Lee Bo-ik
Paternal grandmother of Kim Il-sung
About Lee Bo-ik
Lived 1876 – 1959 (aged 83). Lee Bo-ik was a Korean.
Yi Poik (; 31 May 1876 – 18 October 1959) was the paternal grandmother of Kim Il Sung, great-grandmother of Kim Jong Il and great-great grandmother of Kim Jong Un. She was a farmer from Pyongyang, South Pyongan Province, North Korea, and the wife of Kim Pohyŏn, who was also a farmer.
Life She was born on 31 May 1876 in Pyongyang, Pyongan Province, Joseon.
She eventually married Kim Pohyŏn, a farmer, and gave birth to three sons and three daughters: eldest son Kim Hyong-jik (father of Kim Il Sung), second son Kim Hyongnok, third son Kim Hyŏnggwŏn, eldest daughter Kim Gu-il, second daughter Kim Hyong-sil, and third daughter Kim Hyong-bok.
On 4 June 1937, the Battle of Pochonbo occurred in Kapsan County, South Hamgyong Province. Later, Kim Yong-ju, who worked as an interpreter for the Japanese army, learned that the mastermind of the attack was his brother Kim Il Sung. In order to gain Kim Yong-ju's cooperation, Japan handed over his grandmother.
On 15 August 1945, her grandson Kim Il Sung returned to China from the Soviet Union.
Death and legacy She died on 18 October 1959, at the age of 83 and a statue in her honor stands at the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery.
Yi Poik and Kim Pohyŏn were likened as "patriots" by the Editorial Committee for the Short Biography of Kim Il Sung.
On 19 August 2013, wreaths were sent by various North Korean organizations to the tombs of Yi Poik and Kim Pohyŏn.
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Important facts
People in Lee Bo-ik's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Lee Bo-ik's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Lee Bo-ik?
paternal grandmother of Kim Il-sung
When was Lee Bo-ik born?
Lee Bo-ik was born on 31 May 1876.
When did Lee Bo-ik die?
Lee Bo-ik died on 18 October 1959.
What nationality was Lee Bo-ik?
Lee Bo-ik was Korean.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Lee Bo-ik. https://biography.guide/lee-bo-ik/
MLA: "Lee Bo-ik." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/lee-bo-ik/.
Chicago: "Lee Bo-ik." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/lee-bo-ik/.
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