Seodaemun Prison

Seodaemun Prison is a prison that was created on Hyeonjeo- dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul by the Japanese Resident-General of Korea for the purpose of suppressing and imprisoning anti-Japanese forces such as armies in 1908.^[1]

The name changed to ‘Gyeongseong Prison’ in 1908, ‘Seodaemun Prison’ in 1912, ‘Seodaemun Prison’ in 1923, ‘Seoul Prison’ in 1945, and ‘Seoul Prison’ in 1961.^[2] Between 1908 and 1911, many armies who opposed the policies of the Japanese Residency-General were imprisoned in ‘Gyeongseong Prison’. During the Japanese colonial era, the Japanese Government-General of Korea arrested many people who participated in the March First Independence Movement. Some of them died by the interrogation and torture in ‘Seodaemun Prison’. After liberation on August 15, 1945, many people who opposed the dictatorship and military regime were imprisoned in the ‘Seoul Prison (Seodaemun Prison)’ and served time in Prison.^[3]

In 1987 it was moved to Uiwang City, and most of the buildings, which were built after liberation, were demolished. Eleven buildings remain, including some prisons and execution ground where fighters for independence were mainly imprisoned during the Japanese colonial era, as well as security and government office building. There were a total of 15 prisons, but only 6 prisons that have preservation value, including the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th prisons and the central prison, preserved.^[2]

Since then on November 5, 1998, it opened in the name of ‘Seodaemun Prison History Museum’, in order to take as a lesson of history.^[4]