Choe Yeong
Following a dream that he thought predicted that a Buddhist monk would save his life, King Gongmin promoted a monk named Shin Don to a lofty position within his court and allowed him considerable influence. At first, Shin Don toiled to improve the lives of the peasants despite great opposition from the ministers; however, with the king's support Shin Don grew increasingly ruthless and corrupt. Choe Yeong, who vigorously opposed corruption in the kingdom, found himself at odds with the monk, and subsequently, Shin Don engineered false accusations of misconduct against Choe Yeong that resulted in a punishment of six years in exile and brought him dangerously close to execution. However, after Shin Don's death in 1374, Gongmin restored Choe Yeong to his previous position and immediately asked him to prepare a fleet to fight Japanese pirates and eliminate the remaining Mongol forces on Jeju Island. Choe Yeong engaged the Mongols first, who fought tenaciously, but Choe's forces eventually freed the island. Then, in 1376, the Japanese pirates advanced into Goryeo and captured the city of Gongju. With the new gunpowder recipe obtained by scientist Choe Mu-seon, General Choe and his subordinate, Yi Seong-gye, routed and defeated the pirates, and reclaimed Gongju.