King Mu (?-641; r. 600-641) was the 30th king of the Korean Baekje kingdom. In diplomacy, he was unsuccessful in gaining favor from the newly-arisen Tang Dynasty, which ultimately sided with Silla. He sent the Buddhist monk Gwanleuk to Japan in 627, contributing to the spread of Buddhism in that country.
His policies in the latter half of his reign, which emphasized construction projects at the expense of national defense, are often thought to have contributed to the fall of Baekje which took place twenty years after his death. Because reliable historical sources are hard to find for the Three Kingdoms period, the specifics of King Mu's policies are not certain.
There is reason to believe that he moved the capital of Baekje from Sabi in Buyeo County to Iksan, at least briefly. Archeological evidence, including tombs attributed to King Mu and his wife Seonhwa , appears to confirm this. [1]
King Mu supported various public works projects. He formally established the Mireuksa temple in 634. He is also said to have ordered the repair of Baekje's Sabi Palace in 630.
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