Ludmila Yepimova, the granddaughter of special envoy Lee Wi-jong, passed away in Russia on the 25th at the age of 89.
The family and the South Korean embassy in Russia announced this on the 26th.
The family reported that Yepimova passed away due to age-related health issues. They noted, "She had a healthy mind, energy, and a keen interest in life at that age, but illnesses associated with old age did not give her the opportunity to continue living."
Yepimova was the great-granddaughter of Lee Beom-jin (1852-1911), the first Korean consul in Russia, and the granddaughter of Lee Wi-jong (1887-unknown), who was dispatched as a special envoy along with Lee Jun and Lee Sang-seol to the 1907 Hague International Peace Conference.
Lee Wi-jong, the second son of the consul, married Elizaveta, the daughter of Russian noble Baron Nolken, and they had three daughters, of which Yepimova was a descendant of the second daughter. He was the first Korean diplomat to marry a Russian woman.
Lee Wi-jong grew up in the United States, France, and Russia, following his father, who was a diplomat. As a special envoy, he played a crucial role in negotiating with representatives from various countries with his fluent English, French, and Russian skills to attend the conference as the Korean representative.
Although the special envoy's entourage could not attend the conference due to Japanese interference and the indifference of various countries, they exposed Japan's invasion and emphasized the invalidity of the Eulsa Treaty.
Lee Wi-jong dedicated himself to the anti-Japanese independence movement, traveling between Vladivostok and Saint Petersburg, Russia. His fate remains unclear.
During her lifetime, Yepimova worked as a chemical engineer at the Aviation Industry Research Institute. In 1995, she played a leading role in founding an organization for the descendants of independence activists in Russia and participated in numerous television interviews and writings dealing with the independence struggle.
In 2015, Yepimova and her daughter Yuliya Piskulova were granted Korean nationality and received passports through a special naturalization process for the descendants of independence activists.
Piskulova, who studies Korean history and engages in academic activities regarding Korea-Russia relations, explained about her mother, "I am very proud that our ancestors, Lee Beom-jin and Lee Wi-jong, contributed to liberating Korea from Japanese invasion, and I am grateful to have received Korean nationality."
She continued, "Yepimova always respected Korea and was proud that her historical homeland was an independent and prosperous nation, and she was always grateful for helping the descendants of independence activists and preserving the memory of the Korean independence struggle."
Piskulova said, "Her children and grandchildren always respected her and took her as a role model, and it was she who instilled interest in Korean history and the struggle for independence among family members."
The funeral service will be held on the 27th at a church in Moscow, attended by family members and YIDO, the South Korean ambassador to Russia.