Main Page

Korea-United States Treaty of Peace, Amity, Commerce and Navigation

On May 22, 1882, Korea Joseon made its first diplomatic agreement with a western nation. Then in May 1883, the U.S. Legation was established in Jeongdong, Seoul, and Lucius H. Foote was dispatched as the first U.S. Minister to Korea. This was the start of Korea-U.S. diplomatic relations, which have continued steadfast to this day.

Open Timeline

Korea's Diplomatic Mission to the U.S.

Following the establishment of the U.S. Legation in Seoul, Korea sent its first diplomatic mission to the U.S. headed by Minister Min Yong Ik in 1883. The mission met with U.S. President Chester A. Arthur. Members of this mission came into contact with a new world and this led to the recruitment of American military officers, mining technicians and school teachers to work in Korea.

Open Timeline

Korean Legation opened (Fisher house)

The Korean Minister Bak and his staff arrived in the United States of America on January 1, 1888. They presented their credentials from King Gojong to U.S. President Grover Cleveland on January 17 and opened the first legation office at Fisher House near the White House on January 19, 1888. The Legation moved to the present building on February 13, 1889.

Open Timeline

The Independence Movement
among Koreans in the U.S.

In the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910, Imperial Japan deprived the Korean Empire of both its sovereignty and its legation building. During the Japanese colonial period, Koreans in the United States produced postcards featuring images of the Old Korean Legation building with the taegeuk flag, which was exaggerated as if to convey their passion for independence.

Open Timeline

The Old Korean Legation
returns to the Republic of Korea

The Old Korean Legation building was finally returned to Korean hands in October 2012 when U.S. lawyer Timothy L. Jenkins and his wife Lauretta Jenkins, who had purchased this building in 1977, accepted the proposal of the National Trust for Cultural Heritage and the Cultural Heritage Administration of the Republic of Korea and sold them the building

Open Timeline

Old Korean Legation building opened

The Old Korean Legation building was opened on May 22, 2018. Old Korean Legation has a history of Korea and the U.S. at the same time, and experts and master craftsmen from two countries took part in restoring the building together.

Open Timeline

01Exhibition Hall

01Bedroom
02Office
03Library
04Office

01Gaekdang
02Jeongdang
03Sikdang
04Orientation Room

Open VR

Movie Clip

Visiting Korean Legation

The first and second floors were restored based on historical research, true to the original form of the late nineteenth century when the Korean Legation was in operation, and the third floor was refurbished into an exhibition space intended to inform visitors on the history of Korea-U.S. relations and the Old Korean Legation building. Online reservations are required for a guided tour of the legation building, and the admission fee is free of charge.

Reservation

Schedule

February

March 2023

April

SU
MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA

26
27
28
1
2
3
4

5
6
7
8
9
10
11

12
13
14
15
16
17
18

19
20
21
22
23
24
25

26
27
28
29
30
31
1

Events for February

27th

All Day

Closed

Events for March

1st

No Events

Events for March

2nd

No Events

Events for March

3rd

No Events

Events for March

4th

No Events

Events for March

5th

No Events

Events for March

6th

All Day

Closed

Events for March

7th

No Events

Events for March

8th

No Events

Events for March

9th

No Events

Events for March

10th

No Events

Events for March

11th

No Events

Events for March

12th

No Events

Events for March

13th

All Day

Closed

Events for March

14th

No Events

Events for March

15th

No Events

Events for March

16th

No Events

Events for March

17th

No Events

Events for March

18th

No Events

Events for March

19th

No Events

Events for March

20th

All Day

Closed

Events for March

21st

No Events

Events for March

22nd

No Events

Events for March

23rd

No Events

Events for March

24th

No Events

Events for March

25th

No Events

Events for March

26th

No Events

Events for March

27th

All Day

Closed

Events for March

28th

No Events

Events for March

29th

No Events

Events for March

30th

No Events

Events for March

31st

No Events