Hyangwonjeong

Between 5:50 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on 8 October 1895, Queen Min (later "Empress Myeongseong"), the consort of King Gojong of Joseon, was assassinated by a group of Japanese agents under Miura Gorō. The attack happened at Okhoru (옥호루; 玉壺樓) in Geoncheonggung, Gyeongbokgung, Seoul, Joseon. This incident is known in Korea as the Eulmi Incident (Korean: 을미사변; Hanja: 乙未事變).The queen had been assertive and wielded a great amount of political power in Korea. After Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese war, she turned to Russia, another foreign power that was interested in Korea, and aligned Korea with the Russian Empire, in an effort to counterbalance Japanese dominance on the peninsula. Amid the turmoil, Park Yung-hyo, a prominent pro-Japanese figure within Joseon's cabinet, was removed from office. Upon his ouster, he informed Japan that the Queen was responsible for his dismissal and that she had intentions to expel more pro-Japanese elements from the palace. This drew the ire of Japan.The agents were let into the palace by pro-Japanese Korean guards. Once inside, they beat and threatened other members of the Royal Family during their search for the Queen. The Crown Princess was dragged down stairs and beaten. When the Queen was eventually located, she was beaten and killed with a single slash from a sword. Some agents then proceeded to loot the palace and other houses in the city, while others stripped her body and examined her genitals. They then covered her corpse in oil and burned it.The attack has been characterized by modern historians of Japan as "brutal" and "barbaric"; these sentiments were shared by contemporary international and domestic observers. The assassination had been intended to strengthen Japan's position in Korea, but it offered little benefit; its brutality even temporarily harmed Japan's international image. The attack also resulted in Gojong seeking refuge in the Russian legation in Seoul the following year.

Sinmumun (Korean: 신무문; Hanja: 神武門; lit. Black Turtle-Snake Gate) is the north gate of the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It was used generally by military personnel. The gate has generally seen little use, especially in comparison to the other gates. It was often closed. It was built in 1433. Sejong the Great decided to construct the gate because of a traditional belief that palaces should have four large gates; there were only three at the time. Sinmumun was named in 1475; it is named for a mythical Chinese guardian of the north, the Black Turtle-Snake. That guardian is also painted on the ceiling of the gate. After being destroyed in 1592 during the Imjin War, the gate was rebuilt in 1865. This version of the gate has persisted to the present. The Gojong-era reconstruction saw the gate becoming the entrance to Gyeongmudae, the northern gardens of the palace. Part of the gate's walls collapsed during the colonial period, although they were repaired. It was opened to the public in 1954, but was closed after the May 16 coup of 1961 for security reasons (it is close to the Blue House and to the former military facilities in the palace). It was reopened for public use in 2006 or 2007. It was the final area of the palace to reopen to the public.

Jibokjae (Korean: 집옥재; Hanja: 集玉齋; MR: Chibokchae) is a building in the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It is connected with two other buildings; to its west is Parujeong (팔우정; 八隅亭; P'arujŏng) and to its east is Hyeopgildang (협길당; 協吉堂; Hyŏpkiltang).

Gyeonghoeru (Korean: 경회루; Hanja: 慶會樓; lit. Virtuous Meeting Building) is an elevated banquet hall in the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It is a designated National Treasure.

Hahyangjeong (Korean: 하향정; Hanja: 荷香亭; MR: Hahyangjŏng) is a Joseon-style pavilion in the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It is a modern addition to the palace. It was constructed in 1950 and is located to the northeast of Gyeonghoeru. It was constructed for the first South Korean president Syngman Rhee, who used it for fishing and leisure. Whether to demolish the structure has been controversial. It was long uncertain if Rhee used it personally, but in 2013 it was announced that photos had been discovered of Rhee fishing at the spot. Proponents of the building's demolition argued that keeping it would go against the objectives of the ongoing plans to restore the palace to its pre-colonial state. Opponents argued that the building was itself historic because of its association with Rhee. The Cultural Heritage Administration decided to keep the building on November 13, 2013.

Sajeongjeon (Korean: 사정전; Hanja: 思政殿; MR: Sajŏngjŏn; lit. 'Thinking of Good Deeds Hall') is a building in the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea.

Sujeongjeon (Korean: 수정전; Hanja: 修政殿; MR: Sujŏngjŏn; lit. 'Skillful Statecraft Hall') is a hall in the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It is a designated Treasure of South Korea. Sujeongjeon was used by various government offices over time. During the reign of Sejong the Great, it was a key facility involved in the invention of the Korean script Hangul. The building was destroyed in 1592, during the Imjin War. One of its annex buildings had a fire in 1813. It was reconstructed in 1867 and used as a side hall for Sajeongjeon. This form of the building has largely persisted to the present. From 1872 to 1875, it stored Gojong's ritual portrait. In 1894, it was used by the Reform Council. Its surrounding buildings were destroyed by 1915 for the Chōsen Industrial Exhibition. It then become the only remaining government office in the palace. It became used as a museum building for various artifacts from Central Asia. From October 4, 1966 until 1975, it was occupied by a predecessor to the National Folk Museum of Korea. Unusually for a side hall, it has a large wŏltae. It has rear chimneys, which likely allowed for the use of ondol heated floors.

Jaseondang (Korean: 자선당; Hanja: 資善堂; MR: Chasŏndang) is a hall in the East Palace (동궁; 東宮; Donggung; Tonggung) of Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It was one of the main buildings used for the education of the crown prince.

Geunjeongjeon (Korean: 근정전; Hanja: 勤政殿; lit. Governing Diligently Hall) is the main hall of the palace Gyeongbokgung in Seoul, South Korea. It was used for major events like ceremonies and the issuing of edicts. It is a designated National Treasure of South Korea.

The Hall of Worthies, or Jiphyeonjeon (Korean pronunciation: [tɕi.pʰjʌn.dʑʌn]; Korean: 집현전; Hanja: 集賢殿), was a Korean royal research institute during the Joseon period. It was founded by King Sejong the Great in March 1420, and disbanded in June 1456. The Hall of Worthies is known for its role in compiling the Hunminjeongeum, the original treatise on Hangul.

Gyeongbokgung (Korean: 경복궁; Hanja: 景福宮), also known as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built in 1395, it is located in northern Seoul, South Korea. The largest of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon dynasty, Gyeongbokgung served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, the Kings' households, as well as the government of Joseon. Gyeongbokgung continued to serve as the main palace of the Joseon dynasty until the premises were destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (1592–1598) and abandoned for two centuries. However, in the 19th century, all of the palace's 7,700 rooms were later restored under the leadership of Prince Regent Heungseon during the reign of King Gojong. Some 500 buildings were restored on a site of over 40 hectares. The architectural principles of ancient Korea were incorporated into the tradition and appearance of the Joseon royal court. In the early 20th century, much of the palace was systematically destroyed by Imperial Japan. On January 21, 1963, it was designated as a cultural property. Since the 1990s, the walled palace complex is gradually being restored to its original form. Today, the palace is arguably regarded as being the most beautiful and grandest of all five palaces. It also houses the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum within the premises of the complex.

Anti-appeasement steles were 19th century monuments built in Korea to ostracize Westerners. They were erected by Heungseon Daewongun at more than 200 major transportation hubs across the country, including the four streets of Jongno. They were built in 1871 (the 8th year of the reign of Emperor Gojong of the Joseon Dynasty). They were made of granite and were four cubits high, five cubits wide, and eight inches thick.