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77-397: First held in 1993, the event began as an amateur competition for the city's residents and club-level runners. By 1999, over 10,000 runners took part in the day's event on an annual basis. After an initial incorporation of an international race in the mid-1990s, the race again reverted to being a national Korean competition due to financial constraints. The race was moved to Seoul in 2000 but

154-460: 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

231-455: 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

308-656: A Korean daily broadsheet . The competition is one of two annual road running festivals in the city, the other being the Gyeongjyu Cherry Blossom Marathon which is held in April when the trees come into blossom. The course of the marathon begins in Hwangseong Park and ends on the running track of the Gyeongju Public Stadium within the park. The men's course record for the marathon is 2:08:52, which

385-513: 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

462-466: 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

539-516: 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

616-461: A preparation for the summit. Plans for accommodating peaceful protesters were paired with plans for mitigating disruptive demonstrations. The G20 raised security concerns unrelated to demonstrators protesting the presence of the leaders of 20 economies in Seoul. For example, some analysts projected that anything perceived as a success for South Korea would be simultaneously construed in Pyongyang as

693-446: A threat to North Korea. Despite public endorsements by attending leaders, most commentators looking back on the summit have argued that only limited progress was made, especially on the headline issue of currency war and addressing trade imbalances. Leaders were generally unable to agree on key issues, with commentators such as economist Eswar Prasad noting the absence of the sense of unity that had been present at summits during

770-745: 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 . 2010 G20 Seoul summit The 2010 G20 Seoul Summit

847-486: 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

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924-441: 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

1001-449: 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

1078-708: 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

1155-576: 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

1232-635: 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

1309-596: 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

1386-525: The European Commission . Representatives from other countries and regional organizations were invited to take part in the summit. The South Korean government declined to invite the Netherlands , which had been invited to attend all four previous G20 summits. A Korean spokesman said that "a certain region had been over-represented" in the past; and for this Asian summit, Singapore was invited. This

1463-691: 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

1540-716: 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

1617-618: 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

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1694-497: The Toronto summit . This was also the first opportunity for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore to listen and to make his voice heard at the G20 leaders' meetings. Security for the G20 summit presented a unique array of problems. In addition to the security of the main venue, COEX , South Korea was more broadly responsible for providing a safe venue for the delegations who come to

1771-486: 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

1848-403: 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

1925-549: 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

2002-406: 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

2079-509: 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

2156-565: The Gyeongju marathon re-emerged in 2006 and elite foreign runners returned to the city the following year. The competition now features an international elite-level marathon race for both men and women, as well as amateur fun run events over the half marathon , 10K and 5K distances. The event is one of a series of races in the country (alongside the Baekje Marathon and Seoul International Marathon ) which are sponsored by The Dong-a Ilbo ,

2233-571: 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,

2310-619: 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

2387-557: 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

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2464-700: 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

2541-498: 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

2618-509: 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

2695-520: 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

2772-458: 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

2849-423: 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

2926-584: 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

3003-527: 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

3080-536: 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

3157-417: 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

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3234-514: 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

3311-453: 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

3388-476: 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

3465-563: 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

3542-479: 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

3619-405: 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

3696-585: 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

3773-594: 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

3850-420: 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

3927-550: 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

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4004-624: 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

4081-458: 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

4158-446: 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

4235-451: The sea and a traditional Korean lantern ( cheongsachorong ). Originally, three new artificial islands built on the Han River between the Banpo and Dongjak bridges were going to be used as the main venue. However, delayed construction of the islands led for the main summit venue to relocate to COEX Convention & Exhibition Center . The Republic of Korea Armed Forces and Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency provided security for

4312-663: 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

4389-537: The summit venue via motorcades along the highway from the airport. Transportation around the summit venue was upgraded with electric buses to help media and others around the city. The participants of the Seoul summit included the leaders and representatives of core members of the G20, which comprises 19 countries and the European Union , which is represented by its two governing bodies, the European Council and

4466-517: The summit. The National Police Agency led the security detail for the summit, both at the convention venue and the airport as well. Other police and security agencies involved were: In preparation, anti-terrorism drills were held by members of the South Korean police, military, special forces and private sector as part of the 2010 Ulchi-Freedom Guardian exercises against simulated hostage situations and chemical, biological and radiological attacks as

4543-523: 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,

4620-445: The venues. A group of South Korean artists, consisting of Gyu-ri , Seohyun , Jun. K , Changmin , Jaekyung , Jonghyun , Sungmin , Kahi , Luna , Ji Eun , Junhyung , Gayoon , Min , G.O , Bumkey , G.NA , Son Dam-bi , Seo In-guk , IU , and Anna, credited as Group of 20 recorded a song titled "Let's Go" for the summit. Most world leaders and international media arrived via Incheon International Airport and traveled to

4697-493: 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 is the seat of the South Korean government . Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it

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4774-475: The worse of the global financial crisis of 2007–2009 . IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said this particular summit was "more of a G20 debate than a G20 conclusion". Relating to the need to rebalance the world economy, agreement had been reached to work on indicative guidelines which will set suggested maximum limits for current account surpluses and deficits, though these are not due to be fleshed out until 2011. G20 leaders also agreed to endorse

4851-406: Was "Shared Growth Beyond Crisis". The summit leaders addressed several mid- and long-term policy issues, including Representatives met in advance of the leaders' summit. These sherpas were tasked to draft a closing statement for the summit. The debate over currency exchange rates and imbalances was reported to have been "heated". The summit logo incorporated two images: the sun rising over

4928-580: 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

5005-618: 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

5082-497: 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

5159-456: 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

5236-518: 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

5313-505: 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

5390-477: 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

5467-408: 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

5544-403: Was set by Yemane Tsegay in 2008, while the women's record is held by national runner Yun Sun-suk , whose mark of 2:31:21 was set in 2007. Key:     Course record 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

5621-514: 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

5698-486: 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

5775-497: Was the fifth meeting of the G20 heads of government/heads of state, to discuss the global financial system and the world economy , which took place in Seoul , the capital of South Korea. South Korea was the first non- G8 nation to host a G20 leaders' summit. The G20 is the premier forum for discussing, planning, and monitoring international economic cooperation. The theme of the summit

5852-438: Was the first summit at which there were four women among the leaders. In addition to President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina , Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia , Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany , and the president-elect of Brazil , Dilma Rousseff , accompanied her nation's delegation. This was the first G20 summit for Australia's Prime Minister Gillard, who had only been elected shortly before

5929-481: 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

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