Seoul National Cemetery

The Seoul National Cemetery (Korean: 국립서울현충원) is located in Dongjak-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The cemetery is reserved for Korean veterans, including those who died in the Korean independence movement, Korean War, and Vietnam War.[1] Four South Korean presidents are buried in the cemetery.

Seoul National Cemetery
South Korea
Hyeonchung gate
Used for those deceased 1950–present
Established1956
Location
Dongjak-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea
37°29′56″N 126°58′20″E
Seoul National Cemetery
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationGuklib Seoul Hyeonchungwon
McCune–ReischauerKungnip Sŏul Hyŏnch'ungwŏn

The Seoul National Cemetery is near Dongjak Station on Seoul Subway Line 4 or Seoul Subway Line 9. Except for some special days, the Seoul National Cemetery usually allows access to the public.

History

When established by presidential decree of Syngman Rhee in 1956, Seoul National Cemetery was the country's only national cemetery. As the cemetery reached capacity in the early 1970s, Daejeon National Cemetery was established in 1976. Both cemeteries were originally overseen by the Ministry of Defence until 2006, when the Daejeon National Cemetery was transferred to the Ministry of Patriots' and Veterans' Affairs (South Korea).

Notable people buried

Tomb of President Syngman Rhee in Seoul National Cemetery
Tomb of President Park Chung Hee in Seoul National Cemetery
Seoul National Cemetery 26th Sanctuary

Incidents and controversy

On June 22, 1970, three North Korean agents broke into the cemetery and planted a bomb. One agent was killed when the bomb was accidentally detonated.[3][4]

In August 2005, controversy was stirred by the visit of a North Korean delegation to the cemetery. The delegation was led by Kim Ki-Nam, and numbered 182 officials. The visit not only sparked outrage among those opposed to warmer relations with the North, but also raised fears that a future delegation from the South might be expected to pay their respects to Kim Il-sung in Pyongyang.[5]

On his death on August 18, 2009, former President of South Korea Kim Dae-jung was buried in at the National Cemetery, instead of in Daejeon National Cemetery, the initially planned burial site.[6]

See also

References

  1. "K2WebWizard". www.snmb.mil.kr. Archived from the original on 2012-06-10.
  2. Kim Tong-hyung (26 November 2015). "S. Koreans mourn ex-President Kim in state funeral". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
  3. "武裝(무장)공비 2~3명 國立(국립)묘지 爆破(폭파)기도". NAVER Newslibrary. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  4. "A Korean Red Agent Dies in Seoul Blast". The New York Times. June 23, 1970.
  5. "N.Korean National Cemetery Visit Sparks Concern". Chosun Ilbo. 14 August 2005. Retrieved 9 January 2006.
  6. "서울현충원 국가원수 묘역 빈자리 없어". www.munhwa.com. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
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