Independence Gate


Independence Gate or Dongnimmun is a memorial gate in Seoul, South Korea. It was built in January 1898. Its construction was planned by Philip Jaisohn, as a symbol of Korea's commitment to independence. It was designated as a Historic Sites of [South Korea|Historic Site of South Korea] in 1963, and relocated northwest from the original location in 1979 for preservation.
Dongnimmun measures 14.28 meters in height and 11.48 meters in width, and is made of approximately 1,850 pieces of granite.

History

Background

In early 1895, the Government of Joseon abandoned its long-standing diplomatic policy of sadae. Under sadae, Joseon was a tributary state of Qing China. To celebrate this change, the Government of Joseon demolished Yeongeunmun in February 1895, which they had built in 16th century as a symbolic gate for welcoming Chinese diplomats to the country. On April 17, 1895, the Joseon Government was formally released from China's sphere of influence with the conclusion of the Treaty of Shimonoseki between the Empire of Japan and the Qing dynasty at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War.
Philip Jaisohn proposed the building a new gate near the former site of Yeongeunmun's ruins to symbolize the country's desire for freedom. This plan was approved by King Gojong, and the gate was named "Independence Gate".

Plan for construction

To support construction of the gate, Soh created the Independence Club and published Korea's first modern newspaper named Tongnip sinmun. Regular citizens of Joseon donated to the construction of the gate via a public campaign run by the newspaper. Soh wrote the following in the English edition of that newspaper:

Construction and relocation

The design of Independence Gate was inspired by the design of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. An unknown Swiss architect working for the German legation in Joseon created the blueprint for its construction. Its construction began in 1896, and finished in January 1898. The construction process was overseen by Korean engineer named.

Subsequent history

The Government of South Korea designated it as a historic site of South Korea in 1963. The gate was initially located north of the plinths of Yeongeunmun Gate, but was relocated 70 meters northwest from its original location due to the construction of Seongsan Road and its overpass. It is now located in Seodaemun Independence Park, easily accessible from Exit 4 or 5 of Dongnimmun Station on Seoul Subway Line 3.