Deoksugung palace has served as a temporary palace since 1593(the 26th year of King Seonjo), naming it the temporary palace in Jeongneung-dong, just one year after the Japanese invasion in 1592 (the 25th year of King Seonjo) when all palaces in the capital were destroyed. Later in 1611 (the 3rd year of King Gwanghae), it was named Gyeongungung Palace and became an official palace with a court. When Changdeokgung Palace was rebuilt, Gyeongungung Palace became a secondary palace.
As Emperor Gojong declared the Korean Empire in 1897 (the 1st year of Gwangmu Emperor) and assumed the throne as an emperor, Gyeongungung Palace served as the imperial court and palace of the Korean Empire. Later, its status was elevated to befit the dignity of an empire. Western-style buildings were built inside the palace, blending the traditional and Western styles. In 1904 (the 8th year of Gwangmu Emperor), however, many of its buildings were lost in a great fire. The palace was again renamed Deoksugung Palace after Emperor Gojong abdicated the throne due to pressure from the Japanese Empire in 1907. When Korea was under Japanese rule (1910–1945), the palace shrank in size significantly, resulting in the demolition of most of its buildings. Making things worse, Deoksugung Palace became a part of the Japanese Empire's park development project, losing its dignity as a royal palace. From 1946 to 1947, Deoksugung Palace’s Seokjojeon Hall hosted the 1st and 2nd US–Soviet Joint Commission. The palace restoration project has continued since then, transforming it into the palace that we see today.