All Topics  
Seoul

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Seoul
 
 
  Topics Seoul Topic Home

Seoul is the capital and largest city
City

A city is an urban area with a high population density and a particular administrative, legal, or historical status.Large industrialized cities generally have advanced systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, house, and transportation and more....
 of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
. With a population of over 10 million, It is one of the world's largest cities.The Seoul National Capital Area
Seoul National Capital Area

The Seoul National Capital Area is a region located in the north-west of South Korea. It is generally referred to as Sudogwon in Korean, and contains three different administrative districts; Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do....
 - which includes the major port city of Incheon
Incheon

Incheon is a Special cities of Korea and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul.Human settlement at the location goes back to the Neolithic....
 and satellite towns in Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do

Gyeonggi-do is the most populous Administrative divisions of South Korea in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital— is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level Special cities of Korea since 1946....
, has 24.5 million inhabitants and is the world's second largest metropolitan area
List of metropolitan areas by population

The question of which are the world's largest cities is a complex one, to which there is no single correct answer, simply because there are many different ways of defining a "city"....
. Almost half of South Korea's population live in the Seoul National Capital Area, and nearly a quarter in Seoul itself, making it the country's chief economic, political and cultural center.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Seoul'
Start a new discussion about 'Seoul'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Seoul is the capital and largest city
City

A city is an urban area with a high population density and a particular administrative, legal, or historical status.Large industrialized cities generally have advanced systems for sanitation, utilities, land usage, house, and transportation and more....
 of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
. With a population of over 10 million, It is one of the world's largest cities.The Seoul National Capital Area
Seoul National Capital Area

The Seoul National Capital Area is a region located in the north-west of South Korea. It is generally referred to as Sudogwon in Korean, and contains three different administrative districts; Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do....
 - which includes the major port city of Incheon
Incheon

Incheon is a Special cities of Korea and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul.Human settlement at the location goes back to the Neolithic....
 and satellite towns in Gyeonggi-do
Gyeonggi-do

Gyeonggi-do is the most populous Administrative divisions of South Korea in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital— is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level Special cities of Korea since 1946....
, has 24.5 million inhabitants and is the world's second largest metropolitan area
List of metropolitan areas by population

The question of which are the world's largest cities is a complex one, to which there is no single correct answer, simply because there are many different ways of defining a "city"....
. Almost half of South Korea's population live in the Seoul National Capital Area, and nearly a quarter in Seoul itself, making it the country's chief economic, political and cultural center. As a Special City
Special cities of Korea

In North Korea and South Korea, Special Cities, Metropolitan Cities, and Directly Governed Cities are cities that have a status equivalent to that of Provinces of Korea ....
, Seoul is administered directly by the national government and is divided into 25 major districts
Gu of Seoul

The Administrative Divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. There are twenty-five Gu in Seoul. The gu vary greatly in area and population ....
.

The city is located on the basin of the Han River
Han River (Korea)

The Han River is a major river in South Korea and is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Kumgang-san in North Korea....
 in the country's northwest. The North Korea
North Korea

North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea , is a state in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula....
n border lies about 50 km to the north. Seoul first appears in history in 18 BC, when the Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
, one of the Three Korean Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean empire of Goguryeo, and kingdom of Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE....
, established its capital Wirye-seong
Wiryeseong

Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area....
 in what is now south-east Seoul. Modern Seoul descends from the Goryeo
Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty was a sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo of Goryeo. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392....
-era city of Namgyeong, which then became the capital of Korea
Korea

Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries, a civilization, and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia....
 during the Joseon dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
. The Seoul National Capital Area includes three World Heritage sites: Changdeokgung
Changdeokgung

Changdeok Palace is set within a large park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty and because of its location east of Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeokgung is also referred to as the East Palace....
, hwaseong Fortress
Hwaseong Fortress

Hwaseong , the wall surrounding the centre of Suwon, South Korea, was built in the late 18th century by Jeongjo of Joseon of the Joseon Dynasty to honour and house the remains of his father Prince Sado, who had been murdered by being locked alive inside a rice chest by his own father Yeongjo of Joseon having failed to obey his command to comm...
 and the Jongmyo Shrine
Jongmyo

Jongmyo is a Confucian shrine dedicated to the memorial services for the deceased kings and queens of the Korean Joseon Dynasty. According to UNESCO, the shrine is the oldest royal Confucian shrine preserved and the ritual ceremonies continue a tradition established since the 14th century....
.

The city has hosted the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea....
 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup

The 2002 FIFA World Cup, the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. The two countries were chosen as FIFA World Cup hosts#2002 FIFA World Cup by FIFA in May 1996 and was the first tournament in its history to be hosted by two countries....
. Seoul's influence as a leading business
Business

A business is a legally recognized organization designed to provide good s and/or Service to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalism economies, most being privately owned and formed to earn profit that will increase the wealth of its owners....
, technology
Technology

Technology is a broad concept that deals with an animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects an animal species' ability to control and adapt to its Natural environment....
 and cultural
Culture

Culture is difficult to define. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions....
 center contributes to its status as a major global city
Global city

A global city is a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and List of urban studies topics and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a hierarchy of importance to the oper...
, and is one of the world's top ten financial and commercial cities. It is also the fifth most expensive city
List of most expensive cities

File:Most Expensive Cities .jpgThese are lists of the world's most expensive city, according to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting and Economist Intelligence Unit cost-of-living surveys....
 in the world and the second most expensive city in Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
.. In recent years, the Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul Metropolitan Government is the administrative organization of Seoul. The mayor is elected to a four year term by the Seoul citizens and is responsible for the administration of the city government....
 has undertaken major environmental projects, including the nearly $1 billion restoration of Cheonggyecheon
Cheonggyecheon

Cheonggyecheon is a nearly 6km long, modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-Korean War Miracle on the Han River required it to be covered by transportation infrastructure....
. At the same time, the city has promoted the Seoul Digital Media City, the world's first complex for high-tech digital technologies in IT, multimedia and entertainment.

Name

The city has been known in the past by the names Wirye-seong
Wiryeseong

Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area....
 (???; ???, Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
 era), Hanju (??;??, Silla
Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustaining dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its 992-year history....
 era), Namgyeong (??; ??, Goryeo
Goryeo

The Goryeo Dynasty was a sovereign state established in 918 by Taejo of Goryeo. It united the Later Three Kingdoms in 936 and ruled most of the Korean peninsula until it was removed by the Joseon dynasty in 1392....
 era), Hanseong (??; ??, Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
 and Joseon
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 era), Hanyang (??; ??, Joseon
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 era), Gyeongseong (??;??, Joseon
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 and Japanese Occupation
Korea under Japanese rule

Korea was under Japanese rule as part of the Imperial Japan during the first half of the 20th century, until the surrender of Japan in 1945. Korea was occupied and declared a Japanese protectorate in 1905 , and officially annexation in 1910 through an Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty....
 era). Its current name originated from the Korean
Korean language

Korean is the official language of North Korea and South Korea. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China....
 word meaning "capital city," which is believed to be derived Seorabeol (???; ???), which originally referred to Gyeongju
Gyeongju

Gyeongju is an city and one of the most popular Tourism in South Korea destinations in South Korea. It lies in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, on the coast of the Sea of Japan....
, the capital of Silla
Silla

Silla was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the longest sustaining dynasty in Asian history. Although it was founded by King Bak Hyeokgeose of Silla, who is also known to be the originator of the Korean family name Park , the dynasty was to see the Kyungju Kim clan hold rule for most of its 992-year history....
.

Unlike most place names in Korea, "Seoul" has no corresponding hanja
Hanja

Hanja is the Korean language name for Chinese characters. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese language and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation....
 (Chinese characters used in the Korean language
Korean language

Korean is the official language of North Korea and South Korea. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China....
). The recently-chosen Chinese name for Seoul is ?? (simplified), ?? (traditional) (Shouer), which sounds somewhat similar to "Seoul" when pronounced in Mandarin Chinese.

History

Seoul Gyeongbokgung Palace Exterior View
Hauptstrasse Und Palasttor in Seoul
The history of Seoul can be traced back as far as 18 BC, when it was established as a settlement in Baekje
Baekje

Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
, Wirye-seong
Wiryeseong

Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area....
. It's believed that the Wirye-seong
Wiryeseong

Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area....
 site is in the boundaries of modern day Seoul and Present Pungnap Toseong
Pungnap Toseong

Pungnap Toseong is a flat earthen wall built at the edge of the Han River , with a circumference of 3.5km. It is located in modern-day Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and previously was included in the neighboring city of Gwangju ....
 or Mongchon Toseong remains believed as the site. It has thereafter been the capital of the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
. Seoul as a capital of South Korea
South Korea

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea , ), often referred to as Korea and the "names of Korea#Revival of the names", is a Semi-presidential system republic in East Asia, located in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula....
, has a history of more 610 years since 1394 the year it was designate as a capital of Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
. In the Japanese colonization period in the early 20th century, many historical and traditional parts of Seoul were changed. The city was almost entirely destroyed in the Korean War
Korean War

The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korea and South Korea regimes, with major hostilities lasting from June 25, 1950 until the armistice signed on July 27, 1953....
, but an aggressive economic policy in the 1960s and 1970s helped to rebuild the city very rapidly. In the 1990s, some important historical buildings were restored, including Gyeongbokgung
Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung also known as Gyeongbok Palace is a palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. It was the main and largest palace of the Joseon Dynasty and one of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty....
, one of the most royal palaces and the king's dwelling of the Joseon dynasty.

Geography



Seoul is in northwest South Korea. Seoul proper comprises 605.39 km² of area, roughly bisected into northern and southern halves by the Han River
Han River (Korea)

The Han River is a major river in South Korea and is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Kumgang-san in North Korea....
. The Han River and its surrounding area played an important role in Korean history. The Three Kingdoms of Korea
Three Kingdoms of Korea

The Three Kingdoms of Korea refer to the ancient Korean empire of Goguryeo, and kingdom of Baekje and Silla, which dominated the Korean peninsula and parts of Manchuria for much of the 1st millennium CE....
 strove to take control of this land, where the river was used as a trade route to China (via the Yellow Sea
Yellow Sea

The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean peninsula....
). However, the river is no longer actively used for navigation, because its estuary is located at the borders of the two Koreas, barred for entrance by any civilian. The city is bordered by eight mountains, as well as the more level lands of the Han River plain and western areas.

Climate

In common with the rest of South Korea, Seoul has a humid continental climate
Humid continental climate

The humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate climates of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between North Pole and Tropics air masses....
 (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification

The K?ppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classifications. It was developed by Wladimir K?ppen, a Russian climatologist, around 1900 ....
 Dwa), despite the fact that the country is surrounded on three sides by water. Summers are generally hot and humid, with monsoons taking place from June until July. August, the hottest month, has an average temperature of 72 °F to 86 °F (22°C to 30°C) with higher temperatures possible. Winters are often very cold with an average January temperature of 19 °F to 33 °F (-7°C to 1°C) and are generally much drier than summers, although there are 28 days of snow
Snow

Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. The process of this precipitation is called snowfall....
 in Seoul in each year on average.

Cityscape


The traditional heart of Seoul is the old Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 city, which is now the downtown area, where most palaces, government offices, corporate headquarters, hotels, and traditional markets are located. This area occupies the valley of Cheonggyecheon
Cheonggyecheon

Cheonggyecheon is a nearly 6km long, modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-Korean War Miracle on the Han River required it to be covered by transportation infrastructure....
, a stream that runs from west to east through the valley before emptying into the Han River. For many years, the stream had been covered by concrete, but was recently restored through an urban revival project. To the north of downtown is Bukhan Mountain
Bukhan Mountain

Bukhansan, or Bukhan Mountain, is a mountain on the north side of Seoul, South Korea. A significant section of Seoul is bordered by Bukhansan, which is a major landmark easily visible from most of the city....
, and to the south is the smaller Namsan
Namsan (Seoul)

Namsan is a 262-meter peak in the Jung-gu, Seoul district of south central Seoul, South Korea. Although known as Mount Mongmyeok, or ???, in the past, it is now commonly referred to as Namsan....
. Further south are the old suburbs of Yongsan-gu
Yongsan-gu

Yongsan-gu is a district of Seoul, South Korea. Its name means "Dragon Hill", derived from the hanja characters for dragon and hill/mountain . It sits to the North of the Han River under the shadow of Seoul Tower....
 and Mapo-gu
Mapo-gu

Mapo-gu is a gu, or district, within Seoul, South Korea. It lies northwest of the Han River . Several universities and government buildings are located here....
, and the Han River
Han River (Korea)

The Han River is a major river in South Korea and is formed by the confluence of the Namhan River , which originates in Mount Daedeok, and the Bukhan River , which originates on the slopes of Kumgang-san in North Korea....
. Across the Han River are the newer and wealthier areas of Gangnam-gu
Gangnam-gu

Gangnam-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the most affluent areas of Seoul and is located in the southeast of the city....
,Seocho-gu
Seocho-gu

Seocho-gu is a Administrative divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. It is a ritzy, upper-class ward located in the southeast of the city....
 and surrounding neighborhoods. The World Trade Center of Korea is located in Gangnam-gu and this is where many expositions and conferences are held. Also in Gangnam-gu is the COEX Mall
COEX Mall

COEX Mall is an underground shopping mall located in Gangnam-gu Seoul, South Korea It is the largest shopping centre in Seoul. It is the largest underground mall in Asia with an area of about 85,000 square metres....
, a large indoor shopping and entertainment complex. Downstream from Gangnam-gu is Yeouido
Yeouido

Yeouido is a large island next to the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. It is Seoul's main business and investment banking district. Its 8.4 square kilometers are home to some 30,988 people....
, a large island that is home to the National Assembly, major broadcasting studios, and a number of large office buildings, as well as the Korea Finance Building and the world's largest Pentecostal church. Adjacent to Yeouido is Bamseom
Bamseom

Bamseom is a pair of islets in the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. The uninhabited islets, with a total area of 241,000m? and length of 1,147 metres, are located between the larger island of Yeouido, to which they were once connected, and the north shore....
 an uninhabited island in the middle of the river. The Olympic Stadium, Olympic Park, and Lotte World
Lotte World

Lotte World is a recreation complex in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of a large indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement park, an island linked by monorail, shopping malls, a hotel, a Korean folk museum, sports facilities and movie theaters in one area....
 are located in Songpa-gu, on the south side of the Han River, upstream from Gangnam-gu. South of the sprawling Gangnam
Gangnam

Gangnam refers to various areas and places south of the Han River in Seoul:*Gangnam-gu, a local government district of Seoul, South Korea*Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa, 3 districts in south-east Seoul...
 area are Namhan Mountain
Namhan Mountain

Namhan Mountain is a 460 m peak in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. It lies on the border between southern Seoul and the city of Gwangju City ...
,Cheonggye Mountain and Gwanak Mountain.

Major modern landmark
Landmark

Originally, a landmark literally meant a geographic feature used by exploration and others to find their way back or through an area.In modern usage, a landmark includes anything that is easily recognizable, such as a monument, building, or other structure....
s include the Korea Finance Building, N Seoul Tower
N Seoul Tower

N Seoul Tower is a Radio masts and towers located in Seoul, South Korea. Built in 1969, and opened to the public in 1980, the tower measures in height and tops out at above sea level....
, the World Trade Center
World Trade Center Seoul

The World Trade Center Seoul is a building complex comprising six buildings, and centered around the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center on Teheranno in the Gangnam-gu district of Seoul....
, the 63 Building
63 Building

The DLI 63 Building is a skyscraper on Yeouido Island, overlooking the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. At 249 meters high, it is the 3rd tallest building in South Korea, the List of tallest buildings in the world, and is a Korean icon among skyscrapers....
 and the six-skyscraper residence Tower Palace. These and various high-rise office buildings, like the Seoul Star Tower and Jongno Tower, dominate the city's skyline. Due to its high density, Seoul has been equipped with a grand appearance of skyscraper
Skyscraper

A skyscraper is a tall, continuously habitable building. There is no official definition nor height above which a building may clearly be classified as a skyscraper....
s and the city council is now planning on building a series of high-rises, including 580-meter business center in Sangam Digital Media City district and an 800-meter Lotte World 2 Tower in the Jamsil
Jamsil

Jamsil may refer to:* Jamsil Arena, an indoor sporting venue in Seoul, South Korea* Jamsil Baseball Stadium, in Seoul, South Korea* Jamsil Station, a station on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway...
 (pronounced "Jam-shil") district of Songpa-gu
Songpa-gu

Songpa-gu is a Administrative divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. It is located in the southeast of the city. Songpa-gu is home to the Lotte Hotel and Lotte World....
 and Gangdong-gu
Gangdong-gu

Gangdong-gu is one of the 25 Administrative divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the east side of the city....
.

Urban and civil planning was a key concept when Seoul was first designed to serve as a capital in the late 14th century. The Royal Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty

Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
 still remain in Seoul, with the main palace, Gyeongbokgung
Gyeongbokgung

Gyeongbokgung also known as Gyeongbok Palace is a palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. It was the main and largest palace of the Joseon Dynasty and one of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty....
 currently being restored to its original form. Today, there are eight major subway lines stretching for more than 250 kilometers, with a ninth and tenth line being planned, and also some other miscellaneous lines.

The most historically significant street in Seoul is Jongro, meaning "Bell Street," on which one can find Bosingak
Bosingak

Bosingak is a large bell pavilion on Jongno in Seoul, South Korea. The bell in Bosingak gives Jongno its name, which literally means "bell street." It was originally constructed in 1396 but destroyed many times by both war and fire....
, a pavilion containing a large bell. The bell signaled the different times of the day and therefore controlled the four major gates to the city. The only time it is normally rung nowadays is at midnight on New Year's Eve, when it is rung thirty-three times. It was, however, rung on the day that President Kim Dae-jung took office.

Seoul's most important streetcar line ran along Jongno until it was replaced by Line 1 of the subway system in the early 1970s. Other notable streets in downtown Seoul include Euljiro
Euljiro

Euljiro is a street in Seoul named after Eulji Mundeok, the general who saved Goguryeo from the invading Sui Dynasty Chinese....
 (???; ), Teheranno
Teheranno

Teheranno is a street in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea. It runs from Gangnam Station through Yeoksam-dong and into Samseong-dong. It is colloquially known as ?Teheran Valley? due the number of internet-related companies operating there, including Yahoo!, and Korean rivals Daum and Naver....
 (Tehran
Tehran

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia....
 Street), Sejongno
Sejongno

Sejongno is a street that cuts through Jongno-gu in downtown Seoul. It is named after Sejong the Great of Joseon. The street is only 600 meters in length, but thanks to its central location it is of great symbolic importance....
 (???; ), Chungmuro
Chungmuro

Chungmuro refers to a road 1.75km in length and 10~20m in width and the area nearby the street, located in Jung-gu, Seoul, central Seoul of South Korea....
 (???; ), Yulgongno (???; ), and Toegyero (???; ).

Administrative divisions

Map Seoul Districts De
Seoul is divided into 25 gu
Administrative divisions of South Korea

|||}File:520px-Provinces of South Korea Txt.PNGSouth Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city ....
 (?; ) (district). The gu vary greatly in area (from 10 to 47 km²) and population (from less than 140,000 to 630,000). Songpa has the most people, while Seocho, the largest area. The government of each gu handles many of the functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions. Each gu is divided into "dong
Administrative divisions of South Korea

|||}File:520px-Provinces of South Korea Txt.PNGSouth Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city ....
" (?; ) or neighbourhoods. Some gu have only a few dong while others like Jongno-gu have a very large number of distinct neighborhoods. Gu of Seoul consist of 522 administrative dongs in total. Dong are also sub-divided into 13,787 tong (?; ), which are further divided into 102,796 ban in total.

  • Dobong District
    Dobong-gu

    Dobong-gu is one of the Seoul#Administrative divisions of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River ....
     (???; )
  • Dongdaemun District
    Dongdaemun-gu

    Dongdaemun-gu is one of the Seoul#Administrative divisions of Seoul, South Korea. It is located to the north of the Han River . Its district office is in Yongdu-dong where is close to the underground station of branch of Line 2....
     (????; )
  • Dongjak District
    Dongjak-gu

    Dongjak-gu is one of the 25 Administrative divisions of South Korea#Gu which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Its name was derived from the Dongjaegi Naruteo Ferry, located on the Han River which borders the district to the north....
     (???; )
  • Eunpyeong District
    Eunpyeong-gu

    Eunpyeong-gu is one of the 25 Administrative divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea.The mayor of this district is Jaedong NOH since July 2006....
     (???; )
  • Gangbuk District
    Gangbuk-gu

    Gangbuk-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Its name is derived from the fact that it is located at the north of Han River ....
     (???; )
  • Gangdong District
    Gangdong-gu

    Gangdong-gu is one of the 25 Administrative divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the east side of the city....
     (???; )
  • Gangnam District
    Gangnam-gu

    Gangnam-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the most affluent areas of Seoul and is located in the southeast of the city....
     (???; )
  • Gangseo District
    Gangseo-gu, Seoul

    Gangseo-gu is one of the wards of Seoul of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the south side of the Han River . In the west of this district, there are many flats for low-level families....
     (???; )
  • Geumcheon District
    Geumcheon-gu

    Geumcheon-gu is one of the Seoul#Administrative divisions of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the southwest side of the Han River . It was created from neighboring Guro-gu in 1995....
     (???; )
  • Guro District
    Guro-gu

    Guro is a district of Seoul, South Korea, which was separated from Yeongdeungpo on April 1, 1980. Located in the southwestern part of the city, Guro has an important position as a transport link from the rest of Seoul to the south of the country....
     (???; )
  • Gwanak District
    Gwanak-gu

    Gwanak District, or Gwanak-gu is an administrative divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. It lies on southern skirt of Seoul, bordering Seoul and Anyang, Gyeonggi of Gyeonggi-do....
     (???; )
  • Gwangjin District
    Gwangjin-gu

    Gwangjin-gu is one of the wards of Seoul of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River . It was created from neighboring Seongdong-gu in 1995....
     (???; )
  • Jongno District
    Jongno-gu

    Jongno-gu is a Subdivisions of South Korea, or district, in central Seoul, South Korea. It takes its name from a major local street, Jongno, which means "Bell Street"....
     (???; )
  • Jung District
    Jung-gu, Seoul

    Jung-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River , and is the historical center of the city ....
     (??; )
  • Jungnang District
    Jungnang-gu

    Jungnang-gu is one of the 25 Seoul#Administrative divisions, or districts, of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River ....
     (???; )
  • Mapo District
    Mapo-gu

    Mapo-gu is a gu, or district, within Seoul, South Korea. It lies northwest of the Han River . Several universities and government buildings are located here....
     (???; )
  • Nowon District
    Nowon-gu

    Nowon-gu is a residential district of Seoul, South Korea, Located in the northeastern part of the metropolitan city. It has the highest population density in Seoul, with 619,509 people living in the area of 35.44 km?....
     (???; )
  • Seocho District
    Seocho-gu

    Seocho-gu is a Administrative divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. It is a ritzy, upper-class ward located in the southeast of the city....
     (???; )
  • Seodaemun District
    Seodaemun-gu

    Seodaemun-gu is a Administrative divisions of South Korea located in northwestern Seoul, South Korea. Seodaemun-gu incorporates residential and historical areas....
     (????; )
  • Seongbuk District
    Seongbuk-gu

    Seongbuk-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is located in the mid-north part of the city....
     (???; )
  • Seongdong District
    Seongdong-gu

    Seongdong-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is situated on the north bank of the Han River ....
     (???; )
  • Songpa District
    Songpa-gu

    Songpa-gu is a Administrative divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. It is located in the southeast of the city. Songpa-gu is home to the Lotte Hotel and Lotte World....
     (???; )
  • Yangcheon District
    Yangcheon-gu

    Yangcheon-gu is a gu, or district, of Seoul, South Korea. Located on the southwest side of the Han River . It was known as 'Jechapaui-hyun' during the Goguryeo age, And has gone through several name-changes since....
     (???; )
  • Yeongdeungpo District
    Yeongdeungpo-gu

    Yeongdeungpo-gu is an administrative district in southwest Seoul, Korea. Although the origin of the name is uncertain, the first two syllables are thought to be from "yeongdeung" or "divine ascent", a Korean shamanism rite....
     (????; )
  • Yongsan District
    Yongsan-gu

    Yongsan-gu is a district of Seoul, South Korea. Its name means "Dragon Hill", derived from the hanja characters for dragon and hill/mountain . It sits to the North of the Han River under the shadow of Seoul Tower....
     (???; )


    • Demographics

    Nearly all of Seoul's residents are Korean
    Korean people

    The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in East Asia. Most Koreans speak the Korean language....
    , with some small Chinese
    Overseas Chinese

    Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese people birth or descent who live outside the territories administered by the rival governments of the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China ....
     and Japanese
    Japanese people

    The are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan....
     minorities. A rapidly growing population of international residents now represent about 2% of the total population. The city’s population surpassed 10,421,000 as of the end of 2007 and the number of foreigners was 229,000, constituting 2.2 percent of the population.

    The two major religions in Seoul are Buddhism
    Buddhism

    Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices considered by most to be a religionand is based on the teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as "The Buddha" , who was born in what is today Nepal....
     and Christianity
    Christianity

    Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
    . Other religions include Shamanism
    Shamanism

    Shamanism is a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world. A practitioner of shamanism is known as a shaman, , noun ....
     and Confucianism
    Confucianism

    Confucianism is a China Ethics and Philosophy developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . It focuses on human morality and right action....
    , the latter seen more as a pervasive social philosophy rather than a religion.

    Economy

    Wtc Coex Seoul
    As the headquarters for Samsung, LG
    LG

    LG may refer to:* LG Group, a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate** LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products...
     and Hyundai
    Hyundai

    Hyundai refers to a group of companies and related organizations founded by Chung Ju-yung in South Korea. The first Hyundai company was founded in 1947 as a construction company, and the Hyundai Group eventually became South Korea's largest Conglomerate ....
    , Seoul has become a major business hub in Asia. Although Seoul accounts for only 0.6 percent of South Korea's land area, it generates 21 percent of the country's entire GDP. With a GDP of over $200 billion, It is the fourth largest in Asia and one of the top twenty largest in the world.

    Financial hub

    As a major business and financial center, Seoul ranks sixth in the world in terms of the number of Fortune Global 500
    Fortune Global 500

    The Fortune Global 500 is a ranking of the top 500 corporations worldwide as measured by revenue. The list is compiled and published annually by Fortune magazine....
     transnational companies headquartered there. Many international banks have branches in Seoul, including Citigroup
    Citigroup

    Citigroup Inc., doing business as Citi, is a major United States financial services company based in New York City. Citigroup was formed from one of the world's largest mergers in history by combining the banking giant Citicorp and financial conglomerate Travelers Group on April 7, 1998....
    , HSBC and Mizuho Financial Group
    Mizuho Financial Group

    , abbreviated as MHFG, or simply called Mizuho is a banking holding company headquartered in the Otemachi district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan....
    . One of the largest exchange banks, the Korea Exchange Bank
    Korea Exchange Bank

    Korea Exchange Bank is a specialized foreign exchange bank in South Korea. It is headquartered in Seoul, and was established in 1967.Korea Exchange Bank is the fifth largest bank in South Korea measured in assets and the largest foreign exchange bank in South Korea, providing the largest range of foreign exchange products....
    , is also headquartered in Seoul.

    Shopping

    • Dongdaemun Market
      Dongdaemun Market

      Dongdaemun Market or Tongdaemun is a market and shopping center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is the largest shopping center in South Korea....
       - The largest shopping center in South Korea.
    • Namdaemun Market
      Namdaemun market

      Namdaemun Market is a large market in Seoul, South Korea. The market is located next to Namdaemun, which means "Great South Gate," and was the main southern gate to the old city....
       - The oldest continually running and the largest retail market in Seoul.
    • Myeongdong
      Myeongdong

      Myeong-dong or Myong-dong is a Dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea and is located between Chungmuro, Euljiro, and Namdaemun. It covers 0.91 km? with a population of 2986, and is mostly a commercial area....
       - It has mid to high priced retail stores and international brand outlets.
    • Insadong
      Insadong

      Insadong is a Subdivisions of South Korea of the Jongno-gu district of the South Korean city of Seoul. The main street is Insadong-gil, which is connected to a multitude of alleys that lead deeper into the district....
       - A traditional street where you can see many art and antique stores.
    • Apgujeong-dong - It contains many upscale department stores, shops, boutiques and restaurants.
    • Itaewon
      Itaewon

      Itaewon is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, or city district, in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Seoul Subway Line 6 via Itaewon Station, Noksapyeong Station and Hangangjin Station stations....
       - International shops and restaurants as well as the center of the gay community.
    • Sinchon
      Sinchon

      Sinchon or Sinchon-dong is a neighbourhood and a judicial dong in Seodaemun-gu in Seoul, South Korea.Sinchon is a very busy area of the city and holds several department stores, cinemas and shopping areas that cater mainly to a young crowd....
       - A shopping area that caters mainly to a young crowd and university students.
    • Yongsan Electronics Market
      Yongsan Electronics Market

      Yongsan Electronics Market is a retail area in Seoul, South Korea, comprised of over 20 buildings housing 5,000 stores that sell appliances, stereos, computers and peripherals, office equipment, telephones, lighting equipment, electronic games and software, videos and CDs....
       - The largest electronics market in the whole of Asia.
    • Hwanghak-dong Flea Market
      Hwanghak-dong Flea Market

      Hwanghak-dong Flea Market is a market located in the neighborhood of Hwanghak-dong, Jung-gu, South Korea to sell second-hand goods. It has over 500 shops and stalls near Dongdaemun Market supplying a wide range of used products such as electronic alliances, clothes, and other items....
    • Changanpyeong Antique Market
    • Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market
      Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market

      Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market or shortly Noryangjin Fish Market is an extensive farmers fish market in the neighborhood of Noryangjin-dong in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, South Korea....
    • Garak Market
      Garak Market

      Garak Fish Market or Garak-dong Agricultural Market is an extensive farmers fish market in the neighborhood of Garak-dong in Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea....
    • Gasan Digital Complex


    The largest market in South Korea, the Dongdaemun Market
    Dongdaemun Market

    Dongdaemun Market or Tongdaemun is a market and shopping center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is the largest shopping center in South Korea....
    , is located in Seoul. Myeongdong
    Myeongdong

    Myeong-dong or Myong-dong is a Dong in Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea and is located between Chungmuro, Euljiro, and Namdaemun. It covers 0.91 km? with a population of 2986, and is mostly a commercial area....
     is a shopping and entertainment area in downtown Seoul which contains some of the city's top stores and fashion boutiques. Nearby is the Namdaemun Market
    Namdaemun market

    Namdaemun Market is a large market in Seoul, South Korea. The market is located next to Namdaemun, which means "Great South Gate," and was the main southern gate to the old city....
     named after the Namdaemun Gate. Insadong
    Insadong

    Insadong is a Subdivisions of South Korea of the Jongno-gu district of the South Korean city of Seoul. The main street is Insadong-gil, which is connected to a multitude of alleys that lead deeper into the district....
     is the cultural art market of Seoul, where traditional and modern Korean artworks, such as paintings, sculptures and calligraphy are sold. Itaewon
    Itaewon

    Itaewon is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, or city district, in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Seoul Subway Line 6 via Itaewon Station, Noksapyeong Station and Hangangjin Station stations....
     is another notable shopping district in the city lined with boutiques and stores, mainly catering to foreign tourists and American soldiers based in the city. Shinchon is particularly popular with young people perhaps due to its proximity to some of Seoul's universities. The Gangnam district
    Gangnam District

    Gangnam, Seocho and Songpa are three "gu" in Seoul, South Korea, individually known as Gangnam-gu, Seocho-gu and Songpa-gu and often collectively referred to as "Gangnam"....
     is one of the most affluent areas in Seoul and has popular modern shopping spots such as the fashionable and upscale Apgujeong-dong area and the COEX Mall
    COEX Mall

    COEX Mall is an underground shopping mall located in Gangnam-gu Seoul, South Korea It is the largest shopping centre in Seoul. It is the largest underground mall in Asia with an area of about 85,000 square metres....
    .

    Education

    See also: Education in South Korea
    Education in South Korea

    Education in South Korea is important for success and competition is consequently very heated and fierce. A centralized administration oversees the process for the education of children from kindergarten to the High school senior....
    , List of universities in Seoul
    List of universities in Seoul

    A list of universities in Seoul, South Korea*Chungang University*Chugye University for the Arts*Dongguk University*Dongduk Women's University*Duksung Women's University...


    There are a large number of universities
    University

    A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education....
     in Seoul. Most of the country's most prestigious universities are located in Seoul.

    Culture

    Injeongjeon (interior), Changdeokgung Seoul, Korea
    Jongmyo3

    Historical structures and museums

    The Joseon Dynasty
    Joseon Dynasty

    Joseon , was a sovereign state founded by Taejo Taejo of Joseon, and lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo Kingdom at what is today the city of Kaesong....
     built "Five Grand Palaces" in Seoul :
    • Changdeokgung
      Changdeokgung

      Changdeok Palace is set within a large park in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the kings of the Joseon Dynasty and because of its location east of Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeokgung is also referred to as the East Palace....
       (???; )
    • Changgyeonggung
      Changgyeonggung

      Changgyeong Palace is a palace located in Seoul, South Korea. Originally the Summer Palace of the Goryeo Emperor, it later became one of the Five Grand Palaces of the Joseon Dynasty....
       (???;
    • Deoksugung
      Deoksugung

      Deoksu Palace is a walled compound of palaces that was inhabited by various Korean Royal family until the Japanese occupation near the turn of the 20th century....
       (???; )
    • Gyeongbokgung
      Gyeongbokgung

      Gyeongbokgung also known as Gyeongbok Palace is a palace located in northern Seoul, South Korea. It was the main and largest palace of the Joseon Dynasty and one of the Five Grand Palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty....
       (???; )
    • Gyeonghuigung
      Gyeonghuigung

      Gyeonghui Palace was a palace located in Seoul, South Korea. It was one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built by the Joseon Dynasty.In the latter Joseon period, Gyeonghuigung served as the secondary palace for the king, and as it was situated on the west side of Seoul, it was also called Seogwol ....
       (???; )
    Korean royal residence :
    • Unhyeongung
      Unhyeongung

      Unhyeon Palace is a former Korean royal residence located at 114-10 Unni-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea. It was formerly the residence of Prince Regent Daewon-gun, ruler of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty in the 19th century, and father of Gojong of Korea....
      (???; ???)
    Other Historial Places :
    • Pungnap Toseong
      Pungnap Toseong

      Pungnap Toseong is a flat earthen wall built at the edge of the Han River , with a circumference of 3.5km. It is located in modern-day Pungnap-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, and previously was included in the neighboring city of Gwangju ....
       - A flat earthen wall built at the edge of the Han River, widely believed to be the site of Wiryeseong
      Wiryeseong

      Wiryeseong was the name of two early capitals of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Both are believed to have been in the modern-day Seoul area....
      .
    • Mongchon Toseong - A earthen wall built during Baekje
      Baekje

      Baekje , or Paekche , was a kingdom located in southwest Korea. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla....
       period, located inside the Olympic Park, Seoul
      Olympic Park, Seoul

      The Seoul Olympic Park or shortly Olpark is an Olympic Park built to host the 1988 Summer Olympics. Olympic Park is located in Songpa-gu, Bangi-dong....
      .
    • Seodaemun Prison
      Seodaemun prison

      Seodaemun Prison is a museum and former prison in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was constructed beginning in 1907 while Korea was considered a protectorate of Japan....
       - A museum and former prison during the Japanese rule of Korea.
    • Amsa-dong Preshistoric Settlement Site - In which Neolithic remains were excavated and accidentally discovered by a flood in 1925 in Amsa-dong
      Amsa-dong

      Amsa-dong is a dong , neighbourhood of Gangdong-gu in Seoul, South Korea. The dong is well-known for the Amsa-dong Preshistoric Settlement Site in which Neolithic remains were excavated after a large number of diagonal-line patterned earthenware underneath the earth were accidentally discovered by a flood in 1925....
      .
    • Sungnyemun
      Sungnyemun

      Sungnyemun or more commonly known as Namdaemun is a historic gate located in the heart of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The landmark is officially called Sungnyemun, literally "Gate of Exalted Ceremonies," as written in hanja on a plaque on the wooden structure....
       - A historic and the oldest wooden gate located in the heart of Seoul.
    • Heunginjimun - A prominent landmark in central Seoul near the largest shopping center Dongdaemun Market
      Dongdaemun Market

      Dongdaemun Market or Tongdaemun is a market and shopping center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is the largest shopping center in South Korea....
      .
    • Castle Walls of Seoul - A remaining walls of Seoul(Hanseong; Han castle) during Joseon
      Joseon

      Joseon, Choson, or Chosun are English spellings of the Korean word for North Korea, during various periods of its history :*Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom(legend period founded by Chinese Adherents or Displaced persons), from 2333 BC to 108 BC....
       dynasty.
    • Independence Gate
      Independence Gate

      The Independence Gate is a memorial gate located in Seoul, South Korea. The gate was built for desire towards inspiring the spirit of independence....
       - Built for desire towards inspiring the spirit of independence, in 1897.
    • Myeongdong Cathedral
      Myeongdong Cathedral

      The Cathedral Church of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Myeongdong, commonly known as Myeongdong Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church Archbishop of Seoul, South Korea, located in the Myeongdong neighborhood of Jung-gu, Seoul, Seoul....
       - A neighborhood landmark and a symbol of Christianity in Korea and of political dissidents.
    • Wongudan
      Wongudan

      Korean rulers held the sacrificial rite of Heaven, Wonguje, at Wongudan, which is also known as Wongudan Altar. The site was known by various other names, such as Hwangudan , Jecheondan or Wondan ....
       - The Korean equivalent of the Chinese Temple of Heaven.
    • Bank of Korea
      Bank of Korea

      The Bank of Korea is the central bank of South Korea. It was established in 1950 at Seoul.The Bank's primary goal is price stability. For that, the Bank inflation targeting....
       - Established on June 12, 1950 under the Bank of Korea Act. = Bank of Chosen.
    • Seoul Station
      Seoul Station

      Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its Gyeongbu Line and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent KTX, express, and local services to various points in South Korea....
       - Opened in 1900 as "Gyeongseong Station", and resembles Tokyo Station Building.


    Museums

    • National Museum of Korea
      National Museum of Korea

      The National Museum of Korea is the flagship museum of Korean history and art in South Korea and is the cultural organization that represents Korea....
      (???????; ???????)
    • National Folk Museum
      National Folk Museum of Korea

      This National Folk Museum of Korea is a national museum of South Korea. It is situated on the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung in Jongno-gu, Seoul, and uses replicas of historical objects to illustrate the folk history of the Korean people....
      (???????; ???????)
    • War Memorial
      War Memorial (Seoul)

      Opened in 1994, the largely museum-like War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea offers visitors an educational, yet emotional experience of the Military history of Korea in which Korea was involved....
      (?????; ?????)


    Outside the metropolitan area:
    • Namhan sanseong(????; ????)
    • Bukhan sanseong(????; ????)
    • Namsan Park(????; ????)


    Temples and shrines

    • Jongmyo
      Culture of Korea

      Korea, one of the oldest continuous civilizations in the world, has 5,000 years of history. The current political separation of North Korea and South Korea has resulted in divergence in modern Korean cultures; nevertheless, the traditional culture of Korea is historically shared by both states....
      (??; ??)
    • Dongmyo
      Dongmyo

      Dongmyo is a shrine in metropolitan Seoul built in honour of the 3rd century China military commander, Guan Yu.The Joseon government embarked on the construction in 1599 and completed the work in 1601....
       (??; ??)
    • Munmyo
      Munmyo

      Munmyo is Korea's primary Confucian shrine . It is located in central Seoul, South Korea, at 53 Myeongnyun-dong 3-ga, Jongno-gu, on the campus of Sungkyunkwan University....
       (??; ??)
    • Jogyesa
      Jogyesa

      Jogyesa is the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It thus plays a leading role in the current state of Seon Buddhism in South Korea....
       (???; ???)
    • Hwagyesa (???; ???)
    • Bongeunsa
      Bongeunsa

      Bongeunsa is a Buddhism temple in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was first founded in 794 during the reign of Wonseong of Silla by the monk Yeon-hoe, then the highest ranking monk of Silla, and originally named Kyongseoungsa....
       (???; ???)


    Korean Traditional Villages

    • Bukchon Hanok Village
      Bukchon Hanok Village

      Bukchon Hanok Village is a Korean village located between Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace, and Jongmyo in Seoul, South Korea where hanok or Korean traditional houses have been preserved....
      (??????; ??????)
    • Namsangol Hanok Village
      Namsangol Hanok Village

      Namsangol Hanok Village is a Korean village located in the area of Pil-dong neighborhood in Jung-gu, a central district of Seoul, South Korea where hanok or Korean traditional houses have been restored to preserve the old shape of the area....
      (???????; ???????)


    In the Seoul Metropolitan Area
    • Korean Folk Village
      Korean Folk Village

      Korean Folk Village is a living museum type of tourist attraction in the city of Yongin, a satellite city in the Seoul Metropolitan Area in the province of Gyeonggi-do in South Korea....
      (?? ???; ?????)


    Parks

    • Namsan (Seoul)
      Namsan (Seoul)

      Namsan is a 262-meter peak in the Jung-gu, Seoul district of south central Seoul, South Korea. Although known as Mount Mongmyeok, or ???, in the past, it is now commonly referred to as Namsan....
       - It offers some hiking, recreation and views of downtown Seoul's skyline. The N Seoul Tower
      N Seoul Tower

      N Seoul Tower is a Radio masts and towers located in Seoul, South Korea. Built in 1969, and opened to the public in 1980, the tower measures in height and tops out at above sea level....
       is located.
    • Olympic Park, Seoul
      Olympic Park, Seoul

      The Seoul Olympic Park or shortly Olpark is an Olympic Park built to host the 1988 Summer Olympics. Olympic Park is located in Songpa-gu, Bangi-dong....
       - An Olympic Park built to host the 1988 Summer Olympics.
    • Tapgol Park
      Tapgol Park

      Tapgol Park, formerly Pagoda Park, is a small public park located at 97 Jongno-gil, Seoul, South Korea. This park was once a site of Wongaksa temple....
       - A small (19,599 m²) public park and it has the Wongaksa Pagoda
      Wongaksa Pagoda

      Wongaksa Pagoda is a twelve meter high ten-story marble pagoda in South Korea, once on the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung palace but now held at Tapgol Park in a protective glass case....
       10 tier pagoda (National Treasure No.2).
    • Tancheon
      Tancheon

      Tancheon, a tributary of Seoul's Han River , is a stream beginning in the city of Yongin in Gyeonggi-do and flowing through Seongnam and then between the districts of Songpa-gu and Gangnam-gu in Seoul before entering flowing into the Han River ....
       - It is a stream and the near area serves as a large park with paths for both walkers and cyclists.
    • Cheonggyecheon
      Cheonggyecheon

      Cheonggyecheon is a nearly 6km long, modern public recreation space in downtown Seoul, South Korea. The massive urban renewal project is on the site of a stream that flowed before the rapid post-Korean War Miracle on the Han River required it to be covered by transportation infrastructure....
       - is a nearly 6km long in downtown Seoul and a very popular place among Seoul residents and tourists.
    Seoul's metropolitan area
    Metropolitan area

    A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence, or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central city and their zone of influence....
     accommodates six major parks, including Seoul Forest
    Seoul Forest

    Seoul Forest is a large park in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It is open year-round, and admission is free. Seoul Forest opened in June 2005. The city government spent 235.2 billion Korean won in development....
    , which opened in mid-2005. The Seoul National Capital Area
    Seoul National Capital Area

    The Seoul National Capital Area is a region located in the north-west of South Korea. It is generally referred to as Sudogwon in Korean, and contains three different administrative districts; Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do....
     also contains a green belt
    Green belt

    A green belt or greenbelt is a policy or land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural landscape surrounding or neighbouring urban areas....
     aimed to prevent the city from sprawling
    Urban sprawl

    Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is the spreading of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area. Residents of sprawling neighborhoods tend to live in single-family homes and commute by automobile to work....
     out over the neighboring Gyeonggi
    Gyeonggi-do

    Gyeonggi-do is the most populous Administrative divisions of South Korea in South Korea. The provincial capital is located at Suwon. Seoul—South Korea's largest city and national capital— is located in the heart of the province, but has been separately administered as a provincial-level Special cities of Korea since 1946....
     Province
    Administrative divisions of South Korea

    |||}File:520px-Provinces of South Korea Txt.PNGSouth Korea is divided into 8 provinces , 1 special autonomous province , 6 metropolitan cities , and 1 special city ....
    . These areas are frequently sought after by people resting on the weekend and during vacations.

    In addition, Seoul is also home to the world's largest indoor amusement park, Lotte World
    Lotte World

    Lotte World is a recreation complex in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of a large indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement park, an island linked by monorail, shopping malls, a hotel, a Korean folk museum, sports facilities and movie theaters in one area....
    . Other recreation centres include the former Olympic
    Olympic Games

    The Olympic Games are an international multi-sport event established for both summer and winter sports. There have been two generations of the Olympic Games; the first were the Ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia, Greece, Greece....
     and World Cup
    Seoul World Cup Stadium

    The Seoul World Cup Stadium is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea and has been home to K-League club FC Seoul since 2004. The stadium opened in 2001....
     stadiums and the City Hall's public lawn.

    Sports


    International
    Seoul hosted the 1986 Asian Games
    1986 Asian Games

    The 10th Asian Games were held from September 20, 1986 to October 5, 1986 in Seoul, South Korea. The venues and facilities of the 10th Asiad were the same venues and facilities used in the 1988 Summer Olympics because this was considered a test event....
    , 1988 Olympic Games
    1988 Summer Olympics

    The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea....
     and Paralympic Games
    1988 Summer Paralympics

    The 1988 Summer Paralympics were the first Paralympics in 24 years that were held concurrently with the 1988 Summer Olympics. They took place in Seoul, South Korea....
    . It also served as one of the host cities of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Seoul World Cup Stadium
    Seoul World Cup Stadium

    The Seoul World Cup Stadium is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea and has been home to K-League club FC Seoul since 2004. The stadium opened in 2001....
     hosted the opening ceremony and first game of the tournament.

    Taekwondo
    Taekwondo

    Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. It is the world's most popular martial art in terms of the number of practitioners....
     is Korea's national sport and Seoul is the location of the Kukkiwon
    Kukkiwon

    Kukkiwon, also known as the World Taekwondo Headquarters, is an organization in the Gangnam-gu district of Seoul, South Korea. It was established on 1972-11-30....
    , also known as the World Taekwondo Federation
    World Taekwondo Federation

    The World Taekwondo Federation is the International Federation member of the International Olympic Committee for the competition events of the martial art of Taekwondo....
     (WTF), the world headquarters of taekwondo.

    Domestic
    The city is home to three baseball
    Baseball

    Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport of nine players each. The goal of baseball is to score run by hitting a thrown Baseball with a baseball bat and touching a series of four markers called base arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond. Players on one team take turns hitting against...
     teams in the KBO
    Korean Baseball Organization

    The Korea Baseball Organization of South Korea is the country's professional baseball league. KBO was originally founded with six teams in 1982 and currently has eight teams....
    : Doosan Bears
    Doosan Bears

    Doosan Bears are a Korean professional baseball team founded in . The Doosan Bears won the Korean Series in 1982, the inaugural Korean Baseball Organization season....
    , LG Twins
    LG Twins

    The LG Twins are a South Korean baseball team based in Seoul. The team was known as the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Blue Dragons until 1989, when they were taken over by the LG Group....
     and Woori Heroes. Seoul is also home to two basketball
    Basketball

    Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a basketball through a 10 feet  high hoop under organized rules....
     teams in the KBL
    Korean Basketball League

    The Korean Basketball League or KBL is the professional basketball league of South Korea. Its inaugural season was in 1997. The season starts in October and ends in April the following year....
    : Seoul Samsung Thunders
    Seoul Samsung Thunders

    Seoul Samsung Thunders have been in the Korean Basketball League since its inception 10 years ago. The Seoul Samsung Thunders received their name from Samsung Electronics....
     and Seoul SK Knights
    Seoul SK Knights

    The Seoul SK Knights is a professional basketball club in the Korean Basketball League.Trophies*KBL Finals : 1** 1999/2000...
    .

    There is one professional football club in Seoul, FC Seoul
    FC Seoul

    FC Seoul is a football club based in Seoul, South Korea. It is currently owned by GS Sports, a subsidiary of GS Group. The club is usually considered a powerhouse in the K-League, with the notorious financial backing of the GS Group....
    , which plays in the K-League
    K-League

    The Korea Professional Football League is South Korea's top-flight professional club football league, with 15 member clubs....
    . Two K3 League
    K3 League

    The K3 League is an amateur football competition in South Korea. Created in 2007, it is the third tier of football in the Korean football league structure....
     teams are based in the capital, Seoul United
    Seoul United FC

    Seoul United are a South Korea citizen football club based in the city of Seoul. It is currently a member of the K3 League, an amateur league and the third tier of league football in South Korea....
     and Eungpyeong Chung-goo FC
    Eunpyeong Chung-goo Sungshim Hospital FC

    At first, they participated in K3 League by Eunpyeong Chung-goo Sungshim Hospital FCSeoul Pabal FC is a South Korean soccer club based in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul....
    .

    Transportation

    Seoul's transportation dates back to the era of the Korean Empire
    Korean Empire

    The Greater Korean Empire was a former empire of Korea that succeded the Joseon Dynasty that ruled the nation over the past 500 years.In 1897, Emperor Gojong of Korea proclaimed the new entity at Deoksugung Palace and oversaw the partially successful modernization of the military, economy, real property laws, education system, and various...
    , when the first streetcar lines were laid and a railroad linking Seoul and Incheon was completed.

    Seoul hosts more than three million registered vehicles and widespread traffic congestion is common.

    Bus

    Seoul Bus B144
    Seoul's bus system is operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, with four primary bus configurations available servicing most of the city. Seoul has many big intercity/express bus terminals. These buses are connecting Seoul and cities all around Korea. Major bus terminals are
    • Seoul Express Bus Terminal in Seocho-gu
      Seocho-gu

      Seocho-gu is a Administrative divisions of South Korea of Seoul, South Korea. It is a ritzy, upper-class ward located in the southeast of the city....
    • Central City in Seocho-gu
    • Seoul Nambu Terminal, also in Seocho-gu
    • Dongseoul Bus Terminal in Gwangjin-gu
      Gwangjin-gu

      Gwangjin-gu is one of the wards of Seoul of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River . It was created from neighboring Seongdong-gu in 1995....
    • Sangbong Terminal in Jungnang-gu
      Jungnang-gu

      Jungnang-gu is one of the 25 Seoul#Administrative divisions, or districts, of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River ....
    To reduce air pollution in the city, the government is planning to change over seven thousand of Seoul's diesel engine buses with natural gas by 2010.

    Subway

    Seoul has a comprehensive subway network that interlinks every district of the city with one another and the surrounding area. With more than 8 million passengers a day, Seoul has one of the busiest subway systems in the world
    Metro systems by annual passenger rides

    The most-used Rapid transit in terms of passenger rides per year:# Tokyo Subway 2.916 billion # Moscow Metro 2.529 billion # Mumbai Suburban Railway 2.299 billion ...
    . The Seoul Metropolitan Subway has 12 lines which serves Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi province and northern Chungnam province. In addition, in order to cope with all of these transportation modes, Seoul's metropolitan government employs several mathematicians to coordinate the subway, bus, and traffic schedules into one timetable. The various lines are run by Korail
    Korail

    Korea Railroad Corporation, promoted as Korail, is the national railroad operator in South Korea.Korail operates passenger and freight trains throughout South Korea....
    , Seoul Metro
    Seoul Metro

    Seoul Metro is a public corporation which runs the Seoul Seoul Metropolitan Subway Lines 1 to 4.During 1970-2006, it was called Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corporation....
     and Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation
    Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation

    Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation was established in 1994 to operate the Seoul Metropolitan Subway lines Seoul Subway Line 5, Seoul Subway Line 6, Seoul Subway Line 7, Seoul Subway Line 8 in Seoul, South Korea....
    .

    Train

    .]] Seoul is connected to every major city in Korea by railroad. Seoul is also linked to most major Korean cities by the KTX
    Korea Train Express

    The Korea Train eXpress is South Korea's high-speed rail system, which connects the capital Seoul to Busan and Mokpo. Operated by Korail, the train's technology is largely based on the French TGV system, and has a top speed of 350 km/h, limited to 300 km/h during regular service for safety....
     high-speed train, which has a normal operation speed of more than 300 km/h. Major railroad stations include:

    • Seoul Station
      Seoul Station

      Seoul Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is served by the Gyeongbu Line, its Gyeongbu Line and the Gyeongui Line, with frequent KTX, express, and local services to various points in South Korea....
      , Jung-gu
      Jung-gu, Seoul

      Jung-gu is one of the 25 Administrative Divisions of South Korea which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the north side of the Han River , and is the historical center of the city ....
       - Gyeongbu line (KTX/Saemaul/Mugunghwa-ho
      Mugunghwa-ho

      The Mugunghwa-ho or Mugunghwa is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. Mugunghwa trains are the cheapest class of trains to operate cross-country....
      ), Gyeongui line (Saemaul/Commuter)
    • Yongsan Station
      Yongsan Station

      Yongsan Station is a major railway station in Seoul, South Korea. It is located in Yongsan-gu, and adjoins the Yongsan Electronics Market. The station is the terminus for high-speed and long-distance trains on a number of railway lines, including most trains on the Honam Line, its Honam Line , and all trains on the Janghang Line and Jeolla Li...
      , Yongsan-gu
      Yongsan-gu

      Yongsan-gu is a district of Seoul, South Korea. Its name means "Dragon Hill", derived from the hanja characters for dragon and hill/mountain . It sits to the North of the Han River under the shadow of Seoul Tower....
       - Honam line (KTX/Saemaul/Mugunghwa), Jeolla/Janghang lines (Saemaul/Mugunghwa)
    • Yeongdeungpo Station
      Yeongdeungpo Station

      Yeongdeungpo Station is a ground-level railway station in Seoul, South Korea. The station is located in Yeongdeungpo Dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, and is a stop on the Gyeongbu Line, Honam Line and Seoul Subway Line 1....
      , Yeongdeungpo-gu
      Yeongdeungpo-gu

      Yeongdeungpo-gu is an administrative district in southwest Seoul, Korea. Although the origin of the name is uncertain, the first two syllables are thought to be from "yeongdeung" or "divine ascent", a Korean shamanism rite....
       - Gyeongbu/Honam/Janghang lines (Saemaul/Mugunghwa)
    • Cheongnyangni Station, Dongdaemun-gu
      Dongdaemun-gu

      Dongdaemun-gu is one of the Seoul#Administrative divisions of Seoul, South Korea. It is located to the north of the Han River . Its district office is in Yongdu-dong where is close to the underground station of branch of Line 2....
       - Gyeongchun/Jungang/Yeongdong/Taebaek lines (Mugunghwa)


    Airports

    .]] .]]

    There are two international airport
    Airport

    An airport is a location where aircraft such as Fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and Non-rigid airship take off and land. Aircraft may also be stored or maintained at an airport....
    s that serve Seoul. Gimpo International Airport
    Gimpo International Airport

    Gimpo International Airport , commonly known as Gimpo Airport , is located in the far western end of Seoul and was the main international airport for Seoul and South Korea before it was replaced by Incheon International Airport in 2001....
    , formerly in Gimpo
    Gimpo City

    Gimpo is a Administrative divisions of South Korea in Gyeonggi-do Province, South Korea. It borders on Incheon, with which it shares the South Korean side of the Han River estuary, as well as Seoul and the lesser cities of Paju and Goyang....
     but annexed to Seoul in 1963, was the only international airport for Seoul since its original construction during the Korean War
    Korean War

    The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korea and South Korea regimes, with major hostilities lasting from June 25, 1950 until the armistice signed on July 27, 1953....
    . Other domestic airports were built around the time of the war, including at Yeouido
    Yeouido

    Yeouido is a large island next to the Han River in Seoul, South Korea. It is Seoul's main business and investment banking district. Its 8.4 square kilometers are home to some 30,988 people....
    .

    Upon opening in March 2001, Incheon International Airport
    Incheon International Airport

    Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea, and one of the largest and busiest in Asia. Since 2006, it has been consecutively rated as one of the best airports in the world and received the full 5-star ranking by Skytrax, the prestigious recognition shared only by Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore...
     on Yeongjong island in Incheon
    Incheon

    Incheon is a Special cities of Korea and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul.Human settlement at the location goes back to the Neolithic....
     changed the role of Gimpo Airport significantly. Incheon is now responsible for almost all international flights and some domestic flights, while Gimpo serves only domestic flights with the exception of flights to Tokyo International Airport
    Tokyo International Airport

    , located in Ota, Tokyo, Japan, is one of the two primary airports serving the Greater Tokyo Area. It is commonly known as .Although Haneda was originally the primary airport for the Tokyo region, it now shares that role with Narita International Airport....
     (Haneda) in Tokyo
    Tokyo

    , officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people....
     and Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai
    Shanghai

    Shanghai is the List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population in China and one of the List of metropolitan areas by population in the world, with over 20 million people....
    . This has led to a significant drop in flights from Gimpo Airport.

    Meanwhile, Incheon International Airport has become, along with Hong Kong
    Hong Kong International Airport

    Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , because it was built on the Islands and peninsulas of Hong Kong#Islands of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from the old Hong Kong Airport ....
     and Singapore
    Singapore Changi Airport

    Singapore Changi Airport or simply Changi Airport, is a major aviation hub in Asia, particularly in the Southeast Asian region, and is the main airport in Singapore....
    , a major transportation center for East Asia
    East Asia

    East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either Geography or cultural terms. Geography and geopolitically, it covers about 12,000,000 km?, or about 28 percent of the Asian continent, about 15 percent bigger than the area of Europe, though some categorize Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia as Central Asia....
    . The 2005 AETRA passenger survey, jointly administered by the IATA
    International Air Transport Association

    The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered....
     and Airports Council International
    Airports Council International

    Airports Council International , based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a non profit organisation, whose prime purpose is to advance the interests of airports and to promote professional excellence in airport management and operations....
    , voted it the best airport in the world. It was named by Skytrax
    Skytrax

    Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services. It conducts research for Airline. It carries out international-traveller Statistical surveys to find the best cabin staff, airport, airline, airline lounge, in-flight entertainment, on-board catering, and several other elements of air travel....
     as the world's 5th best airport for 2006.

    Incheon and Gimpo are linked to Seoul by highways, and Gimpo is also linked by subway (line #5). The Incheon International Airport Railroad
    Incheon International Airport Railroad

    AREX is a South Korean railway line that links Incheon International Airport and Gimpo Airport, with a future section extending to Seoul Station....
    , a rail line connecting Incheon Airport to Gimpo Airport opened in March 2007, but the line to Seoul Station in central Seoul will take at least a year more to open. Shuttle buses transfer passengers between Incheon and Gimpo airports.

    Cityscape


    Sister cities

    Seoul has many sister cities. The year each relationship was formed is shown in parentheses below.
    • Taipei
      Taipei

      Taipei has been the de facto capital of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, since the Chinese Civil War in 1949, and the capital of Taiwan since Japanese rule that began in 1895....
      , Republic of China
      Republic of China

      The Republic of China , also known as Nationalist China is a country in East Asia that has evolved from a single-party state with full global recognition into a multi-party democratic state with Political status of Taiwan....
        (1968)
    • Ankara
      Ankara

      Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and the country's List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of cities in Turkey after Istanbul....
      , Turkey
      Turkey

      Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in southwest Asia and Thrace in the Balkans region of Southern Europe....
       (1971)
    • Guam
      Guam

      Guam , officially the Territory of Guam, is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized, unincorporated insular area of the United States....
      , U.S.
      United States

      The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
       territory (1973)
    • Honolulu, United States
      United States

      The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
       (1973)
    • San Francisco, United States
      United States

      The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
       (1976)
    • São Paulo
      São Paulo

      S?o Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, and along with Tokyo, Seoul and Mexico City is among the four largest metropolitan regions of the world....
      , Brazil
      Brazil

      Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the List of countries by population country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world....
       (1977)
    • Tehran
      Tehran

      Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia....
      , Iran
      Iran

      Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
      (1977)
    • Bogota
      Bogotá

      Bogot? ? officially named Bogot?, D.C. , formerly called Santa Fe de Bogot? ? is the capital city of Colombia, as well as the most populous city in the country, with 6,776,009 inhabitants ....
      , Colombia
      Colombia

      Colombia , officially the Republic of Colombia , is a country in north-western South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the north west by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean....
       (1982)
    • Jakarta
      Jakarta

      Jakarta is the Capital and largest city of Indonesia. It also has a List of urban areas by population than any other city in Southeast Asia. It was formerly known as Sunda Kelapa , Jayakarta , Batavia, Dutch East Indies , and Djakarta ....
      , Indonesia
      Indonesia

      The Republic of Indonesia , is a transcontinental country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Comprising Islands of Indonesia, it is the world's largest Archipelago state....
       (1984)
    • Tokyo
      Tokyo

      , officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the Tokyo City in the eastern part of the prefecture, and total over 8 million people....
      , Japan
      Japan

      Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
       (1988)
    • Moscow
      Moscow

      Moscow is the capital and the largest types of inhabited localities in Russia of the Russian Federation. It is also the largest European cities and metropolitan areas, with the Moscow metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world....
      , Russia
      Russia

      Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
       (1991)
    • New South Wales
      New South Wales

      New South Wales is Australia's oldest and most populous States and territories of Australia, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria and south of Queensland....
      , Australia
      Australia

      Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
      n state (1991)
    • Paris
      Paris

      Paris is the Capital of France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the ?le-de-France Regions of France ....
      , France
      France

      France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
       (1991)
    • Beijing
      Beijing

      is a metropolis in northern China and the Capital of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the four municipality of China, which are equivalent to province in China's Political divisions of China....
      , People's Republic of China
      People's Republic of China

      The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
       (1992)
  • Caracas
    Caracas

    Caracas is the Capital and largest city of Venezuela. It is located in the north of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Coastal Range, Venezuela....
    , Venezuela
    Venezuela

    Venezuela , officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a country on the northern coast of South America.The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the Caribbean Sea....
     (1992)
  • Mexico City
    Mexico City

    Mexico City is the capital city of Mexico. It is the most important economic, industrial, and cultural center in the country; the most populous city with over 8,836,045 inhabitants in 2008....
    , Mexico
    Mexico

    The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
     (1993)
  • Ulaanbaatar
    Ulaanbaatar

    Ulan Bator, or Ulaanbaatar , is the Capital and largest city of Mongolia. The city is an independent municipality not part of any aimags of Mongolia, and its population as of 2008 is just over 1 million....
    , Mongolia
    Mongolia

    Mongolia is a landlocked country in East Asia and Central Asia. It borders Russia to the north and People's Republic of China to the south, east and west....
     (1995)
  • Hanoi
    Hanoi

    Hanoi , estimated population 3,398,889 , is the Capital of Vietnam. From 1010 until 1802, with a few brief interruptions, it was the political centre of an independent Vietnam....
    , Vietnam
    Vietnam

    Vietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by People's Republic of China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east....
     (1996)
  • Warsaw
    Warsaw

    Warsaw is the Capital and World's largest cities of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River roughly from both the Baltic Sea coast and the Carpathian Mountains....
    , Poland
    Poland

    Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian Enclave and exclave, to the north....
     (1996)
  • Cairo
    Cairo

    Cairo , which means "the triumphant", is the Cairo and largest city of Egypt.It is the most populous metropolitan area in Egypt and is also one of the most populous in the world....
    , Egypt
    Egypt

    Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
     (1997)
  • Ottawa
    Ottawa

    Ottawa is the Capital of Canada. The city has population of 812,000, the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population municipality in the country and second largest in Ontario....
    , Canada
    Canada

    Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
     (1997)
  • Rome
    Rome

    Rome is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city, with 2,724,347 residents in an urban area of some ....
    , Italy
    Italy

    Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
     (2000)
  • Astana
    Astana

    Astana , is the capital and second largest city of Kazakhstan, with an officially estimated population of 600,200. It is located in the north-central portion of Kazakhstan, within Akmola Province, though politically separate from the rest of the province....
    , Kazakhstan
    Kazakhstan

    Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a large Eurasian country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the List of countries by area as well as the world's largest landlocked country, it has a territory of 2,727,300 km? ....
     (2004)
  • Athens
    Athens

    Athens , the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the List of cities by time of continuous habitation, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
    , Greece
    Greece

    Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkans. It has borders with Albania, Bulgaria and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the north, and Turkey to the east....
     (2006)
  • Bangkok
    Bangkok

    The city of Bangkok is the Capital , largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai language as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or Krung Thep for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom and came to the forefront of Thailand when it was given the status as the...
    , Thailand
    Thailand

    The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
     (2006)
  • Washington, D.C.
    Washington, D.C.

    Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the Capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790....
    , United States
    United States

    The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
     (2006)
  • Vancouver
    Vancouver

    Vancouver is a coastal city and major seaport located in the Lower Mainland of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It is the largest city in British Columbia and the second largest metropolitan area in the Pacific Northwest region....
    , Canada
    Canada

    Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
     (2007)


    • See also

    • Geography of South Korea
      Geography of South Korea

      South Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out from the far east of the Asian land mass.The only country with a land border to South Korea is North Korea, lying to the north with 238 km of border running along the Korean Demilitarized Zone....
    • Mayor of Seoul
    • List of Korea-related topics
      List of Korea-related topics

      This is a list of articles on Korea-related people, places, things, and concepts. For help on how to use this list, see the #Introduction below....
    • List of cities in South Korea
    • Seoul gallery at Wikimedia Commons


    External links


    Official sites



    Tourism and living information

    • - The Official Korea Tourism Guide Site


    Maps
    • (from Seoul Metropolitan Government web site)