Yi Han-eung (; 30 October 1874 – 12 May 1905) was a Korean diplomat in London, UK. He served as Charge d'Affaires of the Korean Emperor Gojong to the UK and Italy when the Korean Peninsula was about to be occupied by the Japanese.[1] He made efforts to keep his nation independent in the era of imperialism, but eventually committed suicide in his office on Trebovir Road in London in May 1905, when it became apparent that Korea would lose its status as an independent nation.[2]
Yi Han-eung was born on 30 Oct 1874, as a second child to Yi Myung Ho, in the city of Yong-In in Kyung-gi Province.[3]
At the age of 25, he entered the national English school, and graduated after two years. In 1894, he passed the national exam for Sungkyunkwan Jinsa. In 1897, he was appointed as Jusa, and started his career as a civil servant. In 1899, he was appointed as an English instructor and started to teach young students.[3]
In 1901, Yi Han-eung was appointed a 3rd rank secretary of the consulate general for the United Kingdom and Italy, and moved to the London office accompanying the minister Min Yong Ton.
In 1903, returned to Korea, but no successor was appointed. As of early 1904, Yi Han-eung took charge of the legation office as a Charge d'Affaires. He visited the British Foreign Minister's office on 13 Jan 1904, and submitted a memorandum explaining his own view on geo-political situation around the Korean Peninsula using his own diagram shown on the right.[3] [4]
Yi Han Eung departed Korea on 15 April 1901, and arrived in London around 24 June 1901. Six members of the Korean Legation including Min Yong-ton and Yi Han-eung found temporary residence on Queen Victoria Street, before they finally moved to 4 Trebovir Road, Earl's Court.[3]
It is a four-story Victorian townhouse building with a basement, built in 1879 by the Van Camps from Belgium. A plaque was installed above the front door on 30 October 2023 to commemorate the building's diplomatic heritage.[5]
It has recently been found that one particular family, headed by Lord Justice Sir Roland Vaughan Williams and Lady Laura Vaughan Williams, has shown tremendous generosity to the Korean legation. It appeared in a message sent on behalf of the Korean Emperor Gojong, that the kindness shown to Yi had 'revealed to His Majesty a new and pleasing side of western character and had touched him very deeply.'[6]
The Vaughan Williams family have lived in 6 Trebovir Rd, next to the Korean legation office building. They have shown tremendous support to the Korean legation, and sometimes invited Korean legation members to their family estate called 'High Ashes' located in Leith Hill, Surrey, in order to entertain them.
As an acting minister to the UK, Yi Han-eung contacted the British Foreign Office in London and asked for intervention in peace negotiations. However, Lord Lansdowne refused any talk with Yi Han Eung, as the UK had a common interest with Japan through Anglo-Japanese Alliance signed in 1902.He once again requested the British Foreign Office for intervention in peace negotiations on 22 March 1905, but Lord Lansdowne did nothing other than acknowledging the receipt of his memorandum on 1 April 1905. Having failed to secure British support, on 12 May 1905, Yi committed suicide in his bedroom at 4 Trebovir Rd to take responsibility for it.[7] After this, the Korean embassy in London was disestablished.[8]