Seoul

INTRO
Wiryeseong, Hanyang, Hanseong, Seorabeol, Seobeol, Miracle on the Han River, One of the Four Asian Tigers, City of Infinite Discoveries The names of Seoul correspond to different sides of its eventful identity. The capital city of South Korea is the cultural, business and transportation hub of Northeast Asia. It gathers wisdom from its tumultuous and glorious past and prides itself on its cultural heritage. At the same time this modern, dynamic centre of the Korean Wave blinks playfully inviting you to appreciate its economic power and never-ending entertainment. Safe, hospitable and lovable are also among the traits of this inexhaustible source of discovery.

City Profile
City: Seoul
Country: South Korea
Area: 605.33 km2
Population: 10,356,000
Districts: 25
Mayor: Oh Se-hoon
Language: Korean

LOCATION
Seoul lies at the heart of the Korean Peninsula. The city is situated in the northwestern part of South Korea, approximately 50 km south of the border with North Korea, also known as the demilitarized zone (DMZ). Its vast area is bisected by the Han River, running east to west across the city. Seoul is also surrounded by level lands of the Han River plain as well as peaks and mountains, proudly standing over the metropolis.

TIME TO VISIT
Seoul has a temperate and continental climate like the rest of the country. The city experiences four distinct seasons: spring (March to May), summer (June to August), autumn (September to November) and winter (November to March). The summer is hot, humid and wet since it coincides with the monsoon season. The average temperature in the hottest month August is 26 °C. With an average January temperature of -7 °C to 1 °C, the winter is frigid, dry and accompanied by snow. The most attractive seasons for visiting the city are spring with mild temperatures and cherry blossom as well as autumn with crisp blue sky and colorful forests.

POPULATION
The city of Seoul has a total population of 10,356,000 people, which makes it the largest city in South Korea. It is a part of the Greater Seoul metropolitan area populated with more than 23 million inhabitants. Seoul is besides one of the world's most densely populated major cities. All of its residents are Korean with the exception of some Chinese and Japanese minorities. Immigrants are few and come from all continents. The two major religions are Buddhism and Christianity. The official language is Korean, represented by the local Seoul dialect.

DISTRICTS
Seoul is divided into 25 wards, called gu.They are subdivided into 522 dong, which are themselves subdivided into 13,787 tong, further divided into 102,796 ban. Some of the most important wards include the following:

Jongro-gu is the traditional downtown area, which used to be the Joseon era historical core. It encompasses a number of tourist attractions, including traditional neighborhoods, palaces, temples and shrines. It is also a major educational district.
Gangnam-gu is located in the southeastern corner of Soeul. It is one of the most modern and affluent areas, abounding with cutting-edge office buildings, imposing shopping malls, upscale restaurants and glamorous nightlife venues.
Mapo-gu is located north of the Han River. It is home to several universities and governmental headquarters. Moreover, it is especially famous for the Hongdae club district and the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
Yongsan-gu lies under the shadow of Seoul Tower, a must-go for tourists. It is also the site of Yongsan Station, Yongsan Electronics Market, and Itaewon commercial district.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS
The city of infinite discoveries is replete with a truly astounding amount of tourist attractions. Whatever your taste, you are bound to find something for you in the city that never sleeps. A series of local landmarks are of particular interest to visitors.

Changdeokgung is one of the "Five Grand Palaces" built on commission of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty. The palace is also known as East Palace and "Palace of Prospering Virtue". Built in 1405, it is today enscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, since it represents "an outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design". More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.cha.go.kr/english/royal_palaces/Changdeokgung.jsp?catmenu=ES_04_01
The National Museum of Korea is the head of all museums in Korea and the fortress of historical artefacts and artwork. Although the museum was first established in 1945, it opened in a new building, situated in Yongsan Family Park in 2005. With its vast structure and numerous exhibitions it is considered to be the largest museum in Asia. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.museum.go.kr/eng/
Bongeunsa is one of a few traditional Buddhist temples in the city. It was established in 794 during the Silla Kingdom and lies in the district of Gangnam-gu. Although the temple fell into decline later, it was reconstructed in 1498 with the support of Queen Monjeong and became the main temple of the Korean Zen sect of Buddhism. The Great Statue of Maitreya Buddha is not to be missed. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.bongeun.org/
Lotte World is a colorful recreational complex. It includes an indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement park, situated on an island linked by monorail, a hotel, shopping malls, entertainment and sports facilities as well as a Korean folk museum. The Lotte World indoor theme park is one of the largest in the world. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.lotteworld.com/Global_eng/
N Seoul Tower (Namsan Tower) is a communication tower located on top of Nansan Mountain. It offers the best panoramic view of the city. The tower was originally built in 1969 as a satellite tower to accommodate television and radio broadcast, but it was opened to the public in 1980. The structure measures 236.7 m in height from the base. There is an impressive lighting show every night. More info on the admission fee and how to get there: http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/english/

AIRPORT
The city of Seoul is well connected internationally and domestically via air. It is served by two airports.

Gimpo Airport used to be the main international airport for Seoul and South Korea from its original construction in 1951 until 2001. Now it serves mostly as a domestic airport. It takes 50 minutes to reach the city centre on subway Line 5 and costs W1400. You can also transfer to and from Incheon Airport with the A'REX rail link providing express services (28 min, W7900) and commuter services (33 min, W3100). More info at: http://gimpo.airport.co.kr/eng/index.jsp
Incheon International Airport has been the only international airport and the primary gate to Korea since it opened in 2001. It is located about 52 km west of downtown Seoul. The best option to get to there is probably by bus. "Limousine buses" travel directly to major hotels for around W13000, while public buses will take you to major transit hubs for W8000 or so. As for taxis, regular ones will cost about W40000 and deluxe around W60000. More info at: http://www.airport.or.kr/eng/airport/

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Seoul is actually a pretty easy city to travel around thanks to the effective local transportation system.

The Subway currently has 8 lines, which can take you to most places. Subway fares are based on the covered distance, but the shortest ride costs W1000 with a magnetic ticket. If you plan to stay longer though, you should consider purchasing a T-money stored value contactless smart card for W2500.
The bus service is extensive and provides four different kinds of buses. Their color (blue, green, red and yellow) defines the kind of route the bus takes. Red buses run long distance routes, green buses connect subway stations to the surrounding areas, blue buses operate on the routes which connect outlying areas with the downtown area and yellow buses run short routes in major downtown areas. Fares are around W800 - 1000 per trip, but you can also buy the Seoul City Pass for unlimited use of the bus and subway network. One day pass costs W15,000, two day W25,000 and three day W35,000.
Taxis in Seoul are regular, deluxe and call taxies. Regular ones are silver and least expensive with a basic fare of W1900 and additional W100 applied according to time and distance. Deluxe taxis are black with a yellow sign. The basic fare is W4000 and the additional fare increases in increments of W200. There are also AAFES taxies, which take US$. Their basic fare is $2.30 and the additional $0.30. You can always call for deluxe and AAFES taxies.

HISTORY
The history of the ancient city of Seoul goes back as far as 18 BC, when it became the historic capital of the Baekje Kingdom. It has afterwards been the capital of various states on the Korean Peninsula, including the Goryeo Dynasty, when it was called Hanseong. Between 1392 and 1910 it also served as the capital of the Joseon Dynasty. Much of the historical part of the city was destroyed during the Japanese occupation and it was almost entirely demolished in the Korean War. Seoul was however recovered very quickly thanks to an aggressive economic policy in the 1960s and 1970s. When the South Korean government was established in 1948, the city was proclaimed as the capital of South Korea. It was designated the status of a Special City and placed under the administration of the national government. Altogether Seoul has a 600 year long history as the capital of Korea.

CITY LINKS

Seoul Times, English newspaper for foreigners in Korea: http://theseoultimes.com/
Seoul Metropolitan Government: http://english.seoul.go.kr/
Useful Tips: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul
Interesting information: http://www.visitseoul.net/english_new/
Comprehensive City Guide: http://www.goseoulcity.com/

UNIVERSITY LINKS

Seoul National University (SNU), the first and most prestigious national university in Korea: http://www.useoul.edu/
Korea University, Korea's oldest institute of higher education: http://www.korea.edu/
Yonsei University, one of the most prestigious private universities: http://www.yonsei.ac.kr/eng/