King Muyeol Orders Attack on Baekje

In 660 CE, King Muyeol of Silla launched a large-scale military campaign against the Baekje kingdom in alliance with the Tang Dynasty of China. This coordinated offensive marked a decisive phase in the struggle among the Three Kingdoms and resulted in the fall of Baekje, altering the balance of power on the Korean Peninsula. The campaign involved a two-front strategy. Tang forces, led by General Su Dingfang, advanced by sea and landed along Baekje’s western coast, while Silla forces, commanded by General Kim Yu-sin, moved overland from the east. The allied armies converged on key defensive positions, including the Battle of Hwangsanbeol, where Silla forces defeated the Baekje general Gyebaek despite strong resistance. Following these engagements, the allied forces advanced toward Baekje’s capital, Sabi. By 660 CE, the city was captured, and King Uija of Baekje was taken prisoner and sent to the Tang court. The fall of Sabi marked the effective end of Baekje as an independent kingdom, although remnants of resistance continued for a short period. The defeat of Baekje significantly strengthened Silla’s position and reduced one of its major rivals. However, it also increased Tang influence in the region, setting the stage for later conflicts between Silla and Tang over control of the peninsula.