Old Korean Legation: Inside a prominent but little-known Logan Circle landmark

Logan Circle has a reputation for many things: beautiful architecture, expensive homes and marvelous eateries and bars. Generally not included in this list is the 19th-century Korean Legation at 15 Logan Circle NW. For the 40th annual Logan Circle Community Association Holiday House Tour on Dec. 2, the Old Korean Legation building opened its doors to visitors to peep renovated and restored interiors dating back to its construction in 1877.

The building began as the home of American Civil War naval hero, politician and diplomat Seth Ledyard Phelps. Little more than a decade later, it became the Korean Legation, first hosting diplomatic endeavors a year after Park Chungh Yang, the first Korean minister to the U.S., made official contact with U.S. President Grover Cleveland in 1888. The Korean government purchased the building in November 1891 for $25,000 but didn’t own it for long. When Japan took power over Korea in November 1905, the building ceased being a legation. In 1910, the Japanese government purchased 15 Logan Circle for only $5, later reselling it to an American buyer for $10. The building remained in private hands as a residence until recently.

In October 2012, the Logan Circle building was reunited with the Korean government after the National Trust for the Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Korea and the Cultural Heritage Administration purchased it for $3.5 million from prominent local attorney Timothy Jenkins, former acting head of the University of the District of Columbia, according to a Washington Post report.

“One particularly interesting aspect is the way it blends both Western and Korean styles,” Old Korean Legation Museum public relations coordinator Hyojin Sarchet told The DC Line. “It is constructed in the Victorian style of architecture popular in Washington in the late 19th century, though many of the furniture pieces are characteristically Korean.”

After a detailed survey and design process starting in 2013, the Korean government and several affiliated organizations conducted a massive restoration from 2015 through 2018, restoring its 19th-century splendor. Still, original mantels, mill work and ornate vintage furnishings decorate the many spaces, while the uppermost floor offers an educational museum detailing the building’s history.

The Old Korean Legation building in its current form officially opened on May 22, 2018, more than a century after its closure. Its location on Logan Circle makes it one of the most prominent buildings in the neighborhood’s historic district. The building still includes private offices, a library, the minister’s bedroom and a banquet hall for hosting social events. It has a “Korea Garden,” once used for parking but now paved with thin, flat stones with flower walls and the granite “Eternal Youth Gate,” also known as bulomun in Korean.

“The focus of the Old Korean Legation is as a symbol for our two nations, Korea and the U.S.,” said Sarchet. “The Old Korean Legation was the cradle for the Korea-U.S. relationship, and it has witnessed major events in both Korean and American history, making it special for both countries.”

The foundation of the two country’s friendship, according to Sarchet, dates to the late 19th century, when the Joseon Dynasty, which ruled over what is now modern-day Korea, trusted the U.S. as a supporter of their values and sovereignty.

“We hope the Old Korean Legation reinforces and develops this relationship,” said Sarchet.

The next Logan Circle Community Association house tour is scheduled for Dec. 1, 2019, but the Old Korean Legation is open for tours in the meantime. Admission is free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. any day of the week, except for Monday. For details or to schedule a reservation for a group of 20 or more, head to the building’s official website.