The western style building is Seokjojeon
Hal, built in 1910. King Gojong moved his main residence
Deoksugong Palace in 1897 and changed the name of the state from
Joseon to the Korean Empire.
To uplift the dignity of the throne and show that he intended an
independent and modern country, he expanded the palace and built
some Western-style structures.
The structure is jarring amidst buildings of an entirely
different style and quite ugly, even viewed on its own.
