King Taejo

Gyeongbokgung was originally constructed in 1394 by King Taejo, the first king and the founder of the Joseon dynasty, and its name was conceived by an influential government minister named Jeong Do-jeon. Afterwards, the palace was continuously expanded during the reign of King Taejong and King Sejong the Great. It was severely damaged by fire in 1553, and its costly restoration, ordered by King Myeongjong, was completed in the following year.

However, four decades later, Gyeongbokgung Palace was burnt to the ground during the Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592-1598 when Koreans angry at the court of King Seonjo for evacuating Seoul torched the royal residence.[1] The royal court was moved to the Changdeokgung Palace. The Gyeongbokgung palace site was left in ruins for the next three centuries.[2]

In 1867, during the regency of Daewongun, the palace buildings were reconstructed and formed a massive complex with 330 buildings and 5,792 rooms. Standing on 4,657,576 square feet (432,703 square meters) of land, Gyeongbokgung again became an iconic symbol for both the Korean nation and the Korean royal family. In 1894, the Japanese occupied the palace and forced Gojong to establish a pro-Japanese government. In 1895, after the assassination of Empress Myeongseong by Japanese agents, her husband, Emperor Gojong, left the palace. The Imperial Family never returned to Gyeongbokgung.[3]

Early photographs of the reconstructed palace

 

Throne Hall (1906)

 

Throne Hall (c.1900)

 

Throne (c.1900)

 

Ceiling of Throne Hall (c.1900)

 

Geoncheonggung (c.1900)

 

Gyeonghoeru Pavilion (1906)

 

Jibokjae (Private Royal Library, c.1900)

 

Gwanghwamun and Haechi statue (c.1900)

 

Passerby in front of the palace (late 19th century)

 

The Japanese General Government Building standing in front of Geunjeongmun Gate prior to its demolition (1995-96)

In 1915, it was used as the site for the Joseon Industrial Exhibition with new exhibition buildings being erected in the grounds.[4][5]

Starting from 1911, the colonial government of the Empire of Japan systemically demolished all but 10 buildings during the Japanese occupation of Korea and hosted numerous exhibitions in Gyeongbokgung, ongoing demotion was opposed by Yanagi Sōetsu. In 1926, the government constructed the massive Japanese General Government Building in front of the throne hall, Geunjeongjeon [ko], in order to eradicate the symbol and heritage of the Joseon dynasty. Gwanghwamun Gate, the main and south gate of Gyeongbokgung, was relocated by the Japanese to the east of the palace. A further exhibition, the Chosun Exhibition, followed in 1929.[6]

The palace faced further damage when the wooden structure of the relocated Gwanghwamun Gate was completely destroyed amid the devastation of the Korean War.

Gyeongbokgung's original 19th-century palace buildings that survived both the Japanese rule of Colonial Korea and the Korean War include:

Modern archaeological surveys have brought 330 building foundations to light.

 

Gyeongbokgung today

In 1989, the South Korean government started a 40-year initiative to rebuild the hundreds of structures that were destroyed by the colonial government of the Empire of Japan, during the period of occupied Colonial Korea (1910-1945).

In 1995, the Japanese General Government Building, after many controversial debates about its fate, was demolished in order to reconstruct Heungnyemun Gate and its cloisters. The National Museum of Korea, then located on the palace grounds, was relocated to Yongsan-gu in 2005.

By the end of 2009, it was estimated that approximately 40 percent of the structures that were standing before the Japanese occupation of Korea were restored or reconstructed.[7] As a part of phase 5 of the Gyeongbokgung restoration initiative, Gwanghwamun, the main gate to the palace, was restored to its original design. Another 20-year restoration project is planned by the South Korean government to restore Gyeongbokgung to its former status.[8]