Seoul

Seoul has a population of more than 10 million people. It is located in the northwest part of the Republic, about 30 miles south of the DMZ, which separates North and South Korea.

The name derives from "Sorabol," the capital of the Shilla Kingdom. Seoul was established as the capital in 1392 by the first emperor of the Yi Dynasty. At that time, Seoul was surrounded entirely by the four hills that now simply form the boundaries of the downtown area. Today, the urbanized area extends well beyond those boundaries. The Han River flows through the southern part of the city and into the Yellow Sea.

Seoul is the repository for Korea's history and culture. Part of the city's charm is the juxtaposition of traditional characteristics with modern life. For example, three of the major palaces in the city, Kyongbok, Changdok, and Toksu are all located in downtown Seoul within walking distance of the Embassy and the Compounds I residential areas. A walk in almost any city neighborhood will reveal not only concrete, high-rise apartments, but also small parks and traditional homes. Shops range from those high-dollar establishments catering to the expatriate community, to local "mom and pop" stores and streetside vendors peddling traditional snacks.

Seoul was a major casualty of the Korean war, with 80% of the city razed. Since that time, modern buildings have sprung up everywhere, and factories and industrial areas have mushroomed throughout the city and beyond. Hosting the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Summer Olympic Games boosted Seoul's image as a major venue for international conferences (hotels, tourist services, etc.). Seoul now looks forward to cohosting the soccer World Cup in 2002.

Koreans are sports enthusiasts, and nearly all participate in some form of athletics, including golf, tennis, skiing, hiking, and mountain climbing. Korean spectator sports include soccer, baseball, tennis, and hockey. Foreigners are welcome to attend the competitive sports events held at Seoul City Stadium. In season, the Seoul gymnasium has boxing, wrestling, basketball, or volleyball events.

Golf is extremely popular among Koreans. New golf courses are plentiful, and several are located a short distance outside the city. They are attractive and challenging, but quite expensive. Skiing is a popular sport in Korea. There are several resorts within a 3-4-hour drive of Seoul. Since natural snowfall near Seoul is unreliable, the closer ski resorts rely on man-made snow, enabling them to operate effectively for the whole season. All areas operate poma lifts and chair lifts, which are kept in good condition. A good selection of ski clothes can be made or purchased to order at the local markets, e.g., Itaewon.

Courses in the traditional Korean martial arts of Tae Kwon Do and Hap Ki Do are readily available. Hiking around Seoul is popular for Seoul-ites, especially in the spring and fall. The mountains and hills near the capital offer relatively easy climbs and good photo opportunities.

Korea has a rich, varied culture. As mentioned earlier, there are palaces, parks, museums, and historical sites scattered throughout Seoul. Beyond the cities' limits, regional capitals host exhibits and festivals, and offer even more opportunities for the adventurous traveler.

Families with small children will be interested in the amusement parks and similar facilities geared for younger interests. Lotte World is a huge indoor amusement/shopping complex, and a zoo is located at Seoul Grand Park, located at the southern edge from the city. Everland is a family entertainment area with a modern theme park, zoo, outdoor and indoor water parks and winter sledding about an hour's drive from downtown Seoul. Near the provincial capital of Suwon-a tourist destination in its own right-is the highly popular Korean Folk Village. At the Folk Village, traditional dress, buildings, and folk traditions are recreated, making a pleasant daytrip.

Seoul offers a wide range of choices for entertainment, from the very expensive, black-tie event to much more reasonable options. Plays, operas, ballet, and orchestral performances are held frequently throughout the year, and at venues around the city. Local artists, as well as "big-name" international artists, perform in Seoul. The National Theater, Sejong Cultural Center, and Seoul Arts Center and the LG Arts Center produce regular programs and schedules of their offerings, as well as ticket prices. Popular movies find their way to the local Korean theaters. First-run American movies are shown with Korean subtitles. The theaters are clean and quite modern, and prices for shows are commensurate with U.S. prices, if not a little less expensive. In addition, the military base at Yongsan has one movie theater, which shows American movies and often children's matinees.

There are ample avenues for the thespian in the family; the Yongsan Players is an active amateur theater group sponsored by the military. The Yongsan Chamber Music Society, which has Korean and American professional and amateur members, gives concerts. Shutterbugs will find many fascinating photo opportunities in Korea. Seoul offers countless restaurants, bars, and coffeeshops, to suit everyone's taste and pocketbook.

Seoul is one of the world's largest cities and has criminal activities normally associated with large urban areas. Robberies and pickpocketing/purse slashings, especially those targeting foreigners, are frequent. Incidents of sexual harassment and molestation of foreign women have occurred.

Seoul is only 30 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone, one of the most heavily fortified and tense borders in the world. However, with the exception of incidents along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and occasional attempts by North Korean agents to infiltrate the South, peace has prevailed on the peninsula for 50 years. However, should it ever be necessary, the Embassy and U.S. Forces Korea have worked together for plans to evacuate noncombatants from the peninsula.

Civil defense air raid drills are usually conducted on the 15th of each month. The drills are always announced in advance in English newspapers and AFKN. The alerts last about 20 minutes. During that time, all local business activities cease, and traffic comes to a complete standstill. If indoors, people remain there until the all-clear siren sounds. If people are on the street, they must go indoors or into an underpass or subway station for the duration of the drill.

In 2022 South Korea's former presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, or the Blue House, was fully opened to the public and transformed into a popular tourist destination. Cheong Wa Dae had a long history before serving Korean presidents, stretching all the way back to the 12th-century and the Goryeo Dynasty. The Cheong Wa Dae area was part of Namkyeong, one of the three administrative districts of Goryeo It became the back garden of Gyeongbokgung Palace during the Joseon Dynasty.During the Japanese colonial period, it was where the Japanese Government-General of Korea was located. Since the establishment of the Korean government in 1948, twelve presidents from Rhee Syng-man to Moon Jae-in have called Cheong Wa Dae their home and office. Before opening to the public on May 10th, 2022, the area was closed off for security reasons, offering tours from time to time. Cheong Wa Dae could be the center of a new tourism cluster, as it's located near popular tourist spots like the National Folk Museum, Bukchon Hanok Village, and Gyeongbokgung Palace.