Monument set up to commemorate former British legation in Busan

The memorial stone for the former British legation quarters was officially unveiled in a ceremony at Jeil Apartment complex in western Busan on Saturday.

A number of British and South Korean dignitaries, including British Ambassador to South Korea Charles Hay, Park Geuk-je, chief of Busan Metropolitan City Seo-gu Office, and Kim Moon-ik, British honorary consul in Busan, attended the ceremony.

The establishment of the memorial stone came after the British ambassador last year proposed locating the site of the former British legation quarters in Busan as part of efforts to reflect on bilateral relationship.

After months of searches into government documents, the British honorary consulate has confirmed Jeil Apartment complex in Nambumin-dong of Busan's Seo-gu as the site of the British legation at the time of the Korean War.

During the war, Britain relocated its legation from Seoul to Busan.

The National Archives of Korea has discovered a document on the designation of a two-story wooden house in western Busan for use by the British legation in 1952.

The former British legation in Busan provided services to British troops stationed in the port city and Korean refugees for three years before being moved back to Seoul later. The site was used by individuals for 40 years until 1995 when Jeil Apartment complex was built there.

"The site of former British legation in Busan symbolizes Britain's efforts to take care of war refugees and maintain bilateral diplomatic relations," said honorary British consul Kim.

Ambassador Hay also wished for sustained friendship between Busan citizens and Britain. (Yonhap)