Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Capital Area, encompassing Gyeonggi province and Incheon metropolitan city, emerged as the world's fourth largest metropolitan economy in 2014, trailing only Tokyo, New York City, and Los Angeles, hosting more than half of South Korea's population. Although Seoul's population peaked at slightly over 10 million, it has gradually decreased since 2014, standing at approximately 9.97 million residents as of 2020. Seoul is the seat of the South Korean government.
Some of the key events about Seoul
- 1394The city was designated as the capital of the Joseon Dynasty
- 1592Japanese forces invaded and occupied Seoul during the Imjin War
- 1900The first modern electrical facility was installed, bringing electric streetlights to the city
- 1910Seoul fell under Japanese colonial rule as part of the annexation of Korea
- 1945Seoul was liberated from Japanese colonial rule
- 1950Seoul was captured by North Korean forces during the Korean War
- 1951Seoul was severely damaged during its recapture in the Korean War
- 1963The first subway line in South Korea began construction in Seoul
- 1980The Gwangju Uprising led to martial law being imposed in Seoul
- 1988Seoul successfully hosted the Summer Olympics
- 1995The Seoul Metropolitan Subway became the world's longest subway system
- 1995The Sampoong Department Store collapse killed 502 people and injured 937
- 2002Seoul co-hosted the FIFA World Cup with Japan
- 2003A major subway arson attack in Seoul killed 192 people
- 2007The worst oil spill in South Korea's history occurred near Seoul
- 2010Seoul was designated as World Design Capital
- 2014The sinking of the MV Sewol ferry near Seoul resulted in 304 deaths
- 2017The city opened Seoullo 7017, an elevated linear park converted from a former highway
- 2022Seoul launched its first self-driving bus service on a regular route
- 2022A crowd crush in Seoul's Itaewon district killed at least 159 people
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
Seoul Latest news
Korean women's protest movement catches fire in America after latest election
A no-men lifestyle movement born in South Korea finds new supporters in US after recent political shifts. The four-point protest spreads globally as women reject traditional social expectations
North Korea's new missile test raises eyebrows just before US election
North Korea launched its newest solid-fuel missile claiming world superiority. The test happened right before US elections while thousands of NK soldiers are getting ready to help Russia in Ukraine
Exclusive
Secret footage shows Kim's soldiers ready to join Putin's military campaign
New mobile-phone videos expose North Korean troops preparing at Russian military facilities. About 3000 soldiers are training now while Moscow expects more than 10000 additional forces soon