Talk about a spooky place. This former prison located in Seoul stands as a chilling reminder to the horrors of years past. Seodaemun prison dates back to 1908 when it was first constructed. Originally having been built by the Koreans, it was taken into the hands of the Japanese as they conqoured Korea in 1910. The Japanese used this Prison to house Korean patriot fighters and various other "criminals" up until the end of their colonial rule in 1945. Once the Japanese colonial era ended the prison was back in the hands of the new Korean Republic and continued to be used until 1987. Today the facility is a museum open to the public.
I definitely suggest any tourist of Seoul take a few hours to visit this chilling place. Walking the various halls of the old cells and viewing the torture basement really do strike a nerve deep down in one's bones. I've had the opportunity to visit S1-13 in Cambodia and Auschwitz, and though maybe no where on earth can top the horrors of the latter, Seodaemun Prison's past is down right disgusting. I can't say you'll have a "fun" time but it's sure to be educational and informative. I had previously known of the Japanese occupation in Korea, but had little depth into the cold-hard history of it. A trip to Seodaemun will surely bring anyone up to speed. Anyway, words can only describe the experience to a certain extent. Here's some pics for you guys to check out.
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| some sort of water boarding |
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| they'd stick you in there for hours |
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| prison cells |
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| prison wall |
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| exterior of the execution room |
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| exercise area for prisoners, they'd just walk back in forth separated from other prisoners |
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