Yi Won

Yi Won (; born Yi Sang-Hyeob; 23 September 1962) is one of the great-grandsons of Gojong of Korea and one of several who claim to be current head of the House of Yi but is not accepted by the imperial family of Korea.

Biography Yi Won was born as the eldest son of , 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, born in 1998; the other son, Yi Yeong , born in 1999.

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 appointed him as the Imperial Ritual Master(Hwangsason) of the association. 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.

Adoption controversy

Following the death of Yi Ku on 16 July 2005, the Jeonju Lee Royal Family Association asked Yi Jun, the eldest great-grandsons of Emperor Gojong, but Yi Jun declined the request as he stated that it is not approporiate for the heir of Prince Imperial Ui to succeed the lineage of Prince Imperial Yeong, the younger brother of his grandfather So Yi Jun's younger cousin brother, Yi Won was appointed as the Imperial Ritual Master(Hwangsason) of the association.

This claim was contested by his half-uncle, Yi Seok and a 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.

Ancestry

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 , 1938–2014 Yi Won, b. 1962