Historic photo shows haughty soldier of Japanese troops

A Japanese soldier who is wearing a long rifle in his shoulder is guarding the main gate in a high-handed manner. A signboard reading "Command of the Military Stationed in Korea" in clear Chinese letters is hanging on a pillar of the ancient style hanok, or traditional Korean house. This is scenery of the main gate to Daegwanjeong (currently in Sogong-dong, Seoul) in a photo taken in 1904 by Willard Straight, an American who lived during the Korean Empire. It is the first time that a photo of the main gate to Daegwanjeong that was occupied by the Japanese military has been disclosed to the public.

The Japanese military occupied Daegwanjeong, the state guest house for the Korean Empire, ahead of the signing of the Protectorate Treaty between Korea and Japan in 1905. The Japanese military did that because Daegwanjeong was situated at a location where it could monitor every single move while overseeing Hamnyeongjeon where King Gojong was residing. Hirobumi Ito, who came to Korea as Japanese special envoy, commanded all matters to sign the treaty while staying at Daegwanjeong with Yoshimichi Hasegawa, the commander of the Japanese military.

The Seoul History Museum recently published a work book of "Seoul photos by Willard Straight, the dean of Cornell University library in the U.S." by compiling 174 photos that were taken by Straight, a correspondent for the Reuters and U.S. deputy consul general to Korea between 1904 and 1905. Straight visited Korea for the first time as correspondent soon after the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. Then, he was appointed as deputy consul general of the U.S. Consulate General in June 1905, and prepared for a visit to Korea by then U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter Alice. During his stay in Korea, Straight took photos of sceneries in Seoul, and left historical records including postcards, reports and personal journals.

The newly published work book contains a side-angle photo of Suokheon (currently Jungmyeongjeon) at Deoksu Palace, which was taken from a side of the building in 1905. The photo is believed to have been taken at an angle towards the west at frontal court at the U.S. Consulate General. Previously, only front-angle photos of Suokheon were presented in public, and it is the first time that a photo taken from a side has been identified. Suokheon is being used as an exhibition hall after undergoing a restoration project.

sukim@donga.com