World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseYi U (alternatively romanized as Yi Wu and Yi Woo) was born in Unhyeon Palace to Prince Gang, the fifth son of Emperor Gojong of Korea. At the age of 5, Yi was adopted by his deceased uncle Prince Jun's household as the heir of that branch of the Imperial Household with the title of Prince Wu. He was sent to Japan for education in 1917. He resisted attempts by the Japanese government to eliminate his Korean heritage, and chose to marry the daughter of Korean Marquis Park Yeong-hyo instead of marrying a Japanese Princess like many other Korean nobles had done at the time. He was perceived to have handsome features. Yi served in the Japanese Army in China, but there were many claims that he was heavily involved in Chinese and particularly Korean resistance groups. Some also claimed he fathered an illegitimate child with the daughter of Korean resistance leader General Yu Dong-ryul. There is little evidence to suggest these claims, but his involvement with anti-Japanese movements is generally recognized popularly today.

ww2dbaseToward the end of the war, Yi served with the Japanese Army in Hiroshima. He was killed as the result of the dropping of the first atomic bomb. He now rests in peace in Hongneung Imperial tomb in Korea.

Yi U Interactive Map

Photographs

Yi U Timeline