Seoul through the Eyes of Foreigners in the End of 19th — Beginning of 20th Centuries

Abstract

The paper examines the change of turban space in Seoul at the turn of 20th Century. The period is rich in events that influenced the formation of the modern Korean state: ranging from the “opening of the ports” in 1876, to the proclamation of the Korean Empire in 1897. At the same time, the country began the process of modernizing urban planning legislation. Urban projects were carried out under the Hansung City Improvement Project (한성 도시 개조 사 업) adopted by Kojong and his government in 1896 and continued until 1905. However, in modern historiography, the project is rarely considered as an example of modern urban planning in Korea. In this paper the diary entries, collections of stories, and memoirs of foreign diplomats who lived in Korea in the end of the 19th century are analyzed, along with papers from journalists and missionaries who traveled around Korea. The results of the analysis show that qualitative changes in the urban space of Seoul took place from 1896 to 1905, within the framework of modernization reforms of the period. The Hansung City Improvement Project should be considered as an example of modern urban planning in Korea, as it was initiated and implemented by the national government within modern legal framework, and Seoul became modern city of the early XX Century. The findings of the study are important for understanding the nature of the changes that took place in Korea, starting with the “opening of the ports” in 1876.