Yi Kyu-won

Lee Kyu-won (; 19 March 1833 – 11 November 1901) was a military official in the Joseon Dynasty.

King Gojong appointed Lee Kyu-won as a Royal Prosecutor for Ulleungdo Island in 1881. He drafted the official report to King Gojong.

Background Lee was born on 19 March 1833. He passed the mandatory Military Service Examination at age 19 and started his career as a Seonjeonkwan in 1858.

Career

Governor He was appointed as governor of many local areas including Tongjin (Gimpo) and Jeju Island. He died on 11 November 1901, at 69.

Royal Prosecutor Lee Kyu-won was appointed as a Royal Prosecutor in 1881 by King Gojong and was sent to Ulleungdo in order to survey the island the following year. At that time, the island had only 106 inhabitants. He spent ten days on Ulleungdo, surveying the land and marking out sea routes back to the Korean Peninsula. According to his diary, he became acquainted with 132 Koreans and 8 Japanese men.

The diary included a record of the topography, geomorphology, climate, animals, plants and products of the island. He recommended Naridong as an appropriate residential area, because the area is flat and large enough for 1,000 households. He suggested 14 possible ports along the sea coast.

Lee told King Gojong that he believed that Usan Island was the ancient name of Ulleungdo. He reported that he and his group climbed the highest mountain in Ulleungdo, the Songinbon Peak) the only other visible island was Jukdo, 2 kilometers from Ulleungdo.