Seoul

This article is about the capital city of South Korea. For other uses, see Seoul (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Soul.

Seoul
서울
Special metropolitan city
Seoul Special Metropolitan City
서울특별시
  transcription(s)
 • Hangul서울특별시
 • Hanja[a]서울特別市
 • Revised RomanisationSeoul-Teukbyeolsi
 • McCune–ReischauerSŏul-T'ŭkpyŏlsi
Skyline of Seoul at night
Deoksugung
Korean National Assembly
Lotte World and Lotte World Tower
Gwanghwamun
Seongsan Bridge over the Han River
Flag of Seoul
Flag
Official seal of Seoul
Seal
Coat of arms of Seoul
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
"Seoul, my soul"[1]
Anthem: none[2]
Map
Map
Coordinates: 37°33′36″N 126°59′24″E / 37.56000°N 126.99000°E / 37.56000; 126.99000
CountrySouth Korea
AreaSeoul Capital
Founded byTaejo of Joseon
Districts25 districts
Government
 • TypeMayor–council
 • BodySeoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Council
 • MayorOh Se-hoon (People Power)
 • National Assembly49
Area
[3]
605.21 km2 (233.67 sq mi)
 • Metro
12,685 km2 (4,898 sq mi)
Elevation
38 m (125 ft)
Highest elevation
(Bukhansan)
836.5 m (2,744.4 ft)
Lowest elevation
(Yellow Sea)
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2Q 2023)[5]
9,659,322
 • Rank1st
 • Density16,000/km2 (41,000/sq mi)
 • Metro
26,037,000[4]
 • Metro density2,053/km2 (5,320/sq mi)
 • Demonym
Seoulite
 • Dialect
Gyeonggi
GDP
[6]
 • Special metropolitan cityKR₩ 486 trillion
(US$ 389 billion)
 • MetroKR₩ 1,137 trillion
(US$ 910 billion)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Korean Standard Time)
ISO 3166 codeKR-11
BirdKorean magpie
ColorSeoul Red[7]
FlowerForsythia
FontSeoul fonts (Seoul Hangang and Seoul Namsan)[8]
MascotHaechi
TreeGinkgo
Websiteseoul.go.kr

Seoul,[b] officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City,[c] is the capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Capital Area, encompassing Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, trailing behind Paris, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and New York, and hosts more than half of South Korea's population. Although Seoul's population peaked at slightly over 10 million, it has gradually decreased since 2014, standing at approximately 9.97 million residents as of 2020. Seoul is the seat of the South Korean government.

Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it was founded by the people of Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During the Joseon dynasty, Seoul was officially designated as the capital, surrounded by the Fortress Wall of Seoul. In the early 20th century, Seoul was occupied by the Japanese Empire, temporarily renamed "Keijō" ("Gyeongseong" in Korean). The Korean War brought fierce battles, with Seoul changing hands four times and leaving the city mostly in ruins. Nevertheless, the city has since undergone significant reconstruction and rapid urbanization.

Seoul was rated Asia's most livable city, with the second-highest quality of life globally according to Arcadis in 2015 and a GDP per capita (PPP) of approximately $40,000. 15 Fortune Global 500 companies, including industry giants such as Samsung,[9] LG, and Hyundai, are headquartered in the Seoul Capital Area, which has major technology hubs, such as Gangnam and Digital Media City.[10] Seoul is ranked seventh in the Global Power City Index and the Global Financial Centres Index, and is one of the five leading hosts of global conferences.[11] The city has also hosted major events such as the 1986 Asian Games, the 1988 Summer Olympics, and the 2010 G20 Seoul summit, in addition to three matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Seoul is geographically set in a mountainous and hilly terrain, with Bukhansan positioned on its northern edge. Within the Seoul Capital Area lie five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeokgung, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo, Namhansanseong, and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon dynasty.[12] Furthermore, Seoul has witnessed a surge in modern architectural development, with iconic landmarks including the N Seoul Tower, the 63 Building, the Lotte World Tower, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Lotte World, the Trade Tower, COEX, IFC Seoul, and Parc1. Seoul was named the World Design Capital in 2010 and has served as the national hub for the music, entertainment, and cultural industries that have propelled K-pop and the Korean Wave to international prominence.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ ""Seoul, my soul" selected as the city's new slogan". Seoul Metropolitan Government. 5 April 2023. Archived from the original on 7 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  2. ^ 서울시 사이트에 서울 시가인 서울의 찬가가 없습니다.. Seoul Metropolitan Government. Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference seoul1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Seoul Capital Area
  5. ^ "City Overview (Population)". Seoul Metropolitan Government. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  6. ^ 2022년 지역소득(잠정). www.kostat.go.kr.
  7. ^ "Color". Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 8 April 2012.
  8. ^ "Seoul's symbols". Seoul Metropolitan Government. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Samsung Electronics". Fortune. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  10. ^ "Tech capitals of the world". The Age. Melbourne. 15 June 2009. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  11. ^ Union of International Associations (UIA) International Meetings Statistics for the Year 2011 Archived 3 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Joel Fischer.
  12. ^ "Lists: Republic of Korea". UNESCO. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2019.