In the survey of nearly 2,000 people aged 13 and above released this week, some 14 percent named the historical naval hero as the person they respect the most. Yi had previously topped the same survey in 2014 and 2019.
The admiration for Yi seems stronger among men, with 18 percent choosing him, compared to 9 percent of women.
King Sejong the Great garnered 10 percent of support, securing second place, followed by former strong man Park Chung-hee at seven percent, and late President Roh Moo-hyun at 4.5 percent.
Ex-President Kim Dae-jung and independence fighter Kim Gu were tied for the fifth spot. Other prominent independence fighters included An Jung-geun and Yu Gwan-sun.
Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung was the sole businessman to make into the top 10 list, which was largely dominated by politicians and activists.
Notably, about 4.3 percent of respondents chose "parents," ranking seventh. This marks the first time they have been included among the top 10.
