Responses to Colonial Architecture: Japanese General Government Building

Left: Image by 門田房太郞 - 朝鮮博覽會記念寫眞帖, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29177258 & Top Right: Image by Jens Olaf-Walter - Own Work, CC BY 2.0, https://www.flickr.com/photos/65817306@N00/243074675/in/album-72057594069540162/ & Bottom Right: Image by Wikipedia user Canadiana - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1097790

 

Architecture reflects a city’s history and politics. Taiwan and Korea, both ex-colonies of Japan, possess buildings from the early 20th century constructed by the Japanese. However, this is where the similarities end--the two countries today display vastly different attitudes towards their former overlord. This is exemplified by the demolition of the Japanese General Government Building in Seoul from 1995 to 1996.

Korea was ruled by Japan from 1910, following the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, to August 1945 upon Japan’s surrender during World War II. During that period, the Japanese Government Building, the chief administrative building of the colonial regime, was erected in 1926 on the site of the Gyeongbokgung Palace (景福宮), the royal palace of the Joseon dynasty (朝鮮王朝) (1392-1897). The location was deliberately chosen-- the new building, which was then the largest government building in Asia obstructed the view of the Palace, and legitimized colonial rule. In addition, the Japanese moved the front gate, the Gwanghwamun Gate (光化門), and built a Western-style gate in its place.

Like the National Taiwan Museum (former seat of the Taiwan Governor Museum during the colonial period), the construction project of the Japanese General Government Building was headed by Nomura Ichiro (野村一郎), one of the first students to learn from the first Japanese architects to study in Western countries. The two buildings are also both constructed in the neoclassical style, a reflection of the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese modernization and westernization movement of the late 19th century.

The building became the site of several important events following South Korean independence in 1948, including the inauguration ceremony for the first president of South Korea, Syngman Rhee, on July 24 that year. It also underwent many changes in its function throughout the years: most notably, it was used as the seat of the National Assembly until 1950 and as the National Museum of Korea from 1986. Still, the building continued to be regarded as a shameful symbol of colonial rule. After much heated debate, it was eventually planned for demolition in 1993. This began on August 15, 1995, on the 50th anniversary of Liberation Day (Gwangbokjeol) with the removal of the dome. The building was completely demolished on November 13, 1996. 

Today, remains of the building can be found at the Independence Hall Museum in Cheonan, a city 83.6 km south of Seoul, to commemorate the building’s history and its demolition.