The US listed the Old Korean Legation in Washington as a historic place eligible for federal tax breaks for preservation Monday, the first time a Korean government-owned building has received such recognition for historical significance.

In a statement Wednesday, the Korea Heritage Service, the agency that filed a request for the designation in March, said the National Park Service added the building to the National Register of Historic Places -- the US government’s list of buildings, sites and structures known for their historic or artistic value.

The Old Korean Legation, the first-ever Korean overseas mission in the West, is a testament to Korea-US diplomatic ties, and the three-story building, which reopened as a museum in 2018 after a three-year restoration, is in good condition, the NPS was quoted as saying by the KHS, which acquired the building in 2012.

The building, completed in 1877, served as the Korean legation building from 1889 to 1905.