Located in northwestern Seoul, Seodaemun Independence Park pays tribute to those who fought for Korea’s independence from Japan (1910 – 1945). The focal point of the park is the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. Opened in 1908 under the name Gyeongseong Prison, the name was changed in 1923 to Seodaemun Prison. It was here that the Japanese incarcerated, tortured, and executed Korean activists who spoke out and fought against Japanese colonial rule. Pictures of former inmates line the walls and the cells have been left just as they were. There are also a number of exhibits displaying the torture and abuse inflicted on the inmates by the Japanese guards. Most areas of the prison are open to the public and serve as a chilling reminder of Korea’s colonial past prior to independence.
The prison also has a post-liberation history as well. Following independence from Japan, the South Korean government used this prison to incarcerate individuals until 1987. Today, half of the original fifteen buildings of the prison complex still stand and are open to the public as part of the museum.
At the entrance to the park, you will also find the Independence Gate. This massive stone gate is of European design and stands in the place where the Yeongeunmun Gate once stood during the Joseon era. The Yeongeunmun Gate was destroyed in 1895 by the Japanese and the new Independence Gate was erected a year later. In addition to the gate, there are a number of monuments in the park with the most prominent one being the statue of Seo Jae-pil, a journalist and political activist during the colonial period who was instrumental in the construction of the Independence Gate. On weekends, the park is a popular destination for locals wanting to relax and tourists seeking to better understand Korea’s complex history. The best way to reach the park is by taking exits 4 or 5 from Dongnimmun Subway Station on Line 3.
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