When Busan served as a provisional capital
During the Korean War, the Republic of Korea's government operated from Busan for a time. One building that survives from that period is the former presidential residence within the Provisional Capital Memorial Hall. Built in 1926 as the Gyeongsangnam-do governor's residence, the house served as the president's residence from 18 August 1950 to 15 August 1953, according to the city's historical timeline.
Two perspectives on the same war
Inside, reconstructed reception rooms, a study, dining areas and a kitchen show the setting in which political life continued through the crisis. But do not stop at the residence. The separate exhibition hall displays everyday objects, including refugees' clothing and diaries that speak of displacement, schooling and prices. Seen together, the galleries invite a more layered view of the wartime city: how leaders lived and how ordinary families struggled to make a home.
Practical visit details
Busan City lists 09:00–18:00, free admission, closure on Mondays and 1 January, with the closure moving to the following day when Monday is a public holiday. The address is 45 Imsisudoginyeom-ro, Seo-gu, Busan (부산 임시수도기념관), phone +82-51-244-6345. Confirm the entrance route between the historic residence and exhibition building, the accessible areas and any temporary programme changes before arrival. The site is best read not simply as a patriotic monument but as a place holding contrasting memories of a difficult era.