SEOUL, SOUTH

KOREA
 Seoul, South Korea
◦ Seoul, officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the largest
metropolis and capital of South Korea.
◦  The population of Soul in 2016 is estimated at 10.29 million,
although this is just the population of the Special City, which has a
density of about 17,000 people per square kilometer (45,000/square
mile). 
◦ Seoul is divided into 25 gu, or districts, which range from 10 to 47
square kilometers and populations under 140,000 to over 630,000.
Songpa is the most populous gu with over 680,000 people in 2016. 
 Seoul Demographics
◦ Seoul has a very homogeneous population, as the majority of
Seoulites are Korean.
◦ In 2010, there were 255, 500 foreigners living in Seoul in 2010 out of
its total population of 10.44 million. By the end of June 2011, there
were 10.29 million citizens of the Republic of Korea in the city, with
281,700 foreigners. Of its foreign population, 66% were Chinese
citizens of Korean ancestry, followed by Chinese citizens not of
Korean ethnicity (nearly 30,000 in population).
◦  The two largest religions in the city are Christianity and Buddhism.
 Districts of Seoul
◦ The Seoul city covers 0.28% of the
entire peninsula (or 0.61% of South
Korea), and spans an area 30.30 km
north-to-south and 34.78 km west-
to-east. The Hangang (River) flows
horizontally across Seoul, dividing
the city into two sections lying
north and south of the river. 
 History of Seoul
◦ Seoul is first recorded as Wiryeseong, the capital of Baekje, and it
was founded in 18 BC. It was known as the fortified city on the Han,
or Hanseong, but it became the capital during the Joseong period
that started in 1394 and was called Hanyang.
◦ The city was originally surrounded by a 20-foot-high circular stone
wall to offer citizens security from thieves, attack and wild animals,
but the city grew past these walls and the original stone fortress
only remains in the mountainous area near downtown, while the
gates are still standing near Seoul downtown.
 Seoul Population Growth
◦ As one of the most densely packed cities in the world, Seoul does not
have much room for growth. In fact, Seoul’s population has been
declining for a few years as childbirth rates remain very low.
◦ In the recent past, people were flooding to the capital for
employment, packing the city and sending real estate prices through
the roof.  Seoul's population started its decline in 2011, dropping
0.11% in just one quarter.
◦ By 2020, there will be 5 working people for every senior citizen, which
will drop to 3 working people for every senior citizen by 2030. Time
will tell if Seoul is able to reverse this trend, although it seems unlikely.
THANK YOU! 

Prepared by: Iciah Jesalva

BSE Major in Social Studies