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Seoul

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Seoul is the capital and largest city of South Korea.

Earth from Space- Seoul, South Korea ESA24817251
Earth from Space- Seoul, South Korea ESA24817251

It sits in a region with many hills and mountains. The big mountain Bukhansan is on the northern edge of the city.

Seoul-from-Namsan-CableCar-1962
Seoul-from-Namsan-CableCar-1962

The city is part of a huge metropolitan area. This area includes Gyeonggi Province and Incheon. More than half of the people in South Korea live in this large region. It is one of the biggest economies in the whole world.

Hangang Park Overview 201604
Hangang Park Overview 201604

Life in the city has changed many times over the years. Long ago, people lived in small huts called umjip.

Amsadong IMG 2081
Amsadong IMG 2081

Later, the city became a major center for many different groups. During the Joseon dynasty, it became the official capital. People built a large Fortress Wall to surround the city.

한양도성낙산구간
한양도성낙산구간

In the early 1900s, the Empire of Japan occupied the city. They even gave it a different name for a while. After the Korean War, the city was mostly in ruins.

Seoul Battle- Korean War
Seoul Battle- Korean War

However, the people worked hard to rebuild everything quickly.

History shows how much the city has grown. The area has had many different names over the centuries. One name used long ago was Hanyang.

Chongno1905
Chongno1905

The name "Seoul" actually means "capital city" in Korean. It is a native word rather than a word from Chinese. In the 1600s, a Dutch sailor named Hendrick Hamel wrote about the capital. He called it "Sior" in his famous journal. After World War II, the city finally took its official name. This name is used in many languages around the world today.

Today, Seoul is a very busy and modern place. About 9.6 million people live in the city.

Seoul City Hall from Plaza
Seoul City Hall from Plaza

It is home to many huge companies like Samsung and LG.

Samsung headquarters
Samsung headquarters

You can see many tall buildings like the Lotte World Tower.

Lotte World morning view 8
Lotte World morning view 8

The city is also famous for its music and K-pop. It is a center for the Korean Wave of culture. Many people visit to see the bright lights and big signs.

Namdaemun-ro and Aloft Seoul Myeongdong by night
Namdaemun-ro and Aloft Seoul Myeongdong by night

There are many interesting things to see and do in Seoul. You can visit five UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

경복궁 경회루 전경(궁능유적본부)-min
경복궁 경회루 전경(궁능유적본부)-min

These sites include beautiful palaces and old royal tombs. The city also hosts many big global events. It has hosted the Summer Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

Seoul, South Korea 2002 World Cup young people watching the game
Seoul, South Korea 2002 World Cup young people watching the game

Modern areas like Gangnam are full of new technology.

Teheran-ro Yeongdong-daero crossing 7
Teheran-ro Yeongdong-daero crossing 7

Seoul is a place where very old history meets a fast future.

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🖼️ Images & Media (32)
File:Amsadong IMG 2081.jpg
Amsadong IMG 2081.jpg
File:한양도성낙산구간.jpg
한양도성낙산구간.jpg
File:Gyeongjoobudo.jpg
Gyeongjoobudo.jpg
File:Chongno1905.jpg
Chongno1905.jpg
File:L’Indépendance de la Corée et la Paix-02.jpg
L’Indépendance de la Corée et la Paix-02.jpg
File:Seoul Station in 1945.8.15.jpg
Seoul Station in 1945.8.15.jpg
File:Seoul Battle- Korean War.jpg
Seoul Battle- Korean War.jpg
File:Seoul-from-Namsan-CableCar-1962.jpg
Seoul-from-Namsan-CableCar-1962.jpg
File:Seoul, South Korea 2002 World Cup young people watching the game.jpg
Seoul, South Korea 2002 World Cup young...
File:Earth_from_Space-_Seoul,_South_Korea_ESA24817251.jpg
Earth_from_Space-_Seoul,_South_Korea_ESA24...
File:Hangang Park Overview 201604.jpg
Hangang Park Overview 201604.jpg
File:Air Quality in Seoul’s metropolitan area improves thanks to sustainable policies (Copernicus 2024-01-14).jpg
Air Quality in Seoul’s metropolitan area...

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