The U.S. federal government announced yesterday that it would list the Korean Legation in Washington, D.C., as a U.S. National Historic Site, and this announcement was published in the Federal Register.
In March, the Cultural Heritage Administration of South Korea, in collaboration with the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation and other relevant government agencies, applied to designate the Korean Legation in Washington, D.C., a U.S. National Historic Site.
After reviewing the application, the Washington D.C. Historic Preservation Office concluded that the legation met the criteria for designation as a U.S. National Historic Site.
The office highly evaluated the legation for its outstanding value both as a unique historical space related to minority groups in the U.S. and for its preservation and restoration as an exhibition space that retains the building’s original form.
The U.S. National Park Service will decide on the designation in September, following a public comment period that concludes on August 22. The Korean Legation would become eligible for tax benefits if designated as a national historic site. Depending on specific conditions, it could receive support from the U.S. Heritage Preservation Fund for its protection and preservation efforts.
Constructed in 1877, the Korean Empire Legation served as the official diplomatic mission of the Korean Empire for 16 years from February 1889, when Korean officials dispatched to the U.S. established a permanent mission there, until November 1905, when the Eulsa Treaty stripped the Korean Empire of its diplomatic rights to Japan.
Afterward, Japan forcibly acquired the property and sold it to an American in 1910, who used it as an office for the Truck Freight Transport Union and the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs.
In 2012, the Cultural Heritage Administration of South Korea purchased the building and spent five years conducting research, restoration, and renovation. The building was then reopened in 2018 as a historical exhibition hall. The first and second floors of the building feature restoration and recreation spaces, which were developed based on various historical documents and photographs sourced both domestically and internationally. Meanwhile, the third floor is dedicated to exhibits and video materials that explore the history of Korea-U.S. relations.
The legation is currently open to the public free of charge, with guided tours available in English and Korean six days a week, except on Mondays.
