MPVA Did You Know Series #4:
DID YOU KNOW a house in seoul witnessed a foreigner’s struggle for Korea’s independence?
In the heart of Seoul’s historic Jongno district stands Dilkusha, a Western-style red brick house with an extraordinary connection to Korea’s independence movement. Built in 1923, it was home to Albert Taylor, an American businessman and journalist, and his wife, Mary Taylor. The name Dilkusha, meaning “Palace of Delight” in Persian, was given by the Taylors as a reflection of their deep affection for the house.
A Birth, a Declaration, and a Historic Leak
On February 28, 1919, Albert Taylor’s son, Bruce, was born at the nearby Severance Hospital. Unbeknownst to many, the hospital basement was being used to secretly print the Proclamation of Independence for the March 1st Movement.
When Japanese authorities raided the hospital, a Korean head nurse hid the documents in an American patient’s room—Mary Taylor’s maternity ward. Albert, visiting his wife, discovered the proclamations and knew their importance. He handed them to his brother, William Taylor, who smuggled them to Tokyo in the heel of his shoe. From there, the proclamation was transmitted globally, bringing Korea’s independence struggle to international attention.
Dilkusha Under Watch
As an Associated Press correspondent, Albert Taylor reported on Japan’s brutal suppression of the March 1st Movement and the Jeam-ri Massacre, where villagers were executed and burned alive. For this, he was sentenced to six months in prison and placed under lifelong surveillance. Meanwhile, Mary was confined to Dilkusha, watched by Japanese authorities.
Exile and Legacy
Expelled from Korea during World War II, Albert planned to return but passed away in 1948. Honoring his wish, his ashes were buried in Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery in Seoul.
Dilkusha, abandoned for decades, was restored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and opened as a museum in 2021. Today, it stands as a testament to the Taylors’ role in sharing Korea’s fight for independence with the world.