Seoul
Locatedinthenorthwestpartofthecountry,SeoulisborderedbyeightmountainsandthelevelplainsoftheHanRiver,whichbisectsthecity.Theclimateissimilartotherestofthepeninsula,withgenerallyhotandhumidsummers,coldanddrywintersandbeautifulspringsandsummers.
SeoulhasbeenthecapitalofKoreaforover600years,whenKingDaejomovedthecapitalfromGaegyongtoHanseong(oneofSeoul'smanyformernames)attheendofthe14thCentury.Likeaphoenix,SeoulrosefromthedestructionoftheKoreanwarinjustfourdecadestobecometheinternationalpowerhouseitisnow.Thecityoccupiesanareaabout605sqkm(376sqmi),aboutonethirdthesizeofJejuisland,butisthesecondmostdenselypopulatedcityintheworld(justbehindTokyo).
Thecityitselfhasapopulationofover10million,onequarterofthecountry'spopulation.Thegreatermetropolitanareaishometoalmost23millionresidents,roughlyhalfofSouthKorea'spopulation.Itsrapidgrowthwasnotonlyduetoapopulationboom,butahugemigrationfromruralareasastheeconomyofthecountryshiftedfromfarmingtoindustrial.
Despiteincreaseddeteriorationoftraditionalcustomsandlifestyles,Seoulcontinuestobeabalanceoftheoldandthenew.Modernskyscrapershoveroverthenoisytrafficofthecity,whiletraditionalpalacesandgardensprovidepeacefulescapesfromurbanlife
