Split into Easterners and Westerners

A clash between Kim Hyo-won and Sim Ui-gyeom over a key personnel post split the Sarim into Easterners and Westerners, beginning factional politics.

Under Seonjo, rule by royal in-laws ended and the Sarim came to power. A dispute then arose over the post of personnel section chief in the Ministry of Personnel (Ijo jeongnang), which recommended censorate officials and named its own successor. Sim Ui-gyeom, brother of Myeongjong’s queen, blocked Kim Hyo-won’s appointment; later Kim opposed the appointment of Sim’s brother. Kim lived in the east of the capital and Sim in the west, so their followers became the Easterners and Westerners. Easterners were mostly disciples of Yi Hwang and Jo Sik, Westerners followers of Yi I and Seong Hon. After the Jeong Yeo-rip affair the Easterners split again into Southerners and Northerners.