Belgium has formed a bond with Korea at the beginning of the 20th century. 116 years has passed. When the country’s fate was in a dire situation, the government tried everything to protect the country’s sovereignty. The Daehan Empire’s solution to maintain its independence amongst the world powers was to be a neutral country. On the way to neutrality, Belgium was selected to be a partner, and that is how the former Belgian Consulate was built.
Nevertheless, despite The Daehan Empire’s proclamation of neutrality before the Russo-Japanese War, the plan was overthrown by Japanese force. As Japan won the Russo-Japanese War, the Daehan Empire’s neutrality plan failed.
Emperor Gwangmu(Gojong)’s attempt to maintain the country’s independence through neutrality failed, and his endeavor became a forgotten history. The existence of the diplomatic relationship with Belgium has also disappeared from our modern history.
In 1977, the small but beautiful Neoclassical style architecture, the former Belgian Consulate was designated as a national heritage site along with other remnants built by the Japanese from their colonization, such as the Bank of Korea and the Seoul Station. Their importance to our heritage proves Korea’s turbulent modern history.
But we had not yet noticed the true significance of the former Belgian Consulate. Its value was not in the beautiful exterior, but in the diplomatic solidarity of The Daehan Empire and Belgium as ‘neutral countries’. Historical ignorance failed to stop the former Belgian Consulate from being relocated far to the south of the Hangang River to Namhyeon-dong in the city redevelopment project. The Consulate, which has long been hidden in history, disappeared from our sight as well.
The former Belgian Consulate locked in the White Cube revealed its historical value in the special exhibition held in the Nam Seoul Museum of Art, which was received so well, that it was extended to become a permanent exhibition. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the Daehan Empire. The history of the last empire is in the limelight in various areas and the historical truths which have been hidden as the nation was taken away resurfaced one after another. The Old Belgian Consulate is one of them. We are about to discover the missing links to the forgotten history and explore the traces of our modern history through the former Belgian Consulate, which has now been revived as the SeMA, Nam Seoul Museum of Art.
Ahn Changmo (co-curator, Kyonggi university)
