Seodaemun Prison
Seodaemun Prison History Hall (Korean: 서대문형무소역사관) is a museum and former prison in Seodaemun District, Seoul, South Korea. It was constructed beginning in 1907. The prison was opened on October 21, 1908, under the name Gyeongseong Gamok. During the early part of the Japanese colonial period it was known as Keijo Prison[1] (Keijō Kangoku, the Japanese pronunciation of Gyeongseong Gamok). Its name was changed to Seodaemun Prison in 1923, and it later had several other names.[2]
 View of Seodaemun Prison History Hall from the Seodaemun Independence Park | |
| Established |
|
|---|---|
| Type | Memorial museum |
| Seodaemun Prison | |
| Hangul | 서대문형무소역사관 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | 西大門刑務所歷史觀 |
| Revised Romanization | Seodaemun Hyeongmuso Yeoksagwan |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sŏdaemun Hyŏngmuso Yŏksakwan |
| Original name | |
| Hangul | 경성감옥 |
| Hanja | 京城監獄 |
| Revised Romanization | Gyeongsong Gamok |
| McCune–Reischauer | Kyŏngsŏng Kamok |
| Other names | |
| Hangul | 서울형무소
서울교도소 서울구치소 |
| Hanja | 서울刑務所
서울矯導所 서울拘置所 |
| Revised Romanization |
|
| McCune–Reischauer |
|
Literal translations:
| |
History
The prison was used during the Japanese colonial period to imprison Korean liberation activists, and could originally hold around 500 inmates.[3] It had a separate facility for women and young girls. In 1911, Kim Koo was imprisoned. He was one of the more important figures in the Korean liberation movement. In 1919, shortly after the March 1st Movement, the number of imprisoned increased drastically.[4] About three thousand liberation activists were imprisoned,[3] and shortly before the colonization ended in 1945, the number of prisoners was at 2980. Among imprisoned after the March 1 Movement was Ryu Gwansun, who died from the torture inflicted on her.[5]
After the colonial era ended in 1945 as part of the surrender of Japan in World War II, the prison was used by the South Korean government, and was known by various official names, including Seoul Prison until 1961, Seoul Correctional Institute until 1967 and Seoul Detention Center until its closure in 1987. It was replaced by a facility in Uiwang City, Gyeonggi Province.[6]
In 1992, the site was dedicated as the Seodaemun Prison History Hall, part of Seodaemun Independence Park. Seven of the prison complex's original fifteen buildings are preserved as historical monuments. The History Hall showcases all those imprisoned during the Japanese colonial period and continues to serve as a memorial hall.[7]
During a visit to Seodaemun in August 2015, former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama knelt in front of a memorial stone as an expression of apology for Japanese war crimes in World War II.[8]
Location
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Seodaemun Independence Park, including Seodaemun Prison, is closely located to exits 4 or 5 of the Dongnimmun Station on Seoul Subway Line 3.
See also
References
- Annual Report on Reforms and Progress in Chosen. Government-General of Korea. 1923.
- Lee, Hyun Kyung (April 23, 2019). 'Difficult Heritage' in Nation Building: South Korea. ISBN 9783319663388.
- Joel Lee (August 2, 2018). "Former prison lives with vestiges of Korea's patriotic past". The Korea Herald. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- Chang, Dae-oup (January 13, 2009). Capitalist Development in Korea. ISBN 9781134046454.
- For reconciliation: Textbook, Comfort women, Yasukuni shrine and Liancourt Rocks (in Japanese). Heibonsha. 2006. p. 53. ISBN 9784582702651.
- "인왕산 도성탐방기<2>서대문형무소역사관, 국사당, 선바위". The Hankyoreh. May 9, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
- "Korea". 2013.
- Hongo, Jun (August 13, 2015). "Former Prime Minister Hatoyama Kneels at Wartime Prison in Seoul". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
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