tures of early Goryeo.
In
the
Joseon
period, Gyeongju joined the rest of
Gyeongsang
in becoming a hotbed of the
conservative
Sarimfaction.
Notable Gyeongju members of this faction included the 15th century intellectual
Yi Eon-jeok. He has been enshrined in
the
OksanSeowon
since 1572.
In modern times, the city produced
writers such as
Kim Dong-ni
and
Park
Mok-wol, both of whom did a great deal to popularize the region's culture,
as well as
Choe Jun, a wealthy businessman who
established the
Yeungnam
University
Foundation.
Some Korean family clans trace their origins
to Gyeongju, often to the ruling elites of Silla. For example, the Gyeongju Kim clan
claims descent from the rulers of later Silla. The Gyeongju Park
