Yi Won

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 ({{Korean|hangul=이권|labels=no}}), born in 1998; the other son, Yi Yeong ({{Korean|hangul=이영|labels=no}}), born in 1999.{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}

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; Yi Won was later announced to be the director of the association on 27 June 2007.{{cite web |script-title=ko:역대 총재 |url=http://www.rfo.co.kr/director1.htm |website=전주이씨대동종약원 |access-date=18 June 2020}} 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|date=September 2024}}

According to the chairman of the association, Lee Hwan-ey ({{Korean|hangul=이환의|hanja=李桓儀|labels=no}}), 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.{{cite news |last1=Sin |first1=Hyeon-jun |script-title=ko:끊어진 조선황실 후계 40대 회사원이 잇는다 |url=https://m.chosun.com/svc/article.html?sname=news&contid=2005072170015 |access-date=7 June 2020 |date=21 July 2005}} Eventually, Yi Won's status as Yi Ku's successor was confirmed by the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association as of 22 July 2005.{{cite news |script-title=ko:황실 후손 생활 담은 다큐 만들고파 |url=https://m.chosun.com/svc/article.html?sname=news&contid=2005081870331 |access-date=7 June 2020 |publisher=The Chosun Ilbo |date=18 August 2005}}

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.{{Cite web|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2831239|title = Coronation of Korea's new empress leads to royal family controversy| date=22 October 2006 }}

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|1= 1. Prince Yi Won

|2= 2. Prince Yi Gap

|3= 3. Yi Gyeong-suk

|4= 4. Prince Yi Kang

|5= 5. Lady Ham Kae-pong

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|8= 8. Gojong of Korea

|9= 9. Lady Jang of the Deoksu Jang clan

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|16= 16. Yi Ha-eung, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon

|17= 17. Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min clan

|18= 18. Jang Jwa-geun (b. 1819)

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{{chart top|text-align=left|Patrilineal descent}}

1. Yi Han, d. 754?
2. Yi Jayeon
3. Yi Cheonsang
4. Yi Gwanghui
5. Yi Ipjeon
6. Yi Geunghyu
7. Yi Yeomsoon
8. Yi Seung-sak
9. Yi Chung-kyung
10. Yi Kyung-young
11. Yi Chung-min
12. Yi Hwa
13. Yi Jinyu
14. Yi Gung-jin
15. Yi Yong-bu
16. Yi Rin
17. Yi Yang-mu, d. 1231
18. Yi An-sa, d. 1274
19. Yi Haeng-ni
20. Yi Chun, d. 1342
21. Yi Jachun, 1315–1361
22. Taejo of Joseon, 1335–1408
23. Taejong of Joseon, 1367–1422
24. Sejong of Joseon, 1397–1450
25. Sejo of Joseon, 1417–1468
26. Crown Prince Uigyeong, 1438–1457
27. Seongjong of Joseon, 1457–1495
28. Jungjong of Joseon, 1488–1544
29. Grand Internal Prince Deokheung, 1530–1559
30. Seonjo of Joseon, 1552–1608
31. Prince Jeongwon, 1580–1619
32. Injo of Joseon, 1595–1649
33. Grand Prince Inpyeong, 1622–1658
34. Prince Boknyeong, 1639–1670
35. Yi Hyuk, Prince Uiwon, 1661–1722
36. Yi Sook, Prince Anheung, 1693–1768
37. Yi Jin-ik, 1728–1796
38. Yi Byeong-won, 1752–1822
39. Yi Gu, Prince Namyeon, 1788–1836
40. Grand Internal Prince Heungseon, 1820–1898
41. Gojong of Korea, 1852–1919
42. Prince Yi Kang, 1877–1955
43. Yi Gap, 1938–2014
44. Yi Won, b. 1962

{{chart bottom}}

• House of Yi
• Joseon dynasty

{{Reflist}}

• [http://blog.joins.com/media/folderlistslide.asp?uid=sh_p&folder=4&list_id=7417763 Coronation of Korea's new empress leads to royal family controversy]
• [http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=040000&biid=2005072528898 English Donga article mentioning Yi Won]

{{s-start}}

{{s-hou|House of Yi|23 September|1962}}

{{s-culture}}

{{s-break}}

{{s-vac|last=Yi Ku}}

{{s-ttl|title=Director of the Jeonju Lee
Royal Family Association|years=27 June 2007 – present}}

{{s-inc}}

{{s-pre}}

{{s-bef|before=Yi Ku}}

{{s-tul|title=Emperor of Korea|years=16 July 2005 – present

|reason=Empire abolished in 1910}}

{{s-inc|heir=Yi Kwon|heir-type=Heir apparent}}

{{s-end}}

{{House of Yi}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yi, Won}}

Category:Pretenders to the Korean throne

Category:House of Yi

Category:1962 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Gyeonggi Province

Category:People from Jongno District

Category:Korean anti-communists

Category:Korean princes

Category:New York Institute of Technology alumni