Seodaemun Prison

South Korea is a country that has not been independent very long. Many things here are influenced by Japan or China. But I have gotten the general feeling, that Japan is not a favorite among Koreans. There is even an island (Dokdo, I think) that the two countries both claim it is their own.

There are some things I try not to ask too many questions about - touchy subjects - Japan is one of those things. When visiting palaces, I always read about how a lot of history was destroyed during Japanese invasions. Although I am sure this stirs up some bad feelings, the invasions were so long ago (or so I thought) that it didn't make sense to me. The other day, I visited a place that might explain some of the cold feelings Korea has toward Japan that happened a little more recently: Seodaemun Prison.

I had no idea that a place like this and the things that happened there, even existed. I realize that in some point in time, all races, religions, cultures, etc. have been persecuted but I was shocked that I knew nothing about this prison or what went on there.

From what I gather, Korea was under Japans rule from 1910-1945. Those who opposed (the Korean independence fighters) the colonial rule and cultural genocide - banning of the Korean language and adopting Japanese names - were imprisoned here. Over the years more than 400,000 people were held here and upwards of 400 died or were killed.

The first stop was the museum. Inside I saw various journals, photographs, torture devices, solitary cells, and life-sized wax figures sculpted in misery. You could hear screams echoing through the halls, Japanese soldiers shouting, and the crack of a whip. Although this was only a recording, it was very disturbing and sent chills down my spine.

As I made my way around the grounds of the prison, I was amazed at its beauty. The grass was so green, there were ponds everywhere, and the view of the mountains was incredible. The outside of the buildings almost resembled Western, brick school houses. It was hard to imagine how such a beautiful place was used for such terrible purposes.

I was able to walk though many cell blocks, work houses, torture chambers, interrogation rooms, and even the execution house. It was not until I came to the corpse tunnel (a tunnel used to sneak out the dead bodies to a local cemetery) that I decided to end my tour.

Although this was a sad place to visit, I encourage anyone living in Seoul, to visit this place. It truly is magnificent!