Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it was founded by the people ofBaekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During theJoseon dynasty, Seoul was officially designated as the capital, surrounded by the Fortress Wall of Seoul. In the early 20th century, Seoul was occupied by theJapanese Empire, temporarily renamed "Keijō" ("Gyeongseong" in Korean). TheKorean 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.
Traditionally,seoul (서울) has been a native Korean (as opposed toSino-Korean)common noun simply meaning 'capital city.' The wordseoul is believed to have descended fromSeorabeol (서라벌; historically transliterated into the Hanja form徐羅伐), which originally referred toGyeongju, the capital ofSilla.[13][14]
Wiryeseong (위례성;慰禮城), the capital settlement ofBaekje, was located within the boundaries of modern-day Seoul. Seoul was also known by other various historical names, such as Bukhansan-gun (북한산군; 北漢山郡, during theGoguryeo era), Namcheon (남천;南川,[15] during the Silla era),Hanyang (한양;漢陽, during theNorthern and Southern States period), Namgyeong (남경; 南京, during theGoryeo era), and Hanseong (한성;漢城, during theJoseon era). The wordseoul was used colloquially to refer to the capital as early as the 17th century.[16] Thus, the Joseon capital ofHanseong was widely referred to as theseoul.[17] Due to its common usage, French missionaries called the Joseon capitalSéoul (/se.ul/) in their writings, hence the common romanizationSeoul in various languages today.
Unlike most place names in Korea, as it is not a Sino-Korean word, 'Seoul' has no inherently corresponding Hanja (Chinese characters used in the Korean language). Instead ofphonetically transcribing 'Seoul' to Chinese, in theChinese-speaking world, Seoul was calledHànchéng (汉城;漢城), which is the Chinese pronunciation ofHanseong. On 18 January 2005, theSeoul Metropolitan Government changed Seoul's official Chinese name from the historicHànchéng toShǒu'ěr (首尔;首爾).Shǒu'ěr is aphono-semantic match incorporating both sound and meaning (through 首 meaning 'head', 'chief', 'first').[20][21]
There is evidence of human habitation in the area now corresponding to Seoul from 30,000 to 40,000 years before the present.[22] Around 4,000 B.C., people of the area lived in huts with lowered floors calledumjip. There is evidence of the consumption of cooked grain and fish by 3,000 B.C. Around 1,500 B.C., communities began transitioning into theBronze Age and farming at scale.[23]
Reconstructedumjip houses at Amsa-dong Neolithic Site
Due to modern Seoul's significant urbanization,Amsa-dong Neolithic Site [ko] is the only known major archaeological site in Seoul whereStone Age materials have been found,[24] although such materials have also been found in minor sites throughout the city (and all around the surroundingHan River basin),[25] often throughrescue archaeology.[26]
Around the collapse ofWiman Joseon (194–108 B.C.) in the northern part of Korea, numerous refugees went south to the Han River basin, which was then controlled byJin (4th–2nd century B.C.). These diverse peoples brought with them culture and technology of theChinese Warring States that accelerated the region's progress into theIron Age. Their arrival destabilized the region; Jin disintegrated, and dozens ofstatelets emerged that competed for influence in the Han River basin.[27]
Baekje (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.), once one of the statelets in theMahan confederacy, became the dominant local power by the 2nd century A.D.[28] Its capital was inWiryeseong; Wiryeseong's specific location is not known with certainty, but it is believed to have been within the bounds of the rampartsPungnaptoseong andMongchontoseong.[29] This area is now in southeastern Seoul.[30][31]
Silla period
In July or August 553,Silla took the control of the region from Baekje, and the city became a part of newly established Sin Province (신주;新州).[32][33] Sin (新) has both meaning of "New" and "Silla", thus literally means New Silla Province.
In 568, Jinheung Taewang made another royal visit to the northern border, visited Hanseong, and stayed in Namcheon on his way back to the capital. During his stay, he set Jinheung Taewang Stele, abolished Bukhansan Province, and established Namcheon Province (남천주;南川州;lit. South River Province), appointing the city as the provincial capital.[15][41] Based on the naming system, the actual name of Han River during this time was likely Namcheon (Nam River) itself or should have the word ending with "cheon" (천;川) not "gang" (강;江) nor "su" (수;水). In addition, "Bukhansan" Jinheung Stele clearly states that Silla had possession of Hanseong (modern dayPyongyang), thus Bukhansan has to be located north of Hanseong. Modern day Pyongyang was not Pyongyang,Taedong River was likely Han River, and Bukhansan was not Bukhansan during the three kingdoms period.[15][42] Moreover, Pyongyang was a common noun meaning capital used by Goguryeo and Goryeo dynasties, similar to Seoul.[43]
In 603, Goguryeo attackedBukhansanseong, which Silla ended up winning.[44][45] In 604, Silla abolished Namcheon Province, and reestablished Bukhansan Province in order to strengthen the northern border. The city lost its provincial capital position and was put under Bukhansan Province once again.[46] This further proves that Bukhansan was located in the North of modern-day Pyongyang as changing the provincial name and objective would not be required if Bukhansan was located within Seoul.
In the 11th centuryGoryeo, which succeededUnified Silla, built a summer palace in Seoul, which was referred to as the "Southern Capital". It was only from this period that Seoul became a larger settlement.[47]
Seoul became theplanned capital of Korea byYi Seong-gye, the founding father of theJoseon dynasty. After enthroning himself asKing at the capital of oldGoryeo in 1392, Yi Seong-gye changed the name of his Kingdom from Goryeo to Joseon in 1393 and began his search for a place for a new capital. After several governmental debates, Yi Seong-gye chose Hanyang (Sindo) instead of Muak in September 1394. As Joseon's new capital, Hanyang was planned as a geographic embodiment ofKorean Confucianism. Construction of the city began in October 1394. During its early construction stages, some major palaces, includingGyeongbokgung, were finished in 1395. TheFortress Wall surrounding Hanyang was partially finished around 1396.[48]: 96–111
In the late 19th century, after hundreds of years of isolation, Seoul opened its gates to foreigners and began modernization. Seoul became the first city inEast Asia to introduce electricity in the palace, which was established by theEdison Illuminating Company.[50] A decade later the city also implemented electrical street lights.[51]
After theannexation treaty in 1910,Japan annexed Korea and renamed the cityGyeongseong ("Kyongsong" in Korean and "Keijō" in Japanese). The city saw significant transformation under Japanese colonial rule. Imperial Japan removed the city walls, paved roads, and built Western-style buildings.
Seoul was deprived of its special status as the capital city and downsized under imperial Japan, compared to the traditional notion among people of theJoseon dynasty that Seoul included the area of approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) radius surrounding theFortress Wall (i.e.,Seongjeosimni;성저십리;城底十里). On October 1, 1910, Imperial Japan demoted Seoul as no different than any other city within theGyeonggi Province. After Imperial Japan's redistricting, Seoul only included the area inside theFortress Wall and present-dayYongsan District. In the 1930s, as part of Imperial Japan's war efforts leading up to theSecond Sino-Japanese War,Yeongdeungpo District was annexed into Seoul on April 1, 1936, to function as an industrial complex for steel and othermetalworking factories.
The city was liberated by U.S. forces at the end ofWorld War II.
In 1945, following the liberation from Japanese colonial rule, the American military assumed control of Korea, including its capital city, then referred to as Kyeongseongbu in line with Japanese nomenclature. TheU.S. military government published the Charter of the City of Seoul in the official gazette on October 10 of the following year. The charter declared Seoul as the name of the city and established it as amunicipal corporation. Seoul's status as a municipal corporation mirrored theindependent cities in the United States that do not belong to any county, and Seoul was established as an independent administrative unit, separate from the existing provinces.[53] The Korean version of the Charter translated "municipal corporation" as "special free city" (특별자유시;特別自由市),[e] which later becamespecial metropolitan city (or special metropolitan city;특별시;特別市) in theLocal Autonomy Act of 1949 [ko].[54] Seoul has retained its status as the only special metropolitan city in South Korea.[55][unreliable source?]
— U.S. Army Military Government in Korea, Charter of the City of Seoul[53]
Seoul under the U.S. military government between 1945 and 1948 was much smaller than it is today. It only covered theFortress Wall, marked by theEight Gates, and the districts incorporated during Japanese rule to prosecute imperial Japan's war efforts.[f]
During theKorean War, Seoul changed hands between the Soviet- and Chinese-backed North Korean forces and the American-backed South Korean forces four times: falling to the North Koreans in the June 1950First Battle of Seoul, recaptured by UN forces in the September 1950Second Battle of Seoul, falling to a combined Chinese-North Korean force in the January 1951Third Battle of Seoul, and finally being recaptured once more by UN forces inOperation Ripper during the spring of 1951.[56][57] The extensive fighting left the city heavily damaged after the war. The capital was temporarily relocated toBusan.[47] One estimate of the extensive damage states that after the war, at least 191,000 buildings, 55,000 houses, and 1,000 factories lay in ruins. In addition, a flood of refugees had entered Seoul during the war, swelling the population of the city and its metropolitan area to an estimated 1.5 million by 1955.[58]
Following the war, Seoul began to focus on reconstruction and modernization. AsSouth Korea's economy started to grow rapidly from the 1960s,urbanization also accelerated and workers began to move to Seoul and other larger cities.[58] In 1963, Seoul went through two major expansions that established the shape and size of the present-day Seoul—barring minor adjustments to the borders later in 1973 and 2000. In August 1963, Seoul annexed parts ofYangju-gun,Gwangju-gun,Siheung-gun,Gimpo-gun, andBucheon-gun, expanding the northeastern borders of Seoul. In September, Seoul again annexed present-dayGangnam.[59][60] The two consecutive expansions more than doubled the size of Seoul from approximately 268 km2 (103 sq mi) to 613 km2 (237 sq mi).[61]
After annexation,Gangnam's development was spurred by key infrastructure projects: the construction of theHannam Bridge (1966–1969) andGyeongbu Expressway (1968–1970). As Seoul's population kept growing,Park's regime focused its development plans on Gangnam. The main hurdle for Gangnam's development was floods because the area is low-lying and prone to flooding. Then Seoul mayor Kim Hyun-ok ordered construction of an expressway that doubled asembankment, which became the present-dayGangbyeon Expressway. The construction started in March 1967 and completed in September of the same year. Similar projects transformed previously flood-prone areas into usable land for development. Such areas include the currentIchon-dong, theBanpo apartment complex,Apgujeong-dong andJamsil-dong.
South Korea's 2019 population was estimated at 51.71 million, and according to the 2018 Population and Housing Census, 49.8% of the population resided in the Seoul metropolitan area. This was up by 0.7% from 49.1% in 2010, showing a distinct trend toward the concentration of the population in the capital.[63] Seoul has become the economic, political and cultural hub of the country,[47] with severalFortune Global 500 companies, includingSamsung,SK Holdings,Hyundai,POSCO andLG Group headquartered there.[64]
Geography
Satellite picture of Seoul
Seoul is in the northwest of South Korea. Seoul proper comprises 605.25 km2 (233.69 sq mi),[3] with a radius of approximately 15 km (9 mi), roughly bisected into northern and southern halves by theHan River. The river is no longer actively used for navigation, because itsestuary is located at the borders of the two Koreas, with civilian entry barred. There are four main mountains in central Seoul:Bugaksan,Inwangsan,Naksan andNamsan. TheSeoul Fortress Wall, which historically bounded the city, goes over these mountains. The city is bordered by eight mountains, as well as the more level lands of the Han River plain and western areas.
Seoul has a large quantity of parks. One of the most famous parks isNamsan Park, which offers recreational hiking and views of thedowntown Seoul skyline, especially via itsN Seoul Tower.Seoul Olympic Park, located inSongpa District and built to host the 1988 Summer Olympics, is the largest park. The areas near the streamTancheon are popular for exercise.Cheonggyecheon also has spaces for recreation. In 2017 theSeoullo 7017 Skypark opened, spanning diagonally overtop Seoul Station.
There are also many parks along theHan River, such as Ichon Hangang Park, Yeouido Hangang Park, Mangwon Hangang Park, Nanji Hangang Park, Banpo Hangang Park, Ttukseom Hangang Park and Jamsil Hangang Park. The Seoul National Capital Area also contains agreen belt aimed at preventing the city fromsprawling out into neighboring Gyeonggi Province. These areas are frequently sought after by people looking to escape from urban life on weekends and during vacations.
The Seoul metropolitan area,CopernicusSentinel-2 Satellite image taken on 3 December 2023. Air quality in Seoul's metropolitan area can be monitored in detail by the satellite.
Since the early 1960s, theMinistry of Environment has implemented a range of policies and air pollutant standards to improve and manage air quality for its people.[72] The "Special Act on the Improvement of Air Quality in the Seoul Metropolitan Area" was passed in December 2003. Its 1st Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement Plan (2005–2014) focused on improving the concentrations ofPM10 andnitrogen dioxide by reducing emissions.[73] As a result, the annual average PM10 concentrations decreased from 70.0 μg/m3 in 2001 to 44.4 μg/m3 in 2011[74] and 46 μg/m3 in 2014.[69] As of 2014, the annual average PM10 concentration was still at least twice than that recommended by the WHO Air Quality Guidelines.[70] The 2nd Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement Plan (2015–2024) added PM2.5 andozone to its list of managed pollutants.[75]
Investment in air quality improvement between 2007 and 2020 in the order of US$9 billion on the part of three key local authorities, namely Gyeonggi, Incheon and Seoul, delivered a clear legal framework of responsibility, publicly checkable results and a major focus on reduction of transport pollutants.[76] In July 2020, South Korea, then the 11th largest world economy, announced a US$35 billion position on ending investment in coal.[77] In November 2020, South Korea committed to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.[78] Between 2005 and 2021 annual concentration levels of small particulate matter (PM10) fell by 30-40 % in Seoul, whilst concentrations of larger particulate matter (PM 2.5) in the same period fell by 19% across the country and more in Seoul and Gyeonggi.[79]
Asian dust, emissions from Seoul and in general from the rest of South Korea, as well as emissions from China, all contribute to Seoul's air quality.[66][80] Besides air quality, greenhouse gas emissions represent hot issues in South Korea since the country is among top-10 strongest emitters in the world. Seoul is the strongest hotspot of greenhouse gas emissions in the country and according to satellite data, the persistent carbon dioxide anomaly over the city is one of the strongest in the world.[81] Air quality is monitored by geo-stationary satellite measurements centred on Korea and its immediate neighbours.[82]
Air pollution inside the Metro system
In January 2024Seoul Metro, whose passengers at the time numbered approximately 7 million a day, announced plans for extensive pollution reduction measures across the network. The target was to cut pollution to over 30% below the legal limit of 50 μg/m3. It was 32 μg/m3 by 2026. The outset actuality was 38.8 μg/m3 average concentration of pollution. Starting in 2024, ₩100 billion annually for three years was earmarked for air pollution reduction measures. These included installation of air conditioning, better ventilation systems and filters, replacement of dust-inducing gravel rail tunnel beds with concrete ones, dust-capture matting at turnstiles, and constant public readings for pollution within the system.[83]
Seoul has ahumid continental (Köppen:Dwa) orhumid subtropical climate (Cwa, by −3 °C or 26.6 °F isotherm), influenced by themonsoons; there is great variation in temperature and precipitation throughout the year.[84][85] The suburbs of Seoul are generally cooler than the center of Seoul because of theurban heat island effect.[86] Summers are hot and humid, with theEast Asian monsoon taking place from June until September. August, the hottest month, has average high and low temperatures of 30.0 and 22.9 °C (86 and 73 °F) with higher temperatures possible.Heat index values can surpass 40 °C (104.0 °F) at the height of summer. Winters are usually cold to freezing with average January high and low temperatures of 2.1 and −5.5 °C (35.8 and 22.1 °F), and are generally much drier than summers, with an average of 24.9 days of snow annually. Sometimes, temperatures drop dramatically to below −10 °C (14 °F), and on some occasions as low as −15 °C (5 °F) in the mid winter period of January and February. Temperatures below −20 °C (−4 °F) have been recorded.
Climate data for Seoul (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1907–present)
The Seoul Metropolitan Government is the local government for Seoul, and is responsible for the administration and provision of various services to the city, including correctional institutions, education, libraries, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, and welfare services. It is headed by a mayor and three vice mayors, and is divided into 25 autonomous districts and 522 administrative neighborhoods.[92][93]
Seoul is divided into 25 "gu" (구;區) (district).[94] Thegu vary greatly in area (from 10 to 47 km2 or 3.9 to 18.1 sq mi) and population (from fewer than 140,000 to 630,000).Songpa has the most people, whileSeocho has the largest area. The government of each gu handles many of the functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions. Eachgu is divided into "dong" (동;洞), or neighborhoods. Some gu have only a fewdongs while others like Jongno District have a very large number of distinct neighborhoods. Seoul has 423 administrative dongs (행정동;行政洞) in total.[94]
Seoul proper is noted for itspopulation density, which is almost twice that ofNew York City and eight times greater thanRome. Its metropolitan area was the most densely populated amongOECD countries in Asia in 2012, and second worldwide after that ofParis.[96]
The population of Seoul has been dropping since the early 1990s, with reasons including high costs of living, especially housing; urban sprawl to Gyeonggi region's satellite cities; and an aging population.[97] Seoul also has an extremely low birth rate. In 2023, Seoul's fertility rate was recorded at 0.55, low even in comparison to the nationwide fertility rate of 0.72.[98]
As of 2016, the number of foreigners living in Seoul was 404,037, 22.9% of the total foreign population in South Korea.[99] As of June 2011, 186,631 foreigners wereChinese citizens of Korean ancestry. This was an 8.84% increase from the end of 2010 and a 12.85% increase from June 2010. The next largest group was Chinese citizens who were not of Korean ethnicity; 29,901 of them resided in Seoul. The next highest group consisted of the 9,999 United States citizens who were not of Korean ancestry. The next highest group were Taiwanese citizens, at 8,717.[100]
The two major religions in Seoul areChristianity andBuddhism. Other religions includeMuism (indigenous religion) andConfucianism. Seoul is home to one of the world's largest Christian congregations,Yoido Full Gospel Church, which has around 830,000 members.[102] According to the 2015 census, 10.8% of the population follows Buddhism and 35% follows Christianity (24.3% Protestantism and 10.7% Catholicism). 53.6% of the population is irreligious.[103] Seoul is home to the world's largest modern university founded by a Buddhist Order,Dongguk University.[104] The city also featuresSeoul Central Mosque, opened in 1976.[105]
Compulsory education lasts from grade 1–9 (six years of elementary school and three years of middle school).[106] Students spend six years in elementary school, three years in middle school, and three years in high school. Secondary schools generally require students to wear uniforms. There is an exit exam for graduating from high school and many students proceeding to the university level are required to take theCollege Scholastic Ability Test that is held every November. Although there is a test for non-high school graduates, called school qualification exam, most Koreans take the test.
Seoul is home to variousspecialized schools, including three science high schools, and six foreign language High Schools. Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education comprises 235 College-Preparatory High Schools, 80 Vocational Schools, 377 Middle Schools, and 33 Special Education Schools as of 2009[update].
Seoul is the business and financial hub of South Korea. Although it accounts for only 0.6 percent of the nation's land area, 48.3 percent of South Korea's bank deposits were held in Seoul in 2003,[108] and the city generated 23 percent of the country's GDP overall in 2012.[109] In 2008 theWorldwide Centers of Commerce Index ranked Seoul No.9.[110] TheGlobal Financial Centres Index in 2015 listed Seoul as the 6th financially most competitive city in the world.[111]The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Seoul 15th in the list of "Overall 2025 City Competitiveness" regarding future competitiveness of cities.[112]
According to theGlobal Financial Centerss Index report released in 2024, Seoul ranked 10th. The city ranked 13th in business environment and financial sector development, seventh in human capital, 10th in infrastructure and 12th in reputation.[117]
Seoul has threecentral business districts; theDowntown Seoul(CBD),Gangnam(GBD), andYeouido(YBD).[118] The Downtown Seoul, which has 600 years of history as unparalleled business district in entire Korea, is now a densely concentrated area aroundGwanghwamun andCheonggyecheon with headquarters of major companies, foreign financial institutions, largest news agencies and law firms. Other two business districts are developed in 1970s and have different characteristic; while Gangnam is well known for tech, luxury and private education industries, Yeouido is famous for securities exchange and asset management.[119][120]
In 2023, the city announced plans to invest $44.7 million over six years to create a dedicated area to attract foreign investment.[117]
Myeong-dong is one of the most popular destinations in Seoul.
The largest wholesale and retail market in South Korea, theDongdaemun Market, is located in Seoul.[121]Myeongdong is a shopping and entertainment area indowntown Seoul with mid- to high-end stores, fashion boutiques and international brand outlets.[122] The nearbyNamdaemun Market, named after theNamdaemun Gate, is the oldest continually running market in Seoul.[123]
Insadong is the cultural art market of Seoul, where traditional and modern Korean artworks, such as paintings, sculptures and calligraphy are sold.[124]Hwanghak-dong Flea Market and Janganpyeong Antique Market also offer antique products.[125][126] Some shops for local designers have opened inSamcheong-dong, where numerous small art galleries are located. WhileItaewon had catered mainly to foreign tourists and American soldiers based in the city, Koreans now comprise the majority of visitors to the area.[127] TheGangnam district is one of the most affluent areas in Seoul[127] and is noted for the fashionable and upscaleApgujeong-dong andCheongdam-dong areas and theCOEX Mall. Wholesale markets includeNoryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market andGarak Market.
TheYongsan Electronics Market is the largest electronics market in Asia. Electronics markets are Gangbyeon station metro line 2 Techno mart, ENTER6 MALL & Shindorim station Technomart mall complex.[128]Times Square is one of Seoul's largest shopping malls, and contains the world's largest permanent35 mm cinema screen, theCGV Starium.[129]
Korea World Trade Center Complex, which comprises COEX mall, congress center, 3 Inter-continental hotels, Business tower (Asem tower), Residence hotel, Casino and City airport terminal was established in 1988 in time for theSeoul Olympics. The 2nd World trade trade center is being planned at Seoul Olympic stadium complex as MICE HUB by Seoul. Ex-Kepco head office building was purchased by Hyundai motor group with 9billion USD to build 115-storey Hyundai GBC & hotel complex until 2021. Now ex-kepco 25-storey building is under demolition.
Further information on the logistics and shipping company:Ilyang Logistics
Seoul has been described as the world's "most wired city",[130] ranked first in technology readiness byPwC'sCities of Opportunity report.[131] Seoul has a very technologically advancedinfrastructure.[132][133]
Seoul is among the world leaders in Internet connectivity, being the capital of South Korea, which has the world's highestfiber-optic broadband penetration and highest global average internet speeds of 26.1 Mbit/s.[134][135] Since 2015, Seoul has provided free Wi-Fi access in outdoor spaces through a 47.7 billion won ($44 million) project with Internet access at 10,430 parks, streets and other public places.[136] Internet speeds in some apartment buildings reach up to 52.5 Gbit/s with assistance from Nokia, and though the average standard consists of 100 Mbit/s services, providers nationwide are rapidly rolling out 1Gbit/s connections at the equivalent of US$20 per month.[137] In addition, the city is served by theKTXhigh-speed rail and theSeoul Subway, which provides4G LTE, Wi-Fi, andDMB inside subway cars. 5G will be introduced commercially in March 2019 in Seoul.
The traditional heart of Seoul is the old Joseon dynasty city, now thedowntown area, where most palaces, government offices, corporate headquarters, hotels, and traditional markets are located.Cheonggyecheon, a stream that runs from west to east through the valley before emptying into the Han River, was for many years covered with concrete, but was recently restored by an urban revival project in 2005.[138]Jongno street, meaning "Bell Street", has been a principal street and one of the earliest commercial streets of the city,[139][140] on which one can findBosingak, a pavilion containing a large bell.
Urban and civil planning was a key concept when Seoul was first designed to serve as a capital in the late 14th century. The Joseon dynasty built the "Five Grand Palaces" in Seoul—Changdeokgung,Changgyeonggung,Deoksugung,Gyeongbokgung andGyeonghuigung—all of which are located in the Jongno and Jung Districts. Among them, Changdeokgung was added to the UNESCOWorld Heritage List in 1997 as an "outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design". The main palace, Gyeongbokgung, underwent a large-scale restoration project.[142] Seoul has been surrounded by walls that were built to regulate visitors from other regions and protect the city in case of an invasion.Pungnap Toseong is a flat earthen wall built at the edge of the Han River, which is widely believed to be the site ofWiryeseong.Mongchon Toseong is another earthen wall built during the Baekje period that is now located inside theOlympic Park.[143] TheFortress Wall of Seoul was built early in the Joseon dynasty for protection of the city. After many centuries of destruction and rebuilding, about2⁄3 of the wall remains, as well as six of the originaleight gates. These gates include the south gateNamdaemun and the east gate Dongdaemun. Namdaemun was the oldest wooden gate until a 2008 arson attack, and was re-opened after complete restoration in 2013.[144]
In October 2012,KBS Hall in Seoul hosted major international music festivals – First ABU TV and Radio Song Festivals within frameworks ofAsia-Pacific Broadcasting Union 49th General Assembly.[153][better source needed][154]Seoul Street Art Festival is a seasonal cultural festival held four times a year every spring, summer, autumn, and winter in Seoul, South Korea since 2003. It is based on the "Seoul Citizens' Day" held on every October since 1994 to commemorate the 600 years history of Seoul as the capital of the country. The festival is arranged under theSeoul Metropolitan Government. As of 2012[update], Seoul has hostedUltra Music Festival Korea, an annual dance music festival that takes place on the 2nd weekend of June.[155]
Seoul is home of the major South Korean networksKBS,SBS, andMBC. The city is also home to the major South Korean newspapersThe Chosun Ilbo,The Dong-A Ilbo,JoongAng Ilbo, andHankook Ilbo. In Seoul, there is a digital news operation for theNew York Times. It can accommodate up to 50 employees. It has about 20 editors and staff.[156]The Washington Post Seoul Hub is one of the key bases of the Wall Street Journal along with that of London.[157]
Seoul has a well developed transportation network. Its system dates back to the era of theKorean Empire, when the first streetcar lines were laid and a railroad linking Seoul and Incheon was completed.[159] 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 indowntown Seoul includeEuljiro,Teheranno,Sejongno,Chungmuro, Yulgongno, and Toegyero. There are nine major subway lines stretching for more than 250 km (155 mi), with one additional line planned. As of 2010[update], 25% of the population has a commute time of an hour or longer.
Seoul's bus system is operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (S.M.G.), with four primary bus configurations available servicing most of the city. Seoul has many large intercity/express bus terminals. These buses connect Seoul with cities throughout South Korea. The Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Central City Terminal and Seoul Nambu Terminal are located in the district ofSeocho District. In addition, East Seoul Bus Terminal inGwangjin District and Sangbong Terminal inJungnang District handles traffics mainly from Gangwon and Chungcheong provinces.
Seoul has a comprehensiveurban railway network of 21rapid transit,light metro andcommuter lines that interconnects every district of the city and the surrounding areas ofIncheon,Gyeonggi province, westernGangwon Province, and northernSouth Chungcheong Province. With more than 8 million passengers per day, the subway is one of thebusiest subway systems in the world and the largest in the world, with a total track length of 940 km (580 mi). In addition, in order to cope with the various modes of transport, Seoul's metropolitan government employs several mathematicians to coordinate the subway, bus, and traffic schedules into one timetable. The various lines are run byKorail,Seoul Metro,NeoTrans Co. Ltd.,AREX, and Seoul Metro Line 9 Corporation.
Seoul is connected to every major city in South Korea by rail. Most major South Korean cities are linked via theKTX high-speed train, which has a normal operation speed of more than 300 km/h (186 mph). The Mugunghwa and Saemaeul trains also stop at all major stations. Major railroad stations include:[citation needed]
Incheon International Airport opened in March 2001 inYeongjong island. It is now responsible for major international flights. Incheon International Airport is Asia's eighth busiest airport in terms of passengers, the world'sfourth busiest airport by cargo traffic, and the world'seighth busiest airport in terms of international passengers in 2014. In 2016, 57,765,397 passengers used the airport. Incheon International Airport opened terminal 2 on 18 January 2018.
Incheon and Gimpo are linked to Seoul byexpressway, and to each other by theAREX toSeoul Station. Intercity bus services are available to various destinations around the country.
Cycling
Cycling is becoming increasingly popular in Seoul and in the entire country. Both banks of the Han River have cycling paths that run all the way across the city along the river. In addition, Seoul introduced in 2015 abicycle-sharing system namedDdareungi (and named Seoul Bike in English).[160]
^Hendrick Hamel, a 17th-century Dutch sailor who was shipwrecked onJeju Island, referred to the Joseon capital asSior in his book "Hamel's Journal and a Description of the Kingdom of Korea, 1653–1666." Refer to the English translation of the book on thiswebsite created by Dr. Henny Savenije, a Dutch scholar known for his research on Hamel.
^Yu, Woo-ik; Lee, Chan (6 November 2019)."Seoul".Encyclopædia Britannica.Archived from the original on 9 June 2015. Retrieved4 July 2020.The city was popularly called Seoul in Korean during both theChosŏn (Yi) dynasty (1392–1910) and the period of Japanese rule (1910–45), although the official names in those periods were Hansŏng (Hanseong) andKyŏngsŏng (Gyeongseong), respectively.
^Labzovskii, Lev; Jeong, Su-Jong; Parazoo, Nicholas C. (2019). "Working towards confident spaceborne monitoring of carbon emissions from cities using Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2".Remote Sensing of Environment.233. 111359.Bibcode:2019RSEnv.23311359L.doi:10.1016/j.rse.2019.111359.S2CID202176909.
^Choi, Won Jun, Kyung-Jung Moon, Goo Kim, and Dongwon Lee. "Reliability Analysis Based on Air Quality Characteristics in East Asia Using Primary Data from the Test Operation of Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS)." Atmosphere 14, no. 9 (2023): 1458.
^"Sister & Friendship Cities -".Official Website of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved30 September 2022.
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