation plan found itself in the face of rebellions led by bandits, local nobles, and rebel leaders.
In 892, Kyŏn Hwŏn seized the cities of Wansanju and Mujinju, taking over the old territory of Baekje and winning the support of the people in the area who were hostile to Silla.
He established government, made diplomatic ties with Tang China, and continuously pursued the expansion of his kingdom amidst much conflict with Kung Ye of Later Goguryeo.
[10] Kyŏn Hwŏn sent another major expedition to Hapcheon in 920 and finally succeeded in taking over the region, forcing King Gyeongmyeong into an alliance with Goryeo.
The following year, at Kyŏn Hwŏn's request, he and Wang Kŏn led a massive Goryeo army to Later Baekje and the kingdom fell.
[5] Unlike his rival Kung Ye, Kyŏn Hwŏn was active in diplomacy; he was formally confirmed by the Chinese kingdoms of Wuyue and Later Tang as the legitimate ruler of Later Baekje.
[5] However, despite all of his diplomatic, military and trade abilities Kyŏn Hwŏn lacked the political astuteness to found a viable state; his Later Baekje government system was not very much different from the one of Silla, which had been proven to be ineffective in centralizing the power of the local landlords and merchants.