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116-470: The DDP has been one of the main reasons for Seoul's designation as the World Design Capital in 2010. Construction started in 2009, and it was officially inaugurated on March 21, 2014. It is physically connected to Seoul Subway via Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on Line 2, 4, and 5. The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) was designed by British- Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid , winner of

232-460: A green belt aimed at preventing the city from sprawling out into neighboring Gyeonggi Province. These areas are frequently sought after by people looking to escape from urban life on weekends and during vacations. Air pollution is a major issue in Seoul. According to the 2016 World Health Organization Global Urban Ambient Air Pollution Database, the annual average PM2.5 concentration in 2014

348-455: A 12.85% increase from June 2010. The next largest group was Chinese citizens who were not of Korean ethnicity; 29,901 of them resided in Seoul. The next highest group consisted of the 9,999 United States citizens who were not of Korean ancestry. The next highest group were Taiwanese citizens, at 8,717. The two major religions in Seoul are Christianity and Buddhism . Other religions include Muism (indigenous religion) and Confucianism . Seoul

464-513: A clear legal framework of responsibility, publicly checkable results and a major focus on reduction of transport pollutants. In July 2020, South Korea, then the 11th largest world economy, announced a US$ 35 billion position on ending investment in coal. In November 2020, South Korea committed to a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. Between 2005 and 2021 annual concentration levels of small particulate matter (PM10) fell by 30-40 % in Seoul, whilst concentrations of larger particulate matter (PM 2.5) in

580-520: A conference hall, the design museum , the design lab, an academy hall, a media center, a seminar room, Dongdaemun History and Culture Park, the designer's lounge, and the design market. The art hall operates as a space for conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, fashion shows, concerts, and performances. The museum hall consists of five sections, and allows many artists to engage in the design industry and exchange ideas. The design playground, Design Dulle-gil (trail), design museum, design exhibition hall, and

696-475: A constellation of various markets and small businesses. In the 1960s, a large number of sewing factories were built near Pyenghwa Market, in Dongdaemun District , and the market soon became the largest shopping district for shopping. With the addition of Miliore, a shopping mall for fashion constructed in 1998, it has become a retail area. Dongdaemun History & Culture Park is located on the east side of

812-422: A double-skin facade , solar panels , and a water recycling system, are included in the building. The construction project for replacing Dongdaemun Stadium with a public park has been discussed in the media since 2000, and the city of Seoul established a basic master plan for alternating the function of Dongdaemun Stadium in 2005. Upon the advice of architects , and in order to secure a high-quality design for

928-451: A joint organizing committee and a united team. The negotiations were continued into another meeting, but were not successful. The IOC did not meet the demands of North Korea and only about half of the desired sporting events were offered to the North. So the focus thereafter was solely on Seoul and South Korea. The games were boycotted by North Korea and its ally Cuba . Ethiopia , Albania and

1044-466: A native Korean (as opposed to Sino-Korean ) common noun simply meaning 'capital city.' The word seoul is believed to have descended from Seorabeol (서라벌; historically transliterated into the Hanja form 徐羅伐 ), which originally referred to Gyeongju , the capital of Silla . Wiryeseong ( 위례성 ; 慰禮城 ), the capital settlement of Baekje , was located within the boundaries of modern-day Seoul. Seoul

1160-516: A new capital. After several governmental debates, Yi Seong-gye chose Hanyang (Sindo) instead of Muak in September 1394. As Joseon's new capital, Hanyang was planned as a geographic embodiment of Korean Confucianism . Construction of the city began in October 1394. During its early construction stages, some major palaces, including Gyeongbokgung , were finished in 1395. The Fortress Wall surrounding Hanyang

1276-597: A professor of medicine at UC San Francisco who is an expert on ephedrine and other stimulants, agreed that "These [levels] are what you'd see from someone taking cold or allergy medicines and are unlikely to have any effect on performance." Following Exum's revelations the IAAF acknowledged that at the 1988 Olympic Trials the USOC indeed followed the correct procedures in dealing with eight positive findings for ephedrine and ephedrine-related compounds in low concentration. Additionally, in 1988

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1392-487: A safe and detailed survey in the area. In June 2009, the city decided to preserve and exhibit the excavated remains and announced the construction of Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, which would serve as a venue for the exhibition of historical remains. The area of the park is 65,232 m, and the fortress walls of Seoul and Igansumun, two outdoor exhibition spaces, Yigansumun Exhibition Hall, Dongdaemun History Museum 1396, Dongdaemun Stadium Memorial, and Gallery MUN are

1508-558: A sports calendar in which the main events were scheduled to be broadcast in major Western markets in television prime time. Athletes from 160 nations competed at the Seoul Games. Aruba , American Samoa , Brunei , Cook Islands , Maldives , Vanuatu , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , and South Yemen made their first Olympic appearance at these Games. Guam made their first Summer Olympic appearance at these games having participated in

1624-462: A vote held on 30 September 1981, finishing ahead of Nagoya , Japan. The awarding to Seoul was internationally considered to be surprising, with Nagoya having been considered a favourite. Below was the vote count that occurred at the 84th IOC Session and 11th Olympic Congress in Baden-Baden , West Germany . Seoul had previously hosted many international events, but the most noteworthy ones were

1740-514: A work detail of prisoners in ragged clothes overseen by guards with wooden bats and dogs. In his words, he knew immediately that "a very serious crime" was occurring, and in January 1987, he led a raid on the facility and found beaten and malnourished inmates. He was politically pressured at various levels to reduce the charges against the owner, managers, and guards. In the end, the owner only served 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 years in prison. The Brothers Home

1856-844: Is an exit exam for graduating from high school and many students proceeding to the university level are required to take the College Scholastic Ability Test that is held every November. Although there is a test for non-high school graduates, called school qualification exam, most Koreans take the test. Seoul is home to various specialized schools , including three science high schools, and six foreign language High Schools. Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education comprises 235 College-Preparatory High Schools, 80 Vocational Schools, 377 Middle Schools, and 33 Special Education Schools as of 2009 . 1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics ( Korean :  1988년 하계 올림픽 ; RR :  1988-nyeon Hagye Ollimpik ), officially

1972-486: Is evidence of the consumption of cooked grain and fish by 3,000 B.C. Around 1,500 B.C., communities began transitioning into the Bronze Age and farming at scale. Due to modern Seoul's significant urbanization, Amsa-dong Neolithic Site  [ ko ] is the only known major archaeological site in Seoul where Stone Age materials have been found, although such materials have also been found in minor sites throughout

2088-441: Is headed by a mayor and three vice mayors, and is divided into 25 autonomous districts and 522 administrative neighborhoods. Seoul is divided into 25 " gu " ( 구 ; 區 ) (district). The gu vary greatly in area (from 10 to 47 km or 3.9 to 18.1 sq mi) and population (from fewer than 140,000 to 630,000). Songpa has the most people, while Seocho has the largest area. The government of each gu handles many of

2204-449: Is hereby constituted a municipal corporation to be known as SEOUL. The boundaries of the municipal corporation are the present limits of the City of Seoul consisting of the following eight districts: Chong Koo , Chong No Koo , Sur Tai Moon Koo , Tong Tai Moon Koo , Sung Tong Koo , Ma Po Koo , Yong San Koo , and Yang Doung Po Koo , and as such may be extended as provided by law. Seoul under

2320-708: Is home to one of the world's largest Christian congregations, Yoido Full Gospel Church , which has around 830,000 members. According to the 2015 census, 10.8% of the population follows Buddhism and 35% follows Christianity (24.3% Protestantism and 10.7% Catholicism). 53.6% of the population is irreligious. Seoul is home to the world's largest modern university founded by a Buddhist Order, Dongguk University . Compulsory education lasts from grade 1–9 (six years of elementary school and three years of middle school). Students spend six years in elementary school, three years in middle school, and three years in high school. Secondary schools generally require students to wear uniforms. There

2436-576: Is in the northwest of South Korea. Seoul proper comprises 605.25 km (233.69 sq mi), with a radius of approximately 15 km (9 mi), roughly bisected into northern and southern halves by the Han River . The river is no longer actively used for navigation, because its estuary is located at the borders of the two Koreas, with civilian entry barred. There are four main mountains in central Seoul: Bugaksan , Inwangsan , Naksan and Namsan . The Seoul Fortress Wall , which historically bounded

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2552-429: Is made of concrete , aluminum , steel , and stone . The interior of the building is finished with plaster reinforced with synthetic fiber , acoustic tiles , acrylic resin , stainless steel , and polished stone in the interior. The DDP has three underground levels, four above-ground levels, and a main building that is 280 meters long. The building is equipped with diverse public spaces, including an exhibition hall,

2668-635: Is not a Sino-Korean word, 'Seoul' has no inherently corresponding Hanja ( Chinese characters used in the Korean language). Instead of phonetically transcribing 'Seoul' to Chinese, in the Chinese-speaking world, Seoul was called Hànchéng ( 汉城 ; 漢城 ), which is the Chinese pronunciation of Hanseong . On 18 January 2005, the Seoul Metropolitan Government changed Seoul's official Chinese name from

2784-407: Is noted in parentheses. Badminton and bowling were held as exhibition sports, which did not require IOC approval and were not part of the official Olympic schedule. Note: between May 8 and October 9, 1988,all the clocks in the country were advanced by one hour as a test of the possibility of adopting the daylight summer time in the country in the future. This advance also enabled the development of

2900-826: Is the seat of the South Korean government . Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it was founded by the people of Baekje , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. During the Joseon dynasty, Seoul was officially designated as the capital, surrounded by the Fortress Wall of Seoul. In the early 20th century, Seoul was occupied by the Japanese Empire , temporarily renamed " Keijō " ("Gyeongseong" in Korean). The Korean War brought fierce battles, with Seoul changing hands four times and leaving

3016-441: The 1980 Summer Olympics ( Moscow ) and the 1984 Summer Olympics ( Los Angeles ), which were divided into two camps by ideology, the 1988 Seoul Olympics was a competition in which the boycotts virtually disappeared, although they were not completely over. North Korea boycotted the 1988 Seoul Olympics, as did five socialist countries including Cuba , an ally of North Korea. Albania , Ethiopia , and Seychelles did not respond to

3132-637: The 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. In the following list, the number in parentheses indicates the number of athletes from each nation that competed in Seoul: ^   Note:  Brunei participated in the Opening Ceremonies and Closing Ceremonies, marking its first appearance at the Olympic Games, but its delegation consisted of only one swimming official. 8,453 athletes from 159 NOCs These are

3248-596: The 2002 FIFA World Cup . Seoul is geographically set in a mountainous and hilly terrain, with Bukhansan positioned on its northern edge. Within the Seoul Capital Area lie five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Changdeokgung , Hwaseong Fortress , Jongmyo , Namhansanseong , and the Royal Tombs of the Joseon dynasty . Furthermore, Seoul has witnessed a surge in modern architectural development, with iconic landmarks including

3364-466: The Brothers Home facility. Many of the guards were former inmates who had been "promoted" because of loyalty to the camp's owner. Various money-making operations were conducted such as manufacturing ball-point pens and fishing hooks, as well as clothing for Daewoo. Only a few inmates were paid belatedly for this work. By accident while on a hunting trip, prosecutor Kim Yong-won heard about and visited

3480-566: The Games of the XXIV Olympiad ( 제24회 올림픽경기대회 ; Je-24-hoe Ollimpik-Gyeonggidaehoe ) and officially branded as Seoul 1988 ( 서울 1988 ), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul , South Korea. 159 nations were represented at the games by a total of 8,391 athletes (6,197 men and 2,194 women). 237 events were held and 27,221 volunteers helped to prepare

3596-691: The Hanja ' 漢 ' (a transliteration of a native Korean word 한 ; han ; lit.  great), which may also refer to the Han people or the Han dynasty in Chinese and is associated with 'China' in Japanese context. After World War II and the liberation of Korea , Seoul became the official name for the Korean capital. The Standard Korean Language Dictionary still acknowledges both common and proper noun definitions of seoul . Unlike most place names in Korea, as it

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3712-504: The Miss Universe 1980 and the 1986 Asian Games , thus demonstrating that it had the appropriate capability. Live doves were released during the opening ceremony as a symbol of world peace, but a number of the doves were burned alive or suffered major trauma by the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. As a result of protests following the incident, the last time live doves were released during

3828-654: The N Seoul Tower , the 63 Building , the Lotte World Tower , the Dongdaemun Design Plaza , Lotte World , the Trade Tower , COEX , IFC Seoul , and Parc1 . Seoul was named the World Design Capital in 2010 and has served as the national hub for the music, entertainment, and cultural industries that have propelled K-pop and the Korean Wave to international prominence. Traditionally, seoul ( 서울 ) has been

3944-618: The Second Sino-Japanese War , Yeongdeungpo District was annexed into Seoul on April 1, 1936, to function as an industrial complex for steel and other metalworking factories. The city was liberated by U.S. forces at the end of World War II . In 1945, following the liberation from Japanese colonial rule, the American military assumed control of Korea, including its capital city, then referred to as Kyeongseongbu in line with Japanese nomenclature. The U.S. military government published

4060-661: The Seoul Design Foundation of the city of Seoul. Dongdaemun Stadium was the first modern stadium in Korea and was built during the Japanese Colonial Period to celebrate the wedding of the Japanese Prince. From 1925 until its demolition in 2007, various national sports and celebration events were held there. The stadium was abandoned after the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and became a local market in front of

4176-715: The Seychelles did not respond to the invitations sent by the IOC . Nicaragua did not participate due to athletic and financial considerations. Madagascar had been expected to participate before withdrawing for financial reasons. In 1988, the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee (SLOOC) produced and distributed an official song of the Seoul Games to publicize the Games to all the IOC member nations, encouraging their participation in

4292-520: The Soviet Union and East Germany , as both ceased to exist before the next Olympic Games in 1992 . The Soviet Union dominated the medal count, winning 55 gold and 132 total medals. The results that got closest to that medal haul in the years since are China 's and the United States 's 48 gold medals in 2008 and 2012 , respectively, and the United States 's 126 total medals in 2024 . Compared to

4408-486: The 17th century. Thus, the Joseon capital of Hanseong was widely referred to as the seoul. Due to its common usage, French missionaries called the Joseon capital Séoul (/se.ul/) in their writings, hence the common romanization Seoul in various languages today. Under subsequent Japanese colonization , Hanseong was renamed as Keijō (京城, literally 'capital city') by the Imperial authorities to prevent confusion with

4524-403: The 1960s, urbanization also accelerated and workers began to move to Seoul and other larger cities. In 1963, Seoul went through two major expansions that established the shape and size of the present-day Seoul—barring minor adjustments to the borders later in 1973 and 2000. In August 1963, Seoul annexed parts of Yangju-gun , Gwangju-gun , Siheung-gun , Gimpo-gun , and Bucheon-gun , expanding

4640-527: The 1988 Olympics. An Associated Press article states that homeless and alcoholic persons, "but mostly children and the disabled" were arrested and sent to these camps to prepare for the Olympics. In addition, a prosecutor had his investigation into the Brothers Home camp limited at a number of levels of government "in part out of fear of an embarrassing international incident on the eve of the Olympics." In 1975,

4756-549: The 1988 Summer Olympics, is the largest park. The areas near the stream Tancheon are popular for exercise. Cheonggyecheon also has spaces for recreation. In 2017 the Seoullo 7017 Skypark opened, spanning diagonally overtop Seoul Station. There are also many parks along the Han River , such as Ichon Hangang Park, Yeouido Hangang Park, Mangwon Hangang Park, Nanji Hangang Park, Banpo Hangang Park, Ttukseom Hangang Park and Jamsil Hangang Park. The Seoul National Capital Area also contains

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4872-565: The 1988 United States Olympic trials for minimum amounts of pseudoephedrine , ephedrine , and phenylpropanolamine , which were banned stimulants . Bronchodilators are also found in cold medication. Due to the rules, his case could have led to disqualification from the Seoul Olympics and suspension from competition for six months. The levels of the combined stimulants registered in the separate tests were 2 ppm , 4 ppm and 6 ppm. Lewis defended himself, claiming that he had accidentally consumed

4988-419: The 2004 Pritzker Prize , with the concept of "Metonymic Landscape". Metonymy refers to a method of describing a specific object indirectly, and Hadid integrated historical, cultural , urban , social , and economic aspects of Seoul deduced from this method in order to create a scene of the landscape . Designed as a cultural hub in the historical district of Seoul, South Korea's largest fashion district,

5104-406: The 5th century. However, according to Samguk sagi , both Baekje and Silla described the land as frontier border of Baekje, not as the capital region. Moreover, Jinheung Taewang Stele found at current day Bukhansan tells that the place was underdeveloped as of 6th century AD, suggesting that the first capital Wiryeseong was not located in or nearby Seoul. In July or August 553, Silla took

5220-509: The Charter of the City of Seoul in the official gazette on October 10 of the following year. The charter declared Seoul as the name of the city and established it as a municipal corporation . Seoul's status as a municipal corporation mirrored the independent cities in the United States that do not belong to any county, and Seoul was established as an independent administrative unit, separate from

5336-499: The DDP is composed of undulating surfaces that resemble the flow of liquid and allow flexibility in space. The state-of-the-art BIM (Building Information Modeling), mega-truss (extra-large roof truss ) system, and space frame system are the key features in terms of creating grand-scale spaces. According to Hadid , the fundamental features of her design were " transparency , porousness , and durability ." Many ecological features, including

5452-559: The DDP. The park connects the round-shaped Downtown Green Field Corridor from Mt. Naksan to Mt. Namsan , and serves as a cultural space for exhibiting the historic and cultural assets of Seoul. Originally, Hadid designed this area as a design street that introduces the latest design trends, but, during the excavation and demolition process of Dongdaemun Stadium, which started in December 2007, various historical remains were found. The city of Seoul established an excavation and investigation team for

5568-596: The Dongdaemun Sports Complex, but its utilization decreased following the construction of the Jamsil Sports Complex in preparation for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. The Dongdaemun commercial area developed in the latter part of the Chosun Dynasty when people started to create an autonomous marketplace around Baeogae. Another large-scale modern market, Gwangjang Market , was formed, and the district became

5684-401: The IOC in September 1981, in hopes that the increased international exposure brought by the Olympics would legitimize his authoritarian regime amidst increasing political pressure for democratization and less rigidity in state policies. Further, he hoped it would provide protection from increasing threats from North Korea , and showcase the economic strength that the country was experiencing to

5800-665: The IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch , who was committed to the participation of these countries. Thus, at the Assembly of National Olympic Committees in Mexico City in November 1984, the "Mexico Declaration" was adopted. The declaration offered support for participation in the 1988 Olympics by all members of the Association of National Olympic Committees. The agreement with the Soviet Union

5916-520: The Improvement of Air Quality in the Seoul Metropolitan Area" was passed in December 2003. Its 1st Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement Plan (2005–2014) focused on improving the concentrations of PM10 and nitrogen dioxide by reducing emissions. As a result, the annual average PM10 concentrations decreased from 70.0 μg/m in 2001 to 44.4 μg/m in 2011 and 46 μg/m in 2014. As of 2014,

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6032-569: The North Koreans in the June 1950 First Battle of Seoul , recaptured by UN forces in the September 1950 Second Battle of Seoul , falling to a combined Chinese-North Korean force in the January 1951 Third Battle of Seoul , and finally being recaptured once more by UN forces in Operation Ripper during the spring of 1951. The extensive fighting left the city heavily damaged after the war. The capital

6148-399: The Olympic Games. According to The Oxford Olympics Study data is not available to establish the cost of the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics. the cost of the stadium was 491 billion won, approximately US$ 354 million. The 1988 Summer Olympics featured 23 different sports encompassing 31 disciplines, and medals were awarded in 237 events. In the list below, the number of events in each discipline

6264-451: The Olympics was a big opportunity to bring international attention to South Korea. But before that, it was necessary to prove the country's capacity, as South Korea was seen as an exotic and risky destination for large events. The project continued to run even after President Park's assassination in 1979 . With the successful staging of Miss Universe 1980 and the 1986 Asian Games , Chun Doo-hwan , Park's successor, submitted Korea's bid to

6380-580: The Olympics. The 1988 Seoul Olympics were the second summer Olympic Games held in Asia, after Tokyo 1964 , and the first held in South Korea. As the host country, South Korea ranked fourth overall, winning 12 gold medals and 33 medals in the competition. 11,331 media (4,978 written press and 6,353 broadcasters ) showed the Games all over the world. These were the last Olympic Games of the Cold War , as well as for

6496-557: The Seoul Capital Area, which has major technology hubs, such as Gangnam and Digital Media City. Seoul is ranked seventh in the Global Power City Index and the Global Financial Centres Index , and is one of the five leading hosts of global conferences. The city has also hosted major events such as the 1986 Asian Games , the 1988 Summer Olympics , and the 2010 G20 Seoul summit , in addition to three matches at

6612-465: The Seoul Olympics as a form of political communication. They revealed the significance of South Korea's military government throughout the period of the Olympic bid and preparation, followed by the many advantages of the hosting the Games: rapid economic modernization, social mobilization and the legitimization of the military dictatorship. Existing camps for "vagrants" (homeless persons) were ramped up before

6728-700: The U.S. military government between 1945 and 1948 was much smaller than it is today. It only covered the Fortress Wall , marked by the Eight Gates , and the districts incorporated during Japanese rule to prosecute imperial Japan's war efforts. During the Korean War , Seoul changed hands between the Soviet- and Chinese-backed North Korean forces and the American-backed South Korean forces four times: falling to

6844-498: The annual average PM10 concentration was still at least twice than that recommended by the WHO Air Quality Guidelines. The 2nd Seoul Metropolitan Air Quality Improvement Plan (2015–2024) added PM2.5 and ozone to its list of managed pollutants. Investment in air quality improvement between 2007 and 2020 in the order of US$ 9 billion on the part of three key local authorities, namely Gyeonggi, Incheon and Seoul, delivered

6960-509: The area of approximately 4 km (2.5 miles) radius surrounding the Fortress Wall (i.e., Outer old Seoul ; 성저십리 ; 城底十里 ). On October 1, 1910, Imperial Japan demoted Seoul as no different than any other city within the Gyeonggi Province . After Imperial Japan's redistricting, Seoul only included the area inside the Fortress Wall and present-day Yongsan District . In the 1930s, as part of Imperial Japan's war efforts leading up to

7076-461: The banned substances. After the supplements that he had taken were analyzed to prove his claims, the USOC accepted his claim of inadvertent use, since a dietary supplement he ingested was found to contain "Ma huang", the Chinese name for Ephedra (ephedrine is known to help weight loss). Fellow Santa Monica Track Club teammates Joe DeLoach and Floyd Heard were also found to have the same banned stimulants in their systems, and were cleared to compete for

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7192-472: The city Gyeongseong ("Kyongsong" in Korean and " Keijō " in Japanese). The city saw significant transformation under Japanese colonial rule. Imperial Japan removed the city walls, paved roads, and built Western-style buildings. Seoul was deprived of its special status as the capital city and downsized under imperial Japan, compared to the traditional notion among people of the Joseon dynasty that Seoul included

7308-458: The city as the provincial capital. Based on the naming system, the actual name of Han River during this time was likely Namcheon (Nam River) itself or should have the word ending with "cheon" ( 천 ; 川 ) not "gang" ( 강 ; 江 ) nor "su" ( 수 ; 水 ). In addition, "Bukhansan" Jinheung Stele clearly states that Silla had possession of Hanseong (modern day Pyongyang ), thus Bukhansan has to be located north of Hanseong. Modern day Pyongyang

7424-423: The city mostly in ruins. Nevertheless, the city has since undergone significant reconstruction and rapid urbanization. Seoul was rated Asia's most livable city, with the second-highest quality of life globally according to Arcadis in 2015 and a GDP per capita (PPP) of approximately $ 40,000. 15 Fortune Global 500 companies, including industry giants such as Samsung , LG , and Hyundai , are headquartered in

7540-527: The city, often through rescue archaeology . Seoul is first recorded as Wiryeseong, the capital of Baekje (founded in 18 BC) in the northeastern area of modern Seoul. There are several city walls remaining in the area that date from this time. Pungnaptoseong , an earthen wall located southeast Seoul, is widely believed to have been at the main Wiryeseong site. As the Three Kingdoms competed for this strategic region, control passed from Baekje to Goguryeo in

7656-527: The city, goes over these mountains. The city is bordered by eight mountains, as well as the more level lands of the Han River plain and western areas. Seoul has a large quantity of parks. One of the most famous parks is Namsan Park , which offers recreational hiking and views of the downtown Seoul skyline, especially via its N Seoul Tower . Seoul Olympic Park , located in Songpa District and built to host

7772-485: The control of the region from Baekje, and the city became a part of newly established Sin Province ( 신주 ; 新州 ). Sin (新) has both meaning of "New" and "Silla", thus literally means New Silla Province. In November 555, Jinheung Taewang made a royal visit to Bukhansan, and inspected the frontier. In 557, Silla abolished Sin Province, and established Bukhansan Province ( 북한산주 ; 北漢山州 ). The word Hanseong ( 한성 ; 漢城 ; lit.  Han Fortress) appears on

7888-417: The country and according to satellite data, the persistent carbon dioxide anomaly over the city is one of the strongest in the world. Air quality is monitored by geo-stationary satellite measurements centred on Korea and its immediate neighbours. In January 2024 Seoul Metro , whose passengers at the time numbered approximately 7 million a day, announced plans for extensive pollution reduction measures across

8004-417: The current Ichon-dong , the Banpo apartment complex , Apgujeong-dong and Jamsil-dong . Until 1972, Seoul was claimed by North Korea as its de jure capital, being specified as such in Article 103 of the 1948 North Korean constitution . Seoul was the host city of the 1986 Asian Games and 1988 Summer Olympics as well as one of the venues of the 2002 FIFA World Cup . South Korea's 2019 population

8120-415: The design rest area are located inside the museum hall. The design lab operates as an incubator for budding product designers from inside and outside the country. The design market is a multipurpose space for cultural events and shopping, and is open 24 hours a day. In addition, the DDP has parking areas, dispensaries, a feeding room, a coatroom, a cafe, and other facilities that are operated and managed by

8236-597: The downtown area of Seoul. Seoul Seoul , officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City , is the capital and largest city of South Korea . The broader Seoul Capital Area , encompassing Gyeonggi Province and Incheon , emerged as the world's sixth largest metropolitan economy in 2022, trailing behind Paris , San Francisco , Los Angeles , Tokyo , and New York , and hosts more than half of South Korea's population. Although Seoul's population peaked at over 10 million, it has gradually decreased since 2014, standing at about 9.6 million residents as of 2024. Seoul

8352-399: The early 1990s, the reasons being the high costs of living, urban sprawling to Gyeonggi region's satellite bed cities and an aging population. As of 2016, the number of foreigners living in Seoul was 404,037, 22.9% of the total foreign population in South Korea. As of June 2011, 186,631 foreigners were Chinese citizens of Korean ancestry. This was an 8.84% increase from the end of 2010 and

8468-466: The erosion of the wall's remaining structure. The Gyeongseong Sports Complex, constructed in 1925, underwent significant demolition of the adjacent wall and buildings, resulting in its renaming to Dongdaemun Stadium. Following Korea's independence, the first modern stadium was rebranded as the Seoul Sports Complex, becoming a notable venue for national events. Later, it was once again renamed to

8584-476: The existing provinces. The Korean version of the Charter translated " municipal corporation " as " special free city " ( 특별자유시 ; 特別自由市 ), which later became special metropolitan city (or special metropolitan city; 특별시 ) in the Local Autonomy Act of 1949  [ ko ] . Seoul has retained its status as the only special metropolitan city in South Korea (i.e., 서울특별시 ). The City of Seoul

8700-446: The festival and consolidating the harmony and friendship of the entire world citizens through the song. The song " Hand in Hand " was written by Italian composer Giorgio Moroder and American songwriter Tom Whitlock , and performed by singing group Koreana . Existing facilities modified or refurbished in preparation for the Olympic Games. New facilities constructed in preparation for

8816-459: The five-colored Olympic Rings, as well as a mass demonstration of taekwondo . The skydiving team trained at SkyDance SkyDiving and had hoped the opening ceremony appearance would set the stage for skydiving becoming a medal event by 2000. The idea for South Korea to place a bid for the 1988 Games emerged during the last days of the Park Chung Hee administration in the late 1970s, as hosting

8932-661: The former Brothers Home. Victims of the Brothers Home are seeking a government investigation into the crimes committed and accountability. In preparation for the 1988 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee worked to prevent another Olympic boycott by the Eastern Bloc as had happened at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles . This was made more difficult by the lack of diplomatic relations between South Korea and communist countries. This prompted action by

9048-507: The fortress), and areas 10 Ri (Korean mile) around the Fortress Wall, which were named as Seongjeosimni ( Korean :  성저십리 ; Hanja :  城底十里 ; lit.  10 Ris around the fortress). The Doseong-an area later gained the informal but popular name Sadaemun-an ( 사대문 안 ), which literally means 'areas inside of the Four Great Gates ', and became the one and only downtown (city center) of Hanyang city . In

9164-479: The functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions. Each gu is divided into " dong " ( 동 ; 洞 ), or neighborhoods. Some gu have only a few dong s while others like Jongno District have a very large number of distinct neighborhoods. Seoul has 423 administrative dongs ( 행정동 ) in total. Seoul proper is noted for its population density , which is almost twice that of New York City and eight times greater than Rome . Its metropolitan area

9280-405: The historic Hànchéng to Shǒu'ěr ( 首尔 ; 首爾 ). Shǒu'ěr is a phono-semantic match incorporating both sound and meaning (through 首 meaning 'head', 'chief', 'first'). There is evidence of human habitation in the area now corresponding to Seoul from 30,000 to 40,000 years before the present. Around 4,000 B.C., people of the area lived in huts with lowered floors called umjip ( 움집 ). There

9396-585: The hottest month, has average high and low temperatures of 30.0 and 22.9 °C (86 and 73 °F) with higher temperatures possible. Heat index values can surpass 40 °C (104.0 °F) at the height of summer. Winters are usually cold to freezing with average January high and low temperatures of 2.1 and −5.5 °C (35.8 and 22.1 °F), and are generally much drier than summers, with an average of 24.9 days of snow annually. Sometimes, temperatures drop dramatically to below −10 °C (14 °F), and on some occasions as low as −15 °C (5 °F) in

9512-472: The international community in the post-war era, the South Korean government hoped to use the Olympics as a "coming-out party". The Olympics gave a powerful impetus to the development of South Korea's relations with Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union and with China. In January 1982, South Korea's curfew that had been in place since 1945 was lifted. In utilizing media events theory, Larson and Park investigated

9628-458: The invitation sent by the IOC . Nicaragua did not participate due to athletic and financial considerations, while the expected participation of Madagascar was withdrawn for financial reasons. Nonetheless, the much larger boycotts seen in the three previous editions were avoided, resulting in the largest number of participating nations during the Cold War era. For South Korea, the 1988 Olympics

9744-403: The key features and facilities in the park area. The local fashion hub district and the residential area share the park at the center, which was previously separated by Jangchungdanro-ro. In addition, because of the improvement in pedestrian walking environment after the construction of the underground walking network, the park and building serve as a new cultural space that connects many parts of

9860-518: The largest fashion hub in South Korea. The demolition of the stadium is not without its critics, including those who challenge the eventual removal of street vendors as a "repressive relocation." Situated in Dongdaemun , Dongdaemun District, an ancient fortress wall, once served as a protective barrier for Hanyang , the capital of Chosun. However, the scars of war and urban expansion significantly impacted its physical integrity. In 1889, its initial damage

9976-594: The late 19th century, after hundreds of years of isolation, Seoul opened its gates to foreigners and began modernization. Seoul became the first city in East Asia to introduce electricity in the royal palace, which was established by the Edison Illuminating Company . A decade later the city also implemented electrical street lights. After Gojong 's proclamation of Korea as the Korean Empire in 1897, Seoul

10092-420: The mid winter period of January and February. Temperatures below −20 °C (−4 °F) have been recorded. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is the local government for Seoul, and is responsible for the administration and provision of various services to the city, including correctional institutions, education, libraries, public safety, recreational facilities, sanitation, water supply, and welfare services. It

10208-550: The network. The target was to cut pollution to over 30% below the legal limit of 50 μg/m3. It was 32 μg/m3 by 2026. The outset actuality was 38.8 μg/m3 average concentration of pollution.  Starting in 2024, ₩100 billion annually for three years was earmarked for air pollution reduction measures. These included installation of air conditioning, better ventilation systems and filters, replacement of dust-inducing gravel rail tunnel beds with concrete ones, dust-capture matting at turnstiles, and constant public readings for pollution within

10324-487: The new landmark of Seoul, the city invited architects in February 2007 to participate in a design competition. The city requested that the architects include a design plaza, underground spaces, a history park, and a culture park in the project, according to the guidelines. Zaha Hadid's Metonymic Landscape won the competition. The exterior envelope of the DDP, a smooth and giant mushroom-like structure floating above ground level,

10440-624: The northeastern borders of Seoul. In September, Seoul again annexed present-day Gangnam . The two consecutive expansions more than doubled the size of Seoul from approximately 268 km (103 sq mi) to 613 km (237 sq mi). After annexation, Gangnam 's development was spurred by key infrastructure projects: the construction of the Hannam Bridge (1966–1969) and Gyeongbu Expressway (1968–1970). As Seoul's population kept growing, Park 's regime focused its development plans on Gangnam. The main hurdle for Gangnam's development

10556-410: The northern border. The city lost its provincial capital position and was put under Bukhansan Province once again. This further proves that Bukhansan was located in the North of modern-day Pyongyang as changing the provincial name and objective would not be required if Bukhansan was located within Seoul. In the 11th century Goryeo , which succeeded Unified Silla , built a summer palace in Seoul, which

10672-518: The opening ceremony was in 1992 in Barcelona, at the start of the ceremony. Balloon doves were released in 1994 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics and paper doves were used at the Atlanta Ceremony in 1996 . These were also the last Summer Olympic Games to hold the opening ceremony during the daytime. The opening ceremony featured a skydiving team descending over the stadium and forming

10788-597: The previous president of South Korea had begun a policy of rounding up vagrants. According to government documents obtained by the Associated Press, from 1981 to 1986 the number of people held increased from 8,600 to more than 16,000. Police officers often received promotions based on the number of vagrants they had arrested, and owners of facilities received a subsidy based on the number of people held. There were multiple reports of inmates raped or beaten, and sometimes beaten to death. 4,000 of these "vagrants" were held at

10904-446: The same period fell by 19% across the country and more in Seoul and Gyeonggi. Asian dust , emissions from Seoul and in general from the rest of South Korea, as well as emissions from China, all contribute to Seoul's air quality. Besides air quality, greenhouse gas emissions represent hot issues in South Korea since the country is among top-10 strongest emitters in the world. Seoul is the strongest hotspot of greenhouse gas emissions in

11020-457: The same reason. The highest level of the stimulants Lewis recorded was 6 ppm, which was regarded as a positive test in 1988 but is now regarded as negative test. The acceptable level has been raised to ten parts per million for ephedrine and twenty-five parts per million for other substances. According to the IOC rules at the time, positive tests with levels lower than 10 ppm were cause of further investigation but not immediate ban. Neal Benowitz,

11136-663: The stone wall of "Pyongyang Fortress", which was presumably built in the mid to late 6th century AD over period of 42 years, located in Pyongyang, while there is no evidence that Seoul had name Hanseong dating the three kingdoms and earlier period. In 568, Jinheung Taewang made another royal visit to the northern border, visited Hanseong, and stayed in Namcheon on his way back to the capital. During his stay, he set Jinheung Taewang Stele, abolished Bukhansan Province, and established Namcheon Province (남천주; 南川州; South River Province), appointing

11252-523: The system. Seoul has a humid continental ( Köppen : Dwa ) or humid subtropical climate ( Cwa , by −3 °C or 26.6 °F isotherm), influenced by the monsoons ; there is great variation in temperature and precipitation throughout the year. The suburbs of Seoul are generally cooler than the center of Seoul because of the urban heat island effect. Summers are hot and humid, with the East Asian monsoon taking place from June until September. August,

11368-450: The top ten nations that won medals at the 1988 Games.   *   Host nation (South Korea) The official mascot for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games was Hodori . It was a stylized tiger designed by Kim Hyun as an amicable Amur tiger , portraying the friendly and hospitable traditions of the Korean people . Hodori's female version was called Hosuni . The name 호돌이 Hodori

11484-513: The world. Seoul was awarded the bid on 30 September 1981, becoming the 16th nation in the Summer Olympics , as well as the second Asian nation (following Japan in the 1964 Summer Olympics ) and the first mainland Asian nation to host the Olympics. Influenced by the model of 1964 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo, which served as a rite of passage for the Japanese economy and re-integration of Japan in

11600-580: Was 24 micrograms per cubic meter (1.0 × 10  gr/cu ft), which is 2.4 times higher than that recommended by the WHO Air Quality Guidelines for the annual mean PM2.5. The Seoul Metropolitan Government monitors and publicly shares real-time air quality data. Since the early 1960s, the Ministry of Environment has implemented a range of policies and air pollutant standards to improve and manage air quality for its people. The "Special Act on

11716-466: Was a religious facility based on the Christian faith. There were in fact inspections by both city officials and church officials. However, these were scheduled inspections in which healthier inmates were presented in carefully planned and orchestrated circumstances. There were no unannounced inspections. In the 1990s, construction workers found about 100 human bones on a mountainside outside the location of

11832-455: Was a symbolic event that elevated its international image while also contributing to national pride. Only thirty-five years after the Korean War which devastated the nation, and during a decade of social unrest in South Korea, the Olympics was successfully held and became the culmination of what was deemed the " Miracle on the Han River ". Seoul was chosen to host the Summer Games through

11948-618: Was also known by other various historical names, such as Bukhansan-gun (북한산군; 北漢山郡, during the Goguryeo era), Namcheon ( 남천 ; 南川 , during the Silla era), Hanyang ( 한양 ; 漢陽 , during the Northern and Southern States period ), Namgyeong (남경; 南京, during the Goryeo era), and Hanseong ( 한성 ; 漢城 , during the Joseon era). The word seoul was used colloquially to refer to the capital as early as

12064-616: Was chosen from 2,295 suggestions sent in by the public. It is a compound of 호 ho , the Sino-Korean bound morpheme for "tiger" (appearing also in the usual word 호랑이 horangi for "tiger"), and 돌이 dori , a diminutive for "boys". In the United States, NBC became the telecast provider hereafter for the Summer Games, after a five-Olympics run by the American Broadcasting Company from 1968 to 1984. NBC's coverage

12180-497: Was estimated at 51.71 million, and according to the 2018 Population and Housing Census, 49.8% of the population resided in the Seoul metropolitan area. This was up by 0.7% from 49.1% in 2010, showing a distinct trend toward the concentration of the population in the capital. Seoul has become the economic, political and cultural hub of the country, with several Fortune Global 500 companies, including Samsung , SK Holdings , Hyundai , POSCO and LG Group headquartered there. Seoul

12296-456: Was floods because the area is low-lying and prone to flooding. Then Seoul mayor Kim Hyun-ok ordered construction of an expressway that doubled as embankment , which became the present-day Gangbyeon Expressway . The construction started in March 1967 and completed in September of the same year. Similar projects transformed previously flood-prone areas into usable land for development. Such areas include

12412-515: Was inflicted to make way for a trolley railway, integrating Seoul's Seodaemun and Cheongnyangni districts. In 1908, during a visit by a Japanese prince, a segment between Dongdaemun and Gwanghwamun was removed, facilitating the construction of the Gyeongseong Sports Complex—a symbol of the prince's wedding under Emperor Hirohito 's reign in 1924. Illicit residential development and unsanctioned post-Korean War construction perpetuated

12528-505: Was not Pyongyang, Taedong River was likely Han River, and Bukhansan was not Bukhansan during the three kingdoms period. Moreover, Pyongyang was a common noun meaning capital used by Goguryeo and Goryeo dynasties, similar to Seoul. In 603, Goguryeo attacked Bukhansanseong (북한산성; 北漢山城; Bukhan Mountain Fortress), which Silla ended up winning. In 604, Silla abolished Namcheon Province, and reestablished Bukhansan Province in order to strengthen

12644-477: Was partially finished around 1396. The city of Hanyang was governed by the Hanseongbu  [ ko ] ( 한성부 ), an agency of the national government dedicated to affairs on the administration of the capital city. The Hanseongbu divided Hanyang into two major categories: areas inside the Fortress Wall, which were typically named Seong-jung ( 성중 ; 城中 ) or Doseong-an ( 도성 안 ; lit.  Inside

12760-504: Was reached in 1987. After the Los Angeles games, East Germany had already decided to participate again in Seoul. The IOC also decided that it would send invitations to the 1988 Games itself and did not leave this task to the organizing committee as had been done before. Despite these developments, behind the scenes, the IOC did consider relocating the Games and explored the suitability of Munich as an alternative. Another point of conflict

12876-408: Was referred to as the "Southern Capital". It was only from this period that Seoul became a larger settlement. Seoul became the planned capital of Korea by Yi Seong-gye , the founding father of the Joseon dynasty. After enthroning himself as King at the capital of old Goryeo in 1392, Yi Seong-gye changed the name of his Kingdom from Goryeo to Joseon in 1393 and began his search for a place for

12992-514: Was temporarily called Hwangseong ( 황성 ; 皇城 ; lit.  the imperial city). Much of modern development around this era was propelled by trade with foreign countries like France and the United States. For example, the Seoul Electric Company , Seoul Electric Trolley Company, and Seoul Fresh Spring Water Company were all joint Korean–U.S. owned enterprises. After the annexation treaty in 1910, Japan annexed Korea and renamed

13108-486: Was temporarily relocated to Busan . One estimate of the extensive damage states that after the war, at least 191,000 buildings, 55,000 houses, and 1,000 factories lay in ruins. In addition, a flood of refugees had entered Seoul during the war, swelling the population of the city and its metropolitan area to an estimated 1.5 million by 1955. Following the war, Seoul began to focus on reconstruction and modernization. As South Korea's economy started to grow rapidly from

13224-613: Was the involvement of North Korea in hosting the Games, something that had been encouraged by Cuban president Fidel Castro , who called for North Korea to be considered joint host of the Games. As a result, on 8 and 9 January 1986 in Lausanne , Switzerland, the IOC President chaired a meeting of the North and South Korean Olympic Committees. North Korea demanded that eleven of the 23 Olympic sports be carried out on its territory, and also demanded special opening and closing ceremonies. It wanted

13340-434: Was the most densely populated among OECD countries in Asia in 2012, and second worldwide after that of Paris . As of the end of June 2011, 10.29 million Republic of Korea citizens lived in the city. This was a 0.24% decrease from the end of 2010. The population was 10.44 million in 2012, and 9.86 million in 2015. As of 2021, Seoul's population is 9.59 million. The population of Seoul has been dropping since

13456-616: Was their first sporting event to feature the new Quantel Cypher to generate the on-screen graphics. However, the network would continue to use Chyron Corporation for the rest of the year with Quantel being used again for the 1988 World Series . The Cypher would be implemented permanently starting with Super Bowl XXIII in January 1989. In 2003, Wade Exum, the United States Olympic Committee's director of drug control administration from 1991 to 2000, released documents that showed Carl Lewis had tested positive three times at

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