Lee Kwan-Young: key obituary facts
Is Lee Kwan-Young dead? Yes. Lee Kwan-Young died on October 18, 2026, at age 80.
Cause of death: Lee Kwan-Young's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Lee Kwan-Young known for?
He was a South Korean taekwondo practitioner.
More about Lee Kwan-Young
Born: 19 April 1946.
Place of birth: Seoul.
Gender: male.
Occupation: taekwondo athlete, instructor, coach, soldier.
Nationality: South Korea, France.
Awards: Knight of the National Order of Merit.
Lee Kwan-Young, a South Korean taekwondo practitioner and former military officer, died October 18, 2026, aged 80.
Born in Seoul on April 19, 1946, he worked in taekwondo as a practitioner, instructor and coach. His contribution to the sport became particularly associated with France, where he introduced taekwondo in 1968.
He was later regarded as a pioneering figure in French taekwondo and described as its “father” in France. The French Post Office marked the 50th anniversary of taekwondo’s introduction to the country in 2019 by issuing a stamp bearing his image. The commemoration recognized the milestone and Lee’s connection to the early spread of the martial art in France. In 2022, he was awarded the rank of Knight of the National Order of Merit, a French national distinction. Lee’s life linked his South Korean background and former military service with decades of work in taekwondo, including its teaching and development in France. His introduction of the discipline there in 1968 remained a defining part of his public profile, later recalled through the anniversary stamp and his French national honour. He was also identified as a South Korean taekwondo athlete, reflecting the range of roles he held in the martial art.