Seodaemun Prison

Seodaemun Prison in Seoul, South Korea was constructed beginning in 1907 while Korea was considered a protectorate of Japan. The Prison was opened on October 21, 1908, under the name Gyeongseong Gamok. It's name was changed to Seodaemun Prison in 1923. The prison was used during the Japanese Colonial Period to house anti-colonial activists, and could accomodate around 500 people. During this period, it became notorious as the site of the torture and execution of independence activists and political prisoners. After the Japanese occupation ended in 1945, the prison was used by the South Korean government until 1987, when it was replaced by a facility in Uiwang City, Kyonggi Province. In 1992, the site was dedicated as the Seodaemun Prison History Hall. Seven of the prison complex's original fifteen buildings are preserved as historical monuments.