Prime Minister Chang Myon’s Residence in Seoul’s Daehangno

January 7, 2023 761 Views

In the Hyehwa-dong area, known as Daehangno in Seoul, you can find the preserved residence of the former Prime Minister of South Korea, Chang Myon.

To find Prime Minister Chang Myon’s residence, head up the alley from the Hyehwa Rotary, where the Hyehwa Fire Station is located, in the direction of Hyehwa Elementary School.

“Prime Minister Chang Myon’s Residence”

Prime Minister Chang Myon’s residence, where he lived from August 1937, was originally built on a clear stream coming down from Seongbuk-dong, at the bottom of a wide plum field, by Teacher Woon-seok Chang. The location was 1-36 Myeongnyun-dong 1-ga, with a land area of 124 square meters. The traditional-style main house is 28 square meters, and the modern-style guesthouse is 17 square meters. Here, Teacher Chang Myon and his wife, Mrs. Kim Ok-yoon, raised seven siblings named Jin, Eui, Geon, Ik, Soon, Heung, and Myeongja, and lived their entire lives.

“Preservation of Prime Minister Chang Myon’s Residence”

The design and construction of the house were carried out by Chang Myon’s youngest son, Mr. Kim Jung-hee, and it has been perfectly preserved in its original form without any modifications. However, during the early autumn of 1950, amidst the Korean War, the guesthouse reception room was hit by a shell and underwent repairs once. Afterward, at the request of the Cultural Heritage Administration, the government designated and acquired this house as the “Chang Myon Residence,” and it has been under the management of Jongno-gu Office.

While maintaining the characteristics of traditional Hanok architecture, this house reflects the influence of the 1930s housing improvement movement and modern residential culture, evident in the internalization of bathrooms and toilets, and the conversion of the main hall into a living room.

“The Life of Prime Minister Chang Myon”

While living in this house, Prime Minister Chang Myon had a diverse career, serving as a teacher and principal at Dongseong Commercial School, a democratic representative, a legislator, the chief representative of the Korean delegation to the 3rd UN General Assembly, the special envoy of the Apostolic Delegation to the Vatican, the chief envoy to the United States, the chief representative of the Korean delegation to the 6th UN General Assembly, the 2nd Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, the highest-ranking member of the Democratic Party, the 4th Vice President of South Korea, a representative of the 5th National Assembly in the Yongsan Gap District, the Prime Minister of the 2nd Republic of Korea, and the chairman of the Democratic Party.

He was put on trial and imprisoned during the May 16 military coup d’etat revolution. Afterward, he passed away at this residence on June 4, 1966, after a life filled with various roles as a religious figure, educator, diplomat, and politician. A national funeral was held on June 12.

“Touring Prime Minister Chang Myon’s Residence”

Prime Minister Chang Myon’s residence is well-preserved to this day. There is no separate admission fee, and as long as you visit within the operating hours, you can explore the entire residence. If you take off your shoes, you can even tour the inside of the house, where each room showcases aspects of Prime Minister Chang Myon’s life.

“Prime Minister Chang Myon’s Residence in Hyehwa-dong, Seoul”