Talk:Prince Yi Seok

Prince Yi Seok

Within the partitioned Koreas, and in the Republic of Korea, HIH the Crown Prince Yi Seok is seen as the main heir to the Yi Dynasty or the Joseon Dynasty.

Within the past year articles in "The Wall Street Journal", "The Korea Times", "The Washington Times", (op cit) and numerous other royal magazines and websites, have rediscovered the living history of Korea's imperial family and their present duties within a post-WW2 democratic political system. Because of the turmoil of repeated invasions and occupations before the Koreas became stabilized after the 1960s, irrespective of the merits or the flaws of either of the partitioned sides, much of what was Korean traditional or royal conservative history was pushed aside and forgotten within the internal economic then political turmoil that has been a sad and constant legacy within 20th century Korean history.

With an increasing stability within the Koreas, there has been a rediscovery of Korea's imperial and kingly pasts, and a sense that the time is right for placing Korea in as much historical context as any of the neighboring regions. Part of understanding the past is understanding tradition and origins of the modern Korean state. To that end this article describes the activities of the present head of the Yi household, Prince Yi Seok, and his efforts to maintain conservative traditions, like most royals of the world - and increasingly within presidential republics.

The following article lays out some basic facts on HIH the Crown Prince according to the generally received commentary in both Korean and English publications on his current standing within the Republic of Korea.

His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince Yi Seok, has after a long period of tribulation and patience, has finally regained his dignity and respect in keeping the Korean royal traditions alive in 2004 and increasingly in 2005.

This has surprised many in Korea who did not know that the traditions and values of the Korean Royal Family have indeed been reborn in the 21st century as a valuable link to both the past and the future of Korea and Koreans as a whole.

Increasingly articles and interviews in the foreign press, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Korea Times, interviews on SBS, KBS, MBC, articles in many magazines and newspapers, and citations in the royal websites and databases throughout the world, have finally recognized the actuality of a living Korean Crown Prince and his ceremonial role and duties; and the delicate balance of doing this as a private individual within a presidential republic.

Crown Prince Yi Seok, has with great effort worked to preserve the Korean traditions by travelling extensively through Korean and lecturing at schools, reminding the youth of today that indeed there are long lines of greatness in Korea and traditions that are essential to be preserved.

Prince Yi Seok has participated in many public religious services of the national religion, and has played a constant and earnest role in trying to maintain the dignity of his country and his position throughout perhaps the worst times Korea had in its entire history - having suffered both WW2 as a youth, the Korean war as a teen, and also having served in the Vietnam war in action in a notedly aggressive elite Korean commando regiment - "The Tigers" - as an enlisted man. Returning to Korea after the Vietnam war, he found a need to develop a unique role in a society in which he did not exist.

A long period of time passed as he learned the new rules of a new society and struggled to accommodate a new world utterly different from the times in which he was born: a long difficult struggle that mirrored the very hard times all Koreans had in rediscovering their own inner dignity and their own national strength.

HIH the Crown Prince Yi Seok is head of the Yi family, and has a website that indicates what his current assumed duties are. HIH the Crown Prince is, as expected, now a private citizen of the Republic of Korea, who simply has a remarkable history, and as an educator, popular television series host, able musician, father, former soldier and proud Vietnam war veteran, keeper of the traditions, and historian of his family, sees his duties as a valuable contribution to Korean society.

Perhaps few people in the Republic have the ease of manner and the extensive understanding of all aspects of Korean society as HIH The Crown Prince Yi Seok; and few indeed have worked against the odds to maintain Korean traditions going back eight centuries in a way that makes them relevant and important to the next series of generations.

Increasingly he has taken a larger and more high profile role as keeper of those traditions as Korea has become a freer and more open society. And as an examplar of the persistence and strength of the Korean people who have finally triumphed after tremendous times of adversity. His life itself has mirrored in many ways the continued fight for duty and freedom that is uniquely that of the Korean people as a whole in the 20th century in a continued quest for a place in a sophisticated evolving complicated world.

The HIH Crown Prince Yi Seok is currently moving towards establishing a charitable foundation to preserve and continue Korean arts, and towards establishing scholarships in the arts both at home and abroad; and as well in the future to do work with the many Korean orphans at home who he holds dear to his heart, as well as those who have suffered through being homeless. He has concerned himself as well with maintaining essential traditions, and as a host for major historical recreations and events throughout presently the Republic of Korea.

The life of HIH the Crown Prince Yi Seok was made into a tv program on the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), and is available on their website but only in Korean as a realplayer or windows media movie several years ago. It is considered both a moving and difficult tribute to a man who has fought at great lengths to preserve the honesty of his beliefs, and to preserve a great heritage that was almost lost to the Korean people as a whole while all the time keeping in the public eye and the heart of the people.

Imperial Korean history, art, and architecture are currently represented in a series of museums and architectural sites throughout Korea. There have been no major travelling world shows of Imperial Korean antiquities or works of art as few indeed now remain in Korean hands in Korea. It's a matter of fact that one may see more Korean works of art, and pieces from the Imperial collections in the museums of Japan, than exist in either state or private hands in Korea. Cultural exchanges though are in the works.

Gyeongbok Palace is a world heritage site in Seoul, who is the traditional residence among many of the Korean Royal Family. The Gyeonbok Palace and its land and articles are owned entirely by the government of the Republic of Korea, as all other Imperial lands and sites. When HIH the Crown Prince Yi Seok visits his ancestral home and land, he does so now only as a private Korean citizen. He does so with pride and with concern for maintaining the sake of maintaining its heritage of these residences for all Koreans and the many foreign visitors each year.

The Korean royal family website is to appear in English in early 2005, and is currently available only in Korean at http://cafe.daum.net/epna or as well: http://www.royalcity.or.kr/

About references
The Joseon Dynasty recorded its history as Annals of Joseon Dynasty.

There is presently no official historian of the Korean royal family, and the Imperial records have ceased to be recorded since the Japanese invasions. Occasional references to the Korean Royal Family and its present charities and activities in the arts or in cultural preservation are found on websites on world royalty.


 * Standard references used for this site include:
 * A Cultural History of Modern Korea, Wannae Joe, ed. with intro. by Hongkyu A. Choe, Elizabeth NY, and Seoul Korea: Hollym, 2000.
 * An Introduction to Korean Culture, ed. Koo & Nahm, Elizabeth NJ, and Seoul Korea: Hollym, 1998. 2nd edition.

Further citations to appended.

Current articles on HIH the Crown Prince Yi Seok in English:

    
 * Wall Street Journal, "Last Korean Prince" (qv. WSJ, subscription required; Google search:"South Korea's last living prince".)
 * Korean Royal News (website), at the wwww.Royalty.nu homepage.
 * Korea Times, "Korean Prince Living Vagabond's Life Campaigns for Royal Respect", again a sensational article.
 * Korea Times, "Last Chosun Prince to settle in Chonju", an article which represents current matters more accurately. 08-26-2004
 * Yonhap News, "Last Prince of Joseon Dynasty Settles in Jeonju", an extremely accurate article on royal tourism initiatives in Korea.
 * Washington Times, "Korean royalty seeks to restore ancestral pride", a sensational, overly dramatic and romanticized article.

Citations in Korean will be appended in a subsequent hyperlinked entry.

En Francais.

A recent article in French was part of an Agence France Presse interview cited in Yahoo includes several new photographs. 

Addenda.

(Note that there has been debate here on succession issues, as in all monarchy based sites in the 20th century and now; there are still claims of Stuart succession invalidating Queen Elizabeth and her heirs; as well as similar battles fought on other websites, magnified now by a great deal of fictional debate launched by the "DaVinci Code" that has thrown many links to the monarchies of the world into chaos; a link will be added on this forthcoming setting forth arguments on succession issues from a variety of historians and legalists, as well as citations from principle references sources as these are translated from Korean into English, and in the French entries as well.)

Hello! I am a greek royalist and try to find the email address of Korean Prince, Yi Seok, or mail address from Korean Royal Family. Can yoy help me? Thanks! Christos. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 78.87.18.225 (talk) 14:52, 25 July 2012 (UTC)