Where is Seoul, South Korea?

Written and Fact-checked by | Last Updated On: June 18, 2026

Seoul is the capital city of South Korea, located in the northwestern part of the country. Situated at approximately 37.5665° N latitude and 126.9780° E longitude, the city covers about 605 sq km (234 sq mi) and has an estimated population of around 9.3 million people.

Location Map of Seoul, South Korea

Where is Seoul, South Korea
About Map: The map showing location map of Seoul in South Korea.
Where is South KoreaSouth Korea Map
Airports in South KoreaWhere is Incheon

Where is Seoul Located?

As shown in the given Seoul location map that Seoul is located in the north-west region of South Korea. Seoul is the largest and capital city of South Korea. Surprisingly, the Seoul National Capital Area is the second largest metropolitan area of the world. It has about 24.5 million people and the area includes Incheon metropolis and most of Gyeonggi province.

The capital city Seoul is the economic, political, and cultural center of South Korea. The city is founded about 18 BC back and it is one of the oldest capital cities in the world. Surprisingly, the Seoul National Capital Area homes four UNESCO World Heritage Sites namely Jongmyo Shrine, the Royal Tombs, Hwaseong Fortress, and Changdeokgung.

Furthermore, the city Seoul is listed as global city by the Global Cities Index in the year 2010. It has been give the rank in the top ten cities. Surprisingly, the city comes under top ten financial and commercial centers in the world. So, it is highly technologically advanced in terms of business and infrastructures as well. It homes some of the top companies of the world namely Samsung, LG, and Hyundai-kia. Furthermore, Seoul was the first city that featured DMB, a digital mobile TV technology and WiBro, a wireless high-speed mobile internet service. It has a fast, high-penetration 100 Mbit/s fibre-optic broadband network, which is being upgraded to 1 Gbit/s by 2012.

Moreover, the city was named as the World Design Capital City by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design for the year 2010.

Seoul, South Korea Quick Facts

FactDetails
CitySeoul
Administrative DivisionSeoul Special City
CountrySouth Korea
National CapitalSeoul
RegionNorthwestern South Korea
Latitude37.5665° N
Longitude126.9780° E
Elevation125 ft (38 m)
Land Area233 sq mi
Water AreaIncludes rivers, streams and reservoirs
Total Area233 sq mi
Population (Latest Estimate)Approximately 9.3 million
Population DensityApproximately 39,900 per sq mi
Postal Codes01000-08899
Area Code+82 2
Time Zone StandardKorea Standard Time (UTC+9)
Time Zone DaylightNo daylight saving time observed
CurrencySouth Korean Won (KRW)
Administrative CodeSeoul Special City
National RepresentationNational Assembly Constituencies

Nearby Cities to Seoul, South Korea

  • Incheon, South Korea - 17 mi West
  • Bucheon, South Korea - 12 mi West
  • Goyang, South Korea - 12 mi Northwest
  • Seongnam, South Korea - 13 mi Southeast
  • Anyang, South Korea - 14 mi Southwest
  • Hanam, South Korea - 10 mi East
  • Uijeongbu, South Korea - 14 mi North
  • Namyangju, South Korea - 16 mi East
  • Suwon, South Korea - 22 mi South
  • Yongin, South Korea - 25 mi South

Seoul, South Korea Climate and Weather Overview

MonthAvg High (°F)Avg Low (°F)Avg Rainfall (in)
January34210.8
April63442.8
July847314.5
October68501.9
Annual624857.0
Climate AttributeDetails
Climate Classification (Köppen)Dwa - Humid Continental
Annual RainfallApproximately 57 inches
Annual Sunshine DaysApproximately 2,100 sunshine hours
Hurricane/Tornado RiskLow Typhoon Risk
SnowfallLight to Moderate Winter Snowfall

Driving Distances from Seoul, South Korea

CityProvince/RegionDistance (mi)Approx. Drive Time
HanamGyeonggi1020 min
BucheonGyeonggi1225 min
GoyangGyeonggi1225 min
SeongnamGyeonggi1325 min
AnyangGyeonggi1430 min
UijeongbuGyeonggi1430 min
NamyangjuGyeonggi1630 min
IncheonIncheon1735 min
SuwonGyeonggi2240 min
YonginGyeonggi2545 min

Transportation and Connectivity in Seoul, South Korea

Airport NameIncheon International Airport
IATA CodeICN
PortIncheon Port (serving the Seoul metropolitan area)
Major HighwaysGyeongbu Expressway, Seoul Ring Expressway, Olympic-daero, Gangbyeonbuk-ro
Train ServiceKTX High-Speed Rail, Korail and Seoul Metro
Local Transit ServiceSeoul Metropolitan Subway, Buses, Taxis and Airport Rail Express
  • Gyeongbu Expressway - Main route connecting Seoul with Busan.
  • Seoul Ring Expressway - Encircles the metropolitan area and links major suburbs.
  • Olympic-daero - Important east-west corridor along the Han River.
  • Gangbyeonbuk-ro - Major urban expressway on the northern side of the Han River.
  • Seoul Metropolitan Subway - One of the world's largest urban transit networks.

Key Landmarks and Places to Visit in Seoul, South Korea

Landmark NameType
Gyeongbokgung PalaceHistoric Palace
N Seoul TowerObservation Tower
Bukchon Hanok VillageHistoric Neighborhood
MyeongdongShopping District
Changdeokgung PalaceUNESCO Site
Dongdaemun Design PlazaCultural Landmark
Lotte WorldTheme Park
War Memorial of KoreaMuseum
Cheonggyecheon StreamUrban Attraction
COEXConvention and Shopping Complex

Places to Visit in Seoul, South Korea

Landmark NameType
Gyeongbokgung PalaceHistoric Palace
N Seoul TowerObservation Tower
Bukchon Hanok VillageHistoric Neighborhood
MyeongdongShopping District
Changdeokgung PalaceUNESCO Site
Dongdaemun Design PlazaCultural Landmark
Lotte WorldTheme Park
War Memorial of KoreaMuseum
Cheonggyecheon StreamUrban Attraction
COEXConvention and Shopping Complex

Colleges and Universities in Seoul, South Korea

Institution NameTypeLevelNotable For
Seoul National UniversityPublicUniversityResearch excellence
Korea UniversityPrivateUniversityLaw and business
Yonsei UniversityPrivateUniversityInternational studies
Hanyang UniversityPrivateUniversityEngineering and technology
Sungkyunkwan UniversityPrivateUniversityScience and innovation

Waterbodies in Seoul, South Korea

Han River, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jungnangcheon Stream, Anyangcheon Stream, Tancheon Stream, Seokchon Lake, Paldang Reservoir, Yangjaecheon Stream, Hongjecheon Stream, Uicheon Stream

Golf Courses in Seoul, South Korea

Anyang Country Club, Nam Seoul Country Club, Lakeside Country Club, New Seoul Country Club, Sky 72 Golf Club, Seoul Country Club, Asiad Country Club, Gold Country Club, Blackstone Golf Club, Glenrose Golf Club

Seoul, South Korea - Key Historical Facts

  • Seoul has served as Korea's capital for more than six centuries since the Joseon Dynasty established it in 1394.
  • The city grew around royal palaces, fortified walls and major trade routes during the Joseon period.
  • Seoul experienced significant modernization during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
  • The city was heavily affected during the Korean War but underwent rapid reconstruction afterward.
  • South Korea's economic growth transformed Seoul into one of Asia's leading financial and technology centers.
  • Today, Seoul is the political, economic and cultural heart of South Korea and one of the world's largest metropolitan areas.

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