Seoul National Cemetery

Seoul National Cemetery spreads over a hillside in Dongjak, just south of the Han River. Independence activists, fallen soldiers and four former presidents are buried here. Paths and a stream run between seemingly endless rows of white headstones, making it a quiet place to reflect on modern Korean history, and Dongjak subway station is right outside.

History: land chosen in wartime

In 1952, with the Korean War still raging, the Ministry of National Defense decided to create a military cemetery and, after surveying ten candidate sites, chose the Dongjak area. Work began on 1 March 1954, and the first burial – an unknown soldier – took place on 16 January 1956. The Memorial Tower followed in 1967, the Memorial Gate in 1969 and the Memorial Hall in 1980; in 1996 the site became a national cemetery under its current name. It was listed as a Seoul Future Heritage in 2013, and on 24 July 2024 responsibility passed from the Ministry of National Defense to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs.

What to see

• Memorial Tower and tablet hall: the central place where visitors observe a moment of silence. Inside is a hall of memorial tablets.
• Memorial Gate and Gyeoreol lawn: the classic view of the cemetery, with the gate beyond a wide lawn.
• Presidential graves: Syngman Rhee, Park Chung-hee, Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung lie here with their wives.
• Soldiers' and independence fighters' sections: hillsides of identical headstones that convey the scale of the losses.
• Hyeonchungcheon stream path: a walk with rest areas along a stream flowing into the Han.

Worth knowing

On 22 June 1970, three North Korean agents broke into the cemetery to plant a bomb; it went off by accident and killed one of them. Syngman Rhee was buried here in 1965, and Kim Young-sam in 2015.

Before the cemetery

After the armed forces were founded, fallen soldiers were first enshrined at Jangchungsa in Seoul's Jangchungdan Park. When the Korean War broke out and casualties soared, temporary resting places were set up at Beomeosa and Geumjeongsa temples in Busan, which led to the decision to create a dedicated military cemetery. By the early 1970s it was nearly full, so a second national cemetery opened in Daejeon in 1976. Today independence patriots, soldiers and police officers who died on duty, firefighters, and people recognised for outstanding service to the nation are buried here under the law.

Tripto tips

• Opening hours: the main gate, east gate and side gates are open 06:00–18:00. The visitor service office is open 09:00–18:00. Entry is free.
• Getting there: Line 4 Dongjak Station, exits 2 and 4, or Line 9 Dongjak Station, exit 8.
• Guided walks: commentary tours can be booked through the official website.
• Etiquette: keep your voice down, don't eat among the graves, and avoid photographing families who are paying their respects.
• Time needed: about 1 hour for the tower and main sections, 2 hours with a walk.