| Address | 251 Tongil-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul |
|---|---|
| Area | Seoul |
| Type | Cultural facility |
| Price | Individuals -Adults 3,000 won / Teenagers 1,500 won / Children 1,000 wonGroups -Adults 2,400 won / Teenagers 1,200 won / Children 800 wonFree admission: Preschoolers (ages 6 & under), senior citizens (ages 65 & over) |
| Times | March-October 09:30-18:00November-February 09:30-17:00Last admission 30 min before closing |
| Closed | Mondays (closed the following business day if Monday is a public holiday), January 1, the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year's Day) & Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) |
| Phone | +82-2-360-8590 |
| Website | http://sphh.sscmc.or.kr/ |
| Directions | Naver Map Kakao Map Google Maps Google Maps has no turn-by-turn directions in Korea. Why |
Seodaemun Prison was built under the Japanese administration to imprison independence movement activists. It first opened on October 21, 1908 under the name Gyeongseong Prison. Eventually, so many activists were imprisoned that the building had to be expanded. At that time, the name changed to Seodaemun Prison on September 3, 1912. Eighty years later, the prison was turned into Seodaemun Independence Park on August 15, 1992 to commemorate the Korean patriots who were tortured in prison, giving their lives for freedom.
Of the many buildings, only seven were preserved for their historical significance, among which three prison buildings and the execution site were designated as a Historic Site. In 1998, the park underwent another transformation into today's Seodaemun Prison History Hall to educate the public on the importance of Korea's independence and the sacrifices of those who fought to achieve it.
The links below are affiliate links. If you book through them this site earns a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.
While you are there
Read before you go
Source: Korea Tourism Organization (TourAPI). Listing generated 2026-08-26 16:21 UTC; details can change — check the official page before you go.