Yi Won

For the South Korean poet, see Yi Won (writer).

Yi Won 이원
Yi in 2018
Head of the House of Yi
Period	16 July 2005 – present
Predecessor	Yi Ku
Born	(1962-09-23) 23 September 1962 (age 62) Hyehwa-dong, Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea
Spouse	Cho Tŭng-hak
Issue	Yi Kwon Yi Yeong
Names Yi Sang-hyŏp
Father	Yi Gap
Mother	Yi Gyeong-suk

Yi Won
Hangul	이원
Hanja	李源
Revised Romanization	I Won
McCune–Reischauer	I Wŏn

Yi Won (Korean: 이원; born Yi Sang-Hyeob;^[citation needed] 23 September 1962) is a great-grandson of Gojong of Korea and one of several who claim to be current head of the House of Yi.[1]

Biography

Yi Won was born as the eldest son of Yi Gap, the 9th son of Prince Yi Kang by one of his partners at Hyehwa-dong, Jongno District, Seoul. He attended the Sangmun High School during 1979–1981 and completed studies in broadcasting at the New York Institute of Technology, United States. He and his wife have had two children, the eldest son, Yi Kwon (이권), born in 1998; the other son, Yi Yeong (이영), born in 1999.^[citation needed]

He worked as a general manager of Hyundai Home Shopping, a Hyundai Department Store Group company, until Prince Yi Ku died on 16 July 2005. After the death of Yi Ku, the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association made him the heir of the late prince;[2] Yi Won was later announced to be the director of the association on 27 June 2007.[3] Officially, as noble titles aren't recognized by the Constitution of South Korea, Yi Won is by birth a citizen in South Korea.

He currently lives in an apartment in Wondang, Goyang, South Korea with his family.^[citation needed]

Adoption controversy

According to the chairman of the association, Lee Hwan-ey (이환의; 李桓儀), in his last meeting with Yi Ku on 10 July, Yi Won was allowed to become his heir and Yi Ku signed for granting permission. Following the death of Yi Ku on 16 July 2005, the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association appointed Yi Won as the next Head of the Korean Imperial Household and as such he inherited the title of Hereditary Prince Imperial (Hwangsason) from Yi Ku. Another meeting held on 21 July, within the association, was to determine whether Yi Won could be the successor of Yi Ku.[4] Eventually, Yi Won's status as Yi Ku's successor was confirmed by the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association as of 22 July 2005.[2]

This claim was contested by his half-aunt, Yi Hae-won, who was crowned "Empress of Korea" by some of her relatives. In spite of this, he is annually called on to take the place of the sovereign at the Jongmyo jerye ceremonies performing rites to his royal ancestors.

Those who dispute the legitimacy of the adoption claim that consent for the adoption of Yi Won was not given by other members of Imperial House, including Yi Seok, the younger half-brother of Prince Gap, and Yi Hae-won, the eldest member of the house until her death in 2020. Also, Yi Ku died before the adoption process could complete; as such, according to present Korean law, a traditional posthumous adoption was no longer recognized by legislation as of 2004.[5]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Yi Won
16. Yi Ha-eung, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon 8. Gojong of Korea 17. Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min clan 4. Prince Yi Kang 18. Jang Jwa-geun (b. 1819) 9. Lady Jang of the Deoksu Jang clan 2. Prince Yi Gap 5. Lady Ham Kae-pong 1. Prince Yi Won 3. Yi Gyeong-suk

Patrilineal descent

Patrilineal descent

Yi Han, d. 754? Yi Jayeon Yi Cheonsang Yi Gwanghui Yi Ipjeon Yi Geunghyu Yi Yeomsoon Yi Seung-sak Yi Chung-kyung Yi Kyung-young Yi Chung-min Yi Hwa Yi Jinyu Yi Gung-jin Yi Yong-bu Yi Rin Yi Yang-mu, d. 1231 Yi An-sa, d. 1274 Yi Haeng-ni Yi Chun, d. 1342 Yi Jachun, 1315–1361 Taejo of Joseon, 1335–1408 Taejong of Joseon, 1367–1422 Sejong of Joseon, 1397–1450 Sejo of Joseon, 1417–1468 Crown Prince Uigyeong, 1438–1457 Seongjong of Joseon, 1457–1495 Jungjong of Joseon, 1488–1544 Grand Internal Prince Deokheung, 1530–1559 Seonjo of Joseon, 1552–1608 Prince Jeongwon, 1580–1619 Injo of Joseon, 1595–1649 Grand Prince Inpyeong, 1622–1658 Prince Boknyeong, 1639–1670 Yi Hyuk, Prince Uiwon, 1661–1722 Yi Sook, Prince Anheung, 1693–1768 Yi Jin-ik, 1728–1796 Yi Byeong-won, 1752–1822 Yi Gu, Prince Namyeon, 1788–1836 Grand Internal Prince Heungseon, 1820–1898 Gojong of Korea, 1852–1919 Prince Yi Kang, 1877–1955 Yi Gap, 1938–2014 Yi Won, b. 1962

See also

• House of Yi
• Joseon dynasty

References

1. Sung-Un, Choi (2010). "Reviving JOSEON". Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
2. 황실 후손 생활 담은 다큐 만들고파. The Chosun Ilbo. 18 August 2005. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
3. 역대 총재. 전주이씨대동종약원. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
4. Sin, Hyeon-jun (21 July 2005). 끊어진 조선황실 후계 40대 회사원이 잇는다. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
5. "Coronation of Korea's new empress leads to royal family controversy". 22 October 2006.

External links

• Coronation of Korea's new empress leads to royal family controversy
• English Donga article mentioning Yi Won

Yi Won House of Yi Born: 23 September 1962
Cultural offices
Vacant Title last held by Yi Ku	Director of the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association 27 June 2007 – present	Incumbent
Titles in pretence
Preceded by Yi Ku	— TITULAR — Emperor of Korea 16 July 2005 – present Reason for succession failure: Empire abolished in 1910	Incumbent Heir apparent: Yi Kwon