Prince Yi Kang: Independence Activist or Libertine?

Prince Uihwa, Yi Kang (李堈, 1877~1955), was a son of Emperor Gojong (高宗) of the Korean Empire (大韓帝國). Born to a concubine, he faced opposition from Gojong's other consorts. Later, his sister-in-law, Yi Bang-ja, testified that the stress of his childhood led him to lead a dissolute life. From a young age, he indulged in alcohol and women. In 1897, at the age of 17, he was sent to study in the United States as the Korean Empire was navigating a path to collapse between Russia and Japan. Despite this, he enjoyed his life in the US, unconcerned with his homeland's fate. He acquired 87 suits, each with a flower-embroidered vest, and dated three college women at a single university. He eventually got into a fistfight and was fined. Syngman Rhee, who later became the first president of South Korea, met him at the time and remarked, 'He is lazy and has no enthusiasm for studying.' While studying in the US, he spent all the money prepared by Korea and even borrowed from the Japanese legation. The money he squandered was extracted by the Emperor of the Korean Empire from his people.

Prince Yi Kang ⓒNational Museum of Korea

In March 1919, a large-scale protest against Japanese rule erupted in Korea, known as the March 1st Movement. As a result, Koreans abroad organized a provisional government and began the independence movement. That winter, a shocking event occurred: Yi Kang attempted to seek asylum with the Shanghai provisional government. Yi Kang sent a letter to the provisional government stating that he would rather be a commoner in Korea than a member of the Japanese royalty. Members of the provisional government accompanied Yi Kang across the Yalu River, but they were soon arrested by the police of the Japanese Governor-General of Korea. Yi Kang changed his statement, claiming that he was a member of the Japanese royalty and had been kidnapped. Although the Governor-General's office knew that Yi Kang had attempted to flee voluntarily, they chose not to prosecute him due to the complications of indicting royalty, opting instead for house arrest. Those captured with him were all punished by the judicial authorities. At this time, Yun Chi-ho wrote in his diary that Yi Kang's poor behavior meant that even if he had been taken to Shanghai, he would not have been of any help. Indeed, Yi Kang had demanded the provisional government agents in Shanghai to prepare sufficient funds before his arrival.
As demonstrated during his time studying in the United States, Yi Kang was notorious for his relationships with numerous women. He officially had 21 children—12 sons and 9 daughters—from at least 12 different women. However, his legal wife did not have any children. This implies that he was involved with at least 13 women. His descendants describe his numerous liaisons and the resulting progeny as 'producing multiple children as part of a movement to resist Japan. - Quite an interesting bunch. Nonetheless, the contemporary magazine 'Gaebyeok' criticized the concubine culture among notable Koreans of the time, remarking that 'there is no need to even mention Yi Kang' in this context.
With Japan's defeat in the World War, Korea gained independence. The establishment of a new government instilled a sense of crisis among the privileged class of the Japanese colonial era. Yi Kang, who was part of the Japanese imperial family, owned a mansion in what is now Insadong, Seoul, called 'Sadonggung (寺洞宮).' Yi Kang feared that his mansion might be classified as Japanese property and confiscated by the new government. At that time, some opportunists appeared and suggested he sell it at a good price before it was confiscated. Yi Kang sold it for 400 won. However, the U.S. military administration did not classify the property of the royal family as enemy assets. Realizing that his property would not be confiscated, Yi Kang filed a lawsuit against the buyers who had not yet paid in full. However, for some reason, he withdrew the lawsuit. His mansion was eventually partitioned and sold off. His descendants claim that the property was forcefully taken by the government of South Korea and that a historical monument was destroyed. However, the mansion was sold in 1947, before the government of South Korea was even established. The destruction of the historical monument was a consequence of Yi Kang’s own greed.

Yi Kang's Mansion ⓒHamamatsu Municipal Library

When the Korean War broke out, he fled to Busan. After Seoul was recaptured, he returned but could not go back to Sadonggung, the mansion he had sold. He spent the rest of his life in the other mansion, Andong Byolgung (安洞別宮) and passed away there in 1955.
Unlike most royals of the Korean Empire who collaborated with the Japanese, he is positively regarded for his attempt to seek asylum in Shanghai. However, most people are unaware that after his failed attempt, he claimed to have been kidnapped, asserting that he was a member of the Japanese royal family. Moreover, he led a dissolute life. He could not be a person to be respected. Despite this, his descendants claim he was involved in many more independence movements and strive to embellish his life. These claims are largely based on oral family traditions, and some are fabricated stories, like the sale of Sadonggung. History can be uncomfortable, but acknowledging the truth is important, hence it is recorded here.