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Yi Wi-jong

Envoy to The Hague who, fluent in foreign languages, gave the speech "A Plea for Korea" outside the conference

Son of Yi Beom-jin, Korea's minister to Russia, he grew up abroad and spoke English, French and Russian. In 1907 he was sent to The Hague with Yi Sang-seol and Yi Jun on Gojong's secret orders. When they were refused entry to the conference, he told the world's press that the Eulsa Treaty was invalid and exposed Japan's aggression. He later joined the Donguihoe in the Russian Maritime Province to support the righteous armies.

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1 related event

  1. 1
    1907Secret Emissaries to The Haguediplomat

    Gojong sent Yi Sang-seol, Yi Jun and Yi Wi-jong to the Second Hague Peace Conference to declare the 1905 treaty void; Japanese obstruction and the indifference of the powers kept them out of the hall.

People who appear alongside

  • Yi Sang-seol1870 – 1917

    Chief envoy to The Hague who founded the Seojeon Seosuk school in Jiandao and led independence groups in the Russian Far East

  • Yi Jun1859 – 1907

    Envoy to The Hague who died there after being refused a seat at the conference

  • Gojong1852 – 1919

    Twenty-sixth king of Joseon and first emperor of the Korean Empire

  • Homer B. Hulbert1863 – 1949

    American teacher at Yugyeong Gongwon who wrote the Hangeul geography "Samin pilji" and, as Gojong’s secret envoy, protested the Eulsa Treaty and aided the Hague emissaries