Yi Won

Yi Won (Korean: 이원) (born Yi Sang-Hyeob on 23 September 1962) is a great-grandson of the Gojong of Korea and one of several who claim to be current head of the House of Yi.[1] 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. He 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-gu, Seoul. After the death of Yi Ku, it was decided to make Yi Won to be the adopted heir to the late prince by the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association;[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.

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

Yi Won
Head of the House of Yi
(disputed)
Period16 July 2005 - present
PredecessorYi Ku
Born (1962-09-23) 23 September 1962
Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
SpouseCho Tŭng-hak
IssueYi Kwon
Yi Yeon
Full name
Yi Sang-hyŏp
FatherYi Gap
MotherYi Gyeong-suk
Yi Won
Hangul
이원
Hanja
Revised RomanizationI Won
McCune–ReischauerYi Won

Biography

Yi Won 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.

He currently lives in an apartment in Wondang, Goyang, Gyeonggi province, Korea with his family.

Adoption controversy

Following the death of Yi Ku, who died on 16 July 2005, the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association appointed him as the next Head of Korean Imperial Household and they also made his title the Hereditary Prince Imperial (Hwangsason) in the meaning of inherited a title of Yi Ku. According to the chairman of the association, Lee Hwan-ey (이환의, 李桓儀), in his last meeting with Yi Ku was on July 10, Yi Won was allowed to become his heir and Yi Ku signed for granting permission. Another meeting held on July 21, 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 before 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

See also

References
  1. "Reviving Joseon Archived 8 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine", Invest Korea Journal, Mar-Apr 2010.
  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. http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2831239
Yi Won
Born: 23 September 1962
Cultural offices
Vacant
Title last held by
Yi Ku		 Director of the Jeonju Lee
Royal Family Association
27 June 2007 –		 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
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