1. Yi Kang, Prince Imperial Ui, known as Prince Uihwa or King Ui was the second son of Emperor Gojong of Korea and his concubine, Lady Jang, who was a court lady-in-waiting.
11 Facts About Yi Kang
1. 2.
Lady Kim, known as "Lady Kim of Deokindang", was a distant relative to Queen Inmok, the queen consort of Seonjo of Joseon in the early 17th century; Yi Kang did not have children by her.
3.
Yi Kang was appointed as Chanmogwan and was ordered to participate in the Military parade in Empire of Japan.
4.
Yi Kang received 1st class of Order of the Paulownia Flowers from the Japanese Government while he was in Japan.
5.
Prince Yi Kang served as the president of the Korean Red Cross from 1906 to 1907.
6.
Prince Yi Kang then tried to escape to the Provisional Government of Korea based in Shanghai, only to be discovered in Dandong from Manchuria and returned to his home country.
7.
Later, Yi Kang asked to deprive his title multiple times but he wasn't approved.
8.
Yi Kang said that he would rather be a peasant of the independent Korea than a noble of Empire of Japan.
9.
Yi Kang's exile promoted a positive view towards the Imperial family, and the Japanese attempted to devalue the exile as a trivial issue.
10.
Yi Kang died a week later on 15 August 1955, at the age of 78, in his mansion "Seongrakwon" Manor ; he was buried at the Hongneung and Yureung imperial tombs in Namyangju near Seoul, where his father and brothers are buried.
11.
Prince Imperial Ui, Yi Kang married Kim Deok-su in 1892; however, the couple had no children.