Seoul

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Seoul 서울 —  Special City  — 서울특별시 · Seoul Special City   transcription(s)  • Hangul 서울특별시  • Hanja 서울特別市  • Revised Romanization Seoul Teukbyeolsi  • McCune–Reischauer Sŏul T'ŭkpyŏlsi Gangnam District and Samsung Headquarters Flag Seal of Seoul Map of South Korea with Seoul highlighted Coordinates: 37°33′59.53″N 126°58′40.69″E / 37.5665361°N 126.9779694°E / 37.5665361; 126.9779694Coordinates: 37°33′59.53″N 126°58′40.69″E / 37.5665361°N 126.9779694°E / 37.5665361; 126.9779694 Country  South Korea Region Seoul National Capital Area Districts 25 Dobong District Dongdaemun District Dongjak District Eunpyeong District Gangbuk District Gangdong District Gangnam District Gangseo District Geumcheon District Guro District Gwanak District Gwangjin District Jongno District Jung District Jungnang District Mapo District Nowon District Seocho District Seodaemun District Seongbuk District Seongdong District Songpa District Yangcheon District Yeongdeungpo District Yongsan District Government  • Type Seoul Metropolitan Government Mayor-Council  • Mayor Park Won-soon (DUP)  • Council Seoul Metropolitan Council  • National Representation  - National Assembly 48 / 300 16.0% (total seats) 48 / 246 19.5% (constituency seats) List Dobong 1st district In Jae Keun (DUP) Dobong 2nd district Yoo Ihn-tae (DUP) Dongdaemun 1st district Ahn Gyu Baek (DUP) Dongdaemun 2nd district Min Byung Doo (DUP) Dongjak 1st district Jun Byung-Hun (DUP) Dongjak 2nd district Chung Mong Joon (Saenuri) Eunpyeong 1st district Lee Mi Kyung (DUP) Eunpyeong 2nd district Lee Jae Oh (Saenuri) Gangbuk 1st district Oh Young-Sik (DUP) Gangbuk 2nd district You Dae Woon (DUP) Gangdong 1st district Shin Dong-Woo (Saenuri) Gangdong 2nd district Shim Jae Kwon (DUP) Gangnam 1st district Shim Yoon Joe (Saenuri) Gangnam 2nd district Kim Jong Hoon (Saenuri) Gangseo 1st district Shin Ki-Nam (DUP) Gangseo 2nd district Kim Sung Tae (Saenuri) Geumcheon district Rhee Mok Hee (DUP) Guro 1st district Lee In-Young (DUP) Guro 2nd district Park Young-Sun (DUP) Gwanak 1st district Yoo Ki Hong (DUP) Gwanak 2nd district Lee Sang Kyu (UPP) Gwangjin 1st district Kim Han Gil (DUP) Gwangjin 2nd district Choo Mi Ae (DUP) Jongno district Chung Sye-Kyun (DUP) Jung district Chyung Hojoon (DUP) Jungnang 1st district Seo Young Kyo (DUP) Jungnang 2nd district Park Hong Keun (DUP) Mapo 1st district Noh Woong Rae (DUP) Mapo 2nd district Jung Cheong Rae (DUP) Nowon 1st district Lee No Keun (Saenuri) Nowon 2nd district Woo Won-Shik (DUP) Nowon 3rd district Roh Hoe Chan (UPP) Seocho 1st district Kim Hoe Sun (Saenuri) Seocho 2nd district Kang Seoghoon (Saenuri) Seodaemun 1st district Woo Sang Ho (DUP) Seodaemun 2nd district Chung Doo-Un (Saenuri) Seongbuk 1st district You Seung-Hee (DUP) Seongbuk 2nd district Shin Geh-Ryoon (DUP) Seongdong 1st district Choi Jae Cheon (DUP) Seongdong 2nd district Hong Ihk Pyo (DUP) Songpa 1st district Park In-Sook (Saenuri) Songpa 2nd district Yoo Il Ho (Saenuri) Songpa 3rd district Kim Eul Dong (Saenuri) Yangcheon 1st district Kil Jeong Woo (Saenuri) Yangcheon 2nd district Kim Yongtae (Saenuri) Yeongdeungpo 1st district Kim Young Joo (DUP) Yeongdeungpo 2nd district Shin Kyoung Min (DUP) Yongsan district Chin Young (Saenuri) Area  • Special City 605.21 km2 (233.67 sq mi) Population (December 31, 2012)  • Special City 10,442,426  • Density Bad rounding here17,000/km2 (Bad rounding here45,000/sq mi)  • Metro 25,620,000  • Demonym 서울시민(Seoul-simin), Seoulite  • Dialect Seoul Bird Korean Magpie Color Seoul Red Flower Forsythia Font Seoul fonts(Han River and (Namsan (Seoul) Mascot Haechi Slogan “함께 만드는 서울, 함께 누리는 서울”(Literally "Seoul We Create Together, Seoul We Enjoy Together") Song "서울의 빛"("The Lights of Seoul") Tree Ginkgo Website seoul.go.kr

Seoul (English pronunciation: /soʊl/; Korean:  ( listen), "Capital City", from ancient Sillan "Seorabeol"), officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of more than 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world. The Seoul Capital Area, which includes the surrounding Incheon metropolis and Gyeonggi province, is the world's second largest metropolitan area with over 25.6 million people, home to over half of South Koreans along with 632,000 international residents.

Situated on the Han River, Seoul's history stretches back more than 2,000 years when it was founded in 18 BC by Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. It continued as the capital of Korea under the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire. The Seoul metropolitan area contains four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeok Palace, Hwaseong Fortress, Jongmyo Shrine and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. Seoul is surrounded by mountains, the tallest being Mt. Bukhan, the world's most visited national park. Modern landmarks holding Guinness World Records include Lotte World, the world's largest indoor theme park, Moonlight Rainbow Fountain, the world's longest bridge fountain and Times Square's CGV Starium, the world's largest cinema screen. The birthplace of K-pop and the Korean Wave, Seoul was voted the world's most wanted travel destination by Chinese, Japanese and Thai tourists for a third consecutive year in 2011 with over 10 million international visitors in 2012.

Today, Seoul is considered a leading and rapidly rising global city, resulting from an economic boom and growth known as the Miracle on the Han River which transformed it from the ashes of the Korean War to the world's fourth largest metropolitan economy with a GDP of US$773.9 billion in 2012 after Tokyo, New York City and Los Angeles. A world leading technology hub, it boasts the world's sixth largest number of Fortune Global 500 multinationals such as Samsung, the world's largest technology company, as well as LG and Hyundai-Kia. Gangnam District forms the commercial center along with Central District and the financial center, Yeoui Island and technology hub Digital Media City. Ranked sixth in the Global Power City Index, the metropolis exerts a major influence among global affairs as one of the five leading hosts of global conferences. In 2012, Seoul's quality of life was found to be higher than New York City, London or Melbourne but slightly lower than Tokyo and Paris according to the United Nations. The studios of KBS, MBC and SBS are also located in this city.

Seoul has a very technologically advanced infrastructure. It has the world's highest fibre-optic broadband penetration, resulting in the world's fastest internet connections with speeds up to 1 Gbps. Seoul Station is the main terminal of the KTX high-speed rail and the Seoul Subway is the world's largest subway network by length It is considered the world's best subway and is the world's only subway with all stations having automatic platform gates for safety along with 4G LTE, WiFi, DMB and WiBro. Seoul is connected via AREX to Incheon International Airport, rated the world's best airport for seven years in a row (2005-2012) by Airports Council International.

Seoul hosted the 1986 Asian Games, 1988 Summer Olympics, 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2010 G-20 Seoul summit. A UNESCO City of Design, Seoul was named the 2010 World Design Capital.