Seoul, << sohl or SOH ool >>, is the capital and largest city of South Korea. The municipality of Seoul has a population of 9,586,195. A municipality may include rural areas as well as the urban center. Seoul ranks as one of the largest cities in the world in population. In addition, Seoul serves as the center of South Korea’s cultural, economic, educational, and financial activities. It is also a major center of governmental and political activities, though a number of government offices began moving to Sejong City in 2012.
Seoul is in northwestern South Korea, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of the Yellow Sea. The Han River flows through the city. Since the mid-1900’s, Seoul has expanded rapidly. As a result, modern skyscrapers tower above beautiful old palaces and pavilions.
Seoul was founded in 1394 as the capital of the kingdom of Joseon (also spelled Choson, the name for Korea at that time). The city’s name means capital.
The city.
Seoul was originally established north of the Han River, in a small valley almost completely surrounded by mountains. The high peaks provided a natural barrier against enemies. During the city’s construction in the 1390’s, a wall of granite and earth was built around the city. Some parts of this wall still stand. A few gates from the wall, including the East Gate and the South Gate, also remain.
Seoul features a fascinating blend of ancient structures and modern buildings. Several old palaces, preserved in their original form, are now open to the public as museums. They house art objects collected throughout Korea. One of the best-preserved palaces, the Changdeok Palace or Changdeokgung (also spelled Changdok Palace), originates from 1405. It has an adjoining garden called the Secret Garden, which features lovely wooded areas, ponds, and pavilions. Many government buildings stand near the Changdeok Palace.
Other historic royal residences in downtown Seoul include the Gyeongbok Palace or Gyeongbokgung (also spelled Kyongbok Palace) and the Deoksu Palace or Deoksugung (also spelled Toksu Palace). The Jongmyo Shrine (also called the Chongmyo Roayal Shrine), originally built in 1395, lies southeast of the Changdeok Palace. The shrine was built by Yi Seonggye, the king who founded Seoul, as a memorial to his ancestors.
Modern skyscrapers housing businesses and hotels lie north of the river. Many marketplaces and shops are also in the downtown area. Itaewon is a popular shopping area among tourists. Discount houses concentrated in this section offer a wide selection of items produced in South Korea.
During the 1900’s, Seoul expanded to include the plain south of the Han River. About 20 bridges cross the river. Many apartment buildings, factories, office buildings, restaurants, stores, and theaters lie south of the river. Such modern sports facilities as the Seoul Sports Complex, Olympic Stadium, and Olympic Park—used for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games—are also in this area.
South Korea’s legislature meets at the National Assembly building on Yeouido Island (also spelled Youido Island) in the Han River. One of South Korea’s tallest buildings, the 63 Building, also rises on the island. The building is 63 stories tall.
Seoul has many theaters that offer a variety of cultural events. The National Theater is the home of the National Dance Company; the National Drama Company; the National Orchestra; and the National Changgeuk Company, which performs traditional Korean opera. The theater stands north of the river, in Namsan Park. The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, near the Gyeongbok Palace, hosts musical and dance performances.
Seoul National University, the best-known institution of higher learning in South Korea, lies at the southern edge of the city. Many other universities are north of the river.
People.
Almost all of Seoul’s people are Korean and speak the Korean language. The Chinese constitute the largest minority group in Seoul.
Until recent times, most of Seoul’s people lived in houses near the Changdeok Palace. However, the expansion of the city and the improvement of transportation changed the residential pattern in Seoul. Today, more than half of Seoul’s residents live south of the river. Most people live in apartments. Modern high-rise apartment buildings in the newer areas of the city attract many wealthy residents.
The rapid growth of Seoul since the 1960’s created a number of problems common to most metropolitan areas. The population increase has led to a housing shortage, in spite of the construction of new apartment buildings and the development of suburban areas. Traffic congestion persists, and air pollution and water pollution pose serious problems. Seoul’s crime rate has also risen.
Economy.
Seoul is the center of banking, commerce, and industry in South Korea. Most of the country’s banks and businesses have their headquarters in Seoul and employ many of the city’s people. Other residents work for the national government or for the city’s numerous schools.
Seoul’s factories produce a variety of consumer products and employ a large number of workers. Chief products manufactured in the city include automobiles, clothing, electronics, iron and steel, radios, and television sets. Many of these products are exported.
Seoul’s people usually shop at huge markets located throughout the city. The biggest markets—Dongdaemun, also spelled Tongdaemun, (East Gate) Market and Namdaemun (South Gate) Market—offer all kinds of food and other goods. Different areas in Seoul’s market may specialize in one type of goods, such as clothing or antiques. Department stores are also scattered throughout the city.
Railroads, highways, and airlines connect Seoul with cities in the eastern and southern parts of South Korea. Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport and the international airport in Incheon (also called Inchon), about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of central Seoul, serve the city. Seoul’s subway system provides underground transportation. Cars, buses, and taxis crowd the city’s streets. Incheon is Seoul’s seaport.
Several daily newspapers are published in Seoul and distributed throughout South Korea, as are popular monthly and weekly magazines. National TV and radio programs are produced in Seoul.
Government.
Seoul is divided into 25 local government units called gu (wards or districts) each of which is divided into subdistricts called dong. The people elect the chiefs of the 25 districts, the mayor, and the members of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, which makes the laws.
History.
Archaeological remains indicate that people lived on the northern shore of the Han River near present-day Seoul thousands of years ago. In 1067, King Munjong of the Goryeo (also spelled Koryo) dynasty (family of rulers) designated the town as Namgyeong (also spelled Namgyong—Southern Capital). It was later known by the name Hanyang.
In 1392, General Yi Songgye overthrew the Goryeo dynasty and seized the throne. Yi founded the Joseon (also spelled Choson) dynasty, which is also known as the Yi dynasty. The Yi dynasty became rulers of what is now Korea. He made Hanyang the capital of his kingdom. The construction of Seoul began in 1394. In 1396, about 200,000 workers were brought to Seoul to build the wall around the city.
Various Joseon kings built palaces and other buildings in Seoul, and the city prospered. But an invasion by the Japanese in 1592 completely destroyed the city. In 1636, Chinese invaders ravaged Seoul. However, the city was rebuilt after these invasions, and its population increased.
Many important changes took place in Seoul beginning in the late 1800’s. Telegraph service began in 1885, with lines between Seoul and Incheon. Schools patterned after those in the West opened in 1886. Missionaries also established schools around that time.
In addition, Seoul’s first modern newspaper was published in 1896. Electric streetcars began to operate in the city in 1899, and in 1902, the first long-distance telephone line in Korea linked Seoul and Incheon.
Japan exerted increasingly strong political and military influence in the area during the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s. The Joseon dynasty continued to rule Korea until 1910, when Japan annexed it as a colony. Seoul became the seat of the Japanese governor general. The Japanese put up many modern buildings throughout the city. These buildings included the Seoul Railway Station and the Governor General’s Building, a huge and imposing stone structure that symbolized Japanese power.
The Japanese ruled Korea until 1945, when Japan was defeated in World War II. Korea then was divided. The armed forces of the Soviet Union ran the northern half. The United States military ruled the southern half of Korea, with headquarters at the Governor General’s Building.
In 1948, the two separate governments of North Korea and South Korea were formed. South Korea’s government also used the Governor General’s Building as its headquarters and later to house the National Museum. The huge building erected by the Japanese was demolished in 1995 and 1996.
The Korean War began in 1950, when North Korean troops invaded South Korea in an attempt to unify the country under Communist rule. Seoul fell to the North Korean Army in June 1950. South Korean and U.S. soldiers recovered the city in September, but they lost it to the Chinese and North Korean armies in January 1951. The South Korean Army regained control of Seoul a few months later. But repeated battles inside the city had destroyed many of the buildings. The war ended in 1953. The people of Seoul rebuilt the city.
Park Chung-hee controlled the South Korean government from 1961 until his death in 1979. Under Park, South Korea experienced tremendous economic growth. Park’s economic programs called for the development of industries in various parts of the country, including Seoul. Until that time, Seoul had no major industry. Many new factories were built in Seoul during the 1960’s and 1970’s, and thousands of people moved there from rural areas to find work. Housing construction also boomed. New stores and restaurants opened, and various corporations built office buildings.
When the industrial and residential areas of Seoul became too crowded, construction of new factories and houses spread south of the Han River. The 1988 Summer Olympic Games were held in Seoul. New sports facilities, including a stadium that seats about 100,000 people, were built for the games.
In 2004, the South Korean government announced plans to relocate the country’s capital from Seoul to an area farther south. Many politicians and civic groups opposed the plans. Instead, the government established Sejong City, 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of Seoul, as a “mini-capital.” Sejong City was officially established in 2012. That year, a number of government offices began moving from Seoul to Sejong City.
In early 2008, a fire destroyed much of the South Gate. The gate, long considered a national treasure, was burned to its stone base. Following a five-year restoration, the South Gate was reopened in May 2013. In 2017, the 123-story Lotte World Tower opened in Seoul. The 1,820-foot (555-meter) skyscraper is the tallest building in South Korea. It features an aquarium, a concert hall, a movie theater, a shopping mall, and other attractions.
See also Incheon.
