Danjong's uncle took his throne, and three Joseon records give three accounts of how the 16-year-old died in exile

Danjong became the sixth king of Joseon in 1452, aged 10 by the Korea Times count, after the short reign of his father, King Munjong. In 1453 his uncle, Grand Prince Suyang, staged a coup and purged senior officials. Danjong gave up the throne, and Suyang became King Sejo. In 1456 six officials plotted to restore Danjong and were executed^†. In 1457 Danjong was demoted to Prince Nosan and exiled to Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol. He died there a few months later, aged 16. The Annals of King Sejo say that on hearing his supporters had been executed he "hanged himself" and was buried with proper rites. Under King Seonjo a senior official told the king that an inspector had been sent to Yeongwol with poison and that the record was in the State Tribunal. Records from King Sukjong's reign say the inspector, Wang Bang-yeon, could not bring himself to act and an attendant volunteered. The tradition continues that the body was thrown into the river and that Sejo threatened to destroy three generations of anyone who recovered it; a local official, Eom Heung-do, took it out at night, buried it in the snow and went into hiding. In 1698 King Sukjong restored the dead boy's royal title and gave him the temple name Danjong. His grave became the royal tomb Jangneung^†.