PHOTOS Rare photos offer glimpse of Korea in 1910-70s

Nurses cuddle quadruplets born in 1959 at Ilsin Christian Hospital in Busan. Courtesy of Pusan National University

By Park Si-soo

Rare photos taken by Australian missionary James Noble Mackenzie and his family offer a glimpse of Busan in the 1910-70s.

An exhibition of the photos is under way at the Pusan National University Museum. The event, “Story of Australian Mackenzie Family's Outing to Busan,” runs through Feb. 28, displaying 300 photos out of 10,000 the missionary and his family took in the nation's second-biggest city.

A street market in Busan in the 1950s. Courtesy of Pusan National University

In this undated photo, a senior Korean wearing a traditional outfit and hat teaches the Korean alphabet to Westerners. Courtesy of Pusan National University

In this photo taken in the 1950s, people queue at a market in Bupyeong. Courtesy of Pusan National University

In this undated photo, Mackenzie's two daughters are greeted by Koreans in Busan. They were born in Busan, moved to Australia to become a medical doctor and a nurse, and then returned to Busan for missionary work. Courtesy of Pusan National University

The Korean Peninsula was under Japan's colonial rule 1910-45 and experienced a devastating war in 1950-53. So the photos are considered rare material giving an opportunity to look into a turbulent time in Korea's modern history.

Mackenzie devoted himself to helping the poor and uneducated. He was particularly active in helping people suffering leprosy.

In recognition of his devotion, the South Korean government posthumously awarded him a state medal in 2012.

Mackenzie died in 1956.