Dragon Hill Lodge

Joseon (also transcribed as Chosŏn; Korean: 대조선국; Hanja: 大朝鮮國; lit. Great Joseon) was a Korean dynastic kingdom that lasted for over five centuries. It was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom was founded following the aftermath of the overthrow of Goryeo in what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul. The kingdom's northernmost borders were expanded to the natural boundaries at the rivers of Amnok and Tuman through the subjugation of the Jurchens. During its 500-year duration, Joseon encouraged the entrenchment of Confucian ideals and doctrines in Korean society. Neo-Confucianism was installed as the new state's ideology. Buddhism was accordingly discouraged, and occasionally the practitioners faced persecutions. Joseon consolidated its effective rule over the territory of current Korea and saw the height of classical Korean culture, trade, literature, and science and technology. In the 1590s, the kingdom was severely weakened due to Japanese invasions. Several decades later, Joseon was invaded by the Later Jin dynasty and the Qing dynasty in 1627 and 1636–1637 respectively, leading to an increasingly harsh isolationist policy, for which the country became known as the "hermit kingdom" in Western literature. After the end of these invasions from Manchuria, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace and prosperity, along with cultural and technological development. What power the kingdom recovered during its isolation waned as the 18th century came to a close. Faced with internal strife, power struggles, international pressure, and rebellions at home, the Joseon kingdom declined rapidly in the late 19th century. The Joseon period has left a substantial legacy to modern Korea; much of modern Korean culture, etiquette, norms, and societal attitudes toward current issues, along with the modern Korean language and its dialects, derive from the culture and traditions of Joseon. Modern Korean bureaucracy and administrative divisions were also established during the Joseon period.

Yongsan Garrison (Korean: 용산기지; Hanja: 龍山基地), meaning "dragon hill garrison," is an area located in the Yongsan District of central Seoul, South Korea. The site served as the headquarters for U.S. military forces stationed in South Korea, known as United States Forces Korea (USFK), and as United States Army Garrison Yongsan (USAG-Yongsan) until 2018, under the supervision of the U.S. Army's Installation Management Command Pacific Region. From 1910 to 1945 it served as headquarters for the Imperial Japanese Army in Korea.The USFK headquarters relocated to the new $11 billion Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek south of Seoul in 2018, as part of the Yongsan Relocation Plan. By the end of 2019, more than 20,000 U.S. troops and family members will have been relocated to the new Camp Humphreys facility south of Seoul. While most of the land will be returned to the South Korean government, the U.S. will retain a small portion of land in order to keep open the Dragon Hill Lodge military resort hotel and for a future site to relocate the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. Korean officials are still debating the future use of the land being returned, with some calling for a large park and others calling for more affordable housing.

Itaewon (Korean: 이태원, IPA [itʰɛwʌn]) is the area surrounding Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Seoul Subway Line 6 via Itaewon, Noksapyeong and Hanganjin stations. About 22,000 people reside in the district and it is a popular area for residents of Seoul, tourists, expats and U.S. military personnel. It is known as Seoul's International District and is the home of many foreigners in South Korea.

The Korean Provisional Government (KPG), formally the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, was a partially recognized Korean government-in-exile based in Shanghai, China, and later in Chongqing, during the period of Japanese colonial rule in Korea. On 11 April 1919, a provisional constitution providing for a democratic republic named the "Republic of Korea" was enacted. It introduced a presidential system and three branches (legislative, administrative and judicial) of government. The KPG inherited the territory of the former Korean Empire. The Korean resistance movement actively supported the independence movement under the provisional government, and received economic and military support from the Kuomintang ("Chinese Nationalist Party"), the Soviet Union, and France.After the surrender of Japan on 15 August 1945, figures such as Kim Gu returned. On 15 August 1948, the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was dissolved. Syngman Rhee, who was the first president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, became the first President of the Republic of Korea in 1948. The current South Korean government claims through the 1987-amended constitution of South Korea that there is continuity between the KPG and the current South Korean state, though this has been criticized by some historians as constituting denialism. The sites of the Provisional Government in Shanghai and Chongqing (Chungking) have been preserved as museums.

The Korean Empire (Korean: 대한제국; Hanja: 大韓帝國; RR: Daehan Jeguk; MR: Taehan Jeguk; lit. Great Korean Empire) was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910. During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwangmu Reform, a partial modernization and westernization of Korea's military, economy, land system, and education system, and of various industries. In 1905, the Korean Empire became a protectorate of Empire of Japan and in 1910, was annexed into the empire proper.

Seoul American High School often abbreviated as SAHS was a secondary school in Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, South Korea operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA). The school was part of the Pacific West District of the Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) until 2019 when the school closed.

The Ministry of National Defense (MND, Korean: 국방부) is a department within the government of South Korea (ROK) and responsible for the military branches of South Korea.

USS Erben (DD-631), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Rear Admiral Henry Erben (1832–1909). Erben (DD-631) was launched 21 March 1943 by Bath Iron Works Corp., Bath, Maine; sponsored by Mrs. C. B. G. Gaillard, daughter of Rear Admiral Erben; and commissioned 28 May 1943.

Noksapyeong Station is a subway station on the Seoul Subway Line 6. It is located on the eastern end of the Yongsan Garrison, and the western end of Itaewon. It is the main station servicing the Haebangchon and Hoenamu-gil communities, which are known for having significant foreign populations. This station has low ridership due to its location, but is noted for its impressive interior design. It has five underground levels, and a glass dome on top of the building lets in sunlight which permeates throughout the station. In addition to being featured in Korean movies and dramas, weddings could be held there at no cost for a few years after opening. The embassy of the Philippines in South Korea is close to this station. Namsan lies just to the north, a 20-minute walk from the station.

The Statue of Brothers (Korean: 형제의 상; RR: Hyeongje-ui sang) is a symbol of the Korean War at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul. Its English text reads as follows : "The Statue of Brothers is an 18 meter wide and 11-meter high symbol of the Korean War. It consists of the upper part, lower part and inner part. The upper part of the statue depicts a scene where a family's older brother, an ROK officer, and his younger brother, a North Korean soldier, meet in a battlefield and express reconciliation, love, and forgiveness. The lower tomb-shaped dome was built with pieces of granite collected from nationwide locations symbolizing the sacrifices made by our patriots. The crack in the dome stands for the division of Korea and the hope for reunification. Objects inside the dome include a mosaic wall painting that expresses the spirit of the Korean people to overcome the national tragedy and a map plate of the 16 UN Allied Nations that dispatched troops to the war. The links of iron chain on the ceiling signify the unbreakable bonds of a unified Korea."The statue is located in the south-west corner of the exterior exhibit area.

The War Memorial of Korea is a museum located in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It opened in 1994 on the former site of the army headquarters to exhibit and memorialize the military history of Korea. It was built for the purpose of preventing war through lessons from the Korean War and for the hoped for peaceful reunification of North and South Korea. The memorial building has six indoor exhibition rooms and an outdoor exhibition centre displaying war memorabilia and military equipment from China, South Korea and the United States.

Bukhansan Monument, was designated as the 3rd National Treasure of Korea on December 12, 1962. The stone monument was originally erected at Bibong Peak on Bukhan Mountain. It was subsequently moved to Gyeongbokgung Palace for safekeeping and is now displayed in the National Museum of Korea. The rectangular monument is built on a two-story pedestal. Because the monument was exposed to the elements for 1400 years it has suffered weathering and erosion damage. It is currently 154 centimeters high and 69 centimeters wide. The Bukhansan Monument was rediscovered in 1816 during the reign of Emperor Sunjo by Chusa Kim Jeonghui, a famous calligrapher. The monument is valuable for the historical information inscribed on its surface. There are 12 lines with 32 characters per line in the Haeseoche style of Chinese calligraphy. The inscription praises the Silla King Jinheung's (540-575 CE) territorial expansion into the Han River valley and commemorates the occasion when the king came and inspected the new borders of his realm. The inscription explains why the monument was built, describes the achievements of King Jinheung, and also describes the royal retinue. While the exact date of when the monument was constructed is unclear because the era name is illegible, it is believed that the monument was constructed in 561 CE or 568 CE because the Changnyeongbi Monument and the Hwangchoryeongbi Monument were built on those dates respectively.