--- title: Seoul — English Wikipedia · full text with trees description: Wikipedia's «Seoul», whole, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics, CC BY-SA 4.0. It begins: Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital and largest city of South Korea, and the largest city in the whole of Korea. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/) / [en](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/) / Seoul # Seoul From Wikipedia, [«Seoul»](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul), revision of the 2026-09-01 dump, [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The trees and pragmatics of these pages, Mova's parse of that text, are CC BY-SA 4.0 too. The English Wikipedia article «Seoul», whole: 46 sections, 326 sentences and 6838 words, its 176 notes at the end. The marks in brackets «[n]» are Wikipedia's own, each leading to its note and source; the small number after every sentence leads to the sentence's own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/4/) | Facts | | | --- | --- | | | **Seoul · 서울** | | | **[Special metropolitan city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_special_cities_of_South_Korea)** | | | Seoul Special Metropolitan City | | **transcription(s)** | | | • [Hangul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangul) | 서울특별시 | | • [Hanja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanja)[\[1\]](page/4/#ref-1 "note 1") | 서울特別市 | | • [Revised Romanisation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Romanization_of_Korean) | Seoul-teukbyeolsi | | • [McCune–Reischauer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCune–Reischauer) | Sŏul-T'ŭkpyŏlsi | | | Flag Seal Emblem | | | Mottoes: "Seoul, my soul"[\[2\]](page/4/#ref-2 "note 2") s | | | Anthem: none[\[3\]](page/4/#ref-3 "note 3") | | | Coordinates: | | Country | [South Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea) [corpus](../South_Korea/ "in our corpus") | | [Area](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regions_of_Korea) | [Seoul Metropolitan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Area) | | Founded by | [Taejo of Joseon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taejo_of_Joseon) | | Districts | [25 districts](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_districts_of_Seoul) | | **Government** | | | • Type | [Mayor–council](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor–council_government) | | • Body | [Seoul Metropolitan Government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Government); [Seoul Metropolitan Council](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Council) | | • [Mayor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_of_Seoul) | [Oh Se-hoon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Se-hoon) ([People Power](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_Power_Party)) | | • [National Assembly](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_%28South_Korea%29) | [49](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korean_Legislature_Constituencies) | | **Area [\[4\]](page/4/#ref-4 "note 4")** | | | • [Special metropolitan city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_special_cities_of_South_Korea) | 605.21 km² (233.67 sq mi) | | • Metro | 12,685 km² (4,898 sq mi) | | Elevation | 38 m (125 ft) | | Highest elevation ([Bukhansan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhansan)) | 836.5 m (2,744 ft) | | Lowest elevation ([Yellow Sea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Sea)) | 0 m (0 ft) | | **Population (Q1 2026)[\[5\]](page/4/#ref-5 "note 5")** | | | • [Special metropolitan city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_special_cities_of_South_Korea) | 9,579,449 | | • Rank | [1st](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_South_Korea_by_population) | | • Density | 15,828.3/km² (40,995.1/sq mi) | | • [Metro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_area) | 26,037,000 | | • Metro density | 2,053.0/km² (5,317.2/sq mi) | | • [Demonym](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demonym) | Seoulite | | • Dialect | [Gyeonggi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyeonggi_dialect) | | **GDP (nominal, 2024) [\[6\]](page/4/#ref-6 "note 6")** | | | • [Special metropolitan city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_special_cities_of_South_Korea) | $421.586 billion | | • [Metro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Area) | $991.249 billion | | [Time zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zone) | [UTC+9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTC+9) (Korean Standard Time) | | [ISO 3166 code](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166) | KR-11 | | Bird | [Korean magpie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_magpie) | | Color | Seoul Red[\[7\]](page/4/#ref-7 "note 7") | | Flower | [Forsythia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forsythia) | | Font | Seoul fonts (Seoul [Hangang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_River_%28Korea%29) and Seoul [Namsan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namsan))[\[8\]](page/4/#ref-8 "note 8") | | Mascot | [Haechi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiezhi) | | Tree | [Ginkgo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginkgo_biloba) | | Climate | [Monsoon-influenced hot-summer humid continental climate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsoon-influenced_hot-summer_humid_continental_climate) (Dwa) | Seoul,[\[9\]](page/4/#ref-9 "note 9") officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City,[\[11\]](page/4/#ref-11 "note 11") is the [capital](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_city) and largest city of [South Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korea) [corpus](../South_Korea/ "in our corpus"), and the largest city in the whole of [Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea).[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") The broader [Seoul Metropolitan Area](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Area), encompassing Seoul, [Gyeonggi Province](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyeonggi_Province) and [Incheon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incheon),[\[12\]](page/4/#ref-12 "note 12") emerged as the world's [sixth largest metropolitan economy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_GDP) in 2022, behind [New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_metropolitan_area), [Tokyo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Tokyo_Area), [Los Angeles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Los_Angeles), [Paris](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_metropolitan_area), and [London](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_metropolitan_area), and hosts more than half of South Korea's population.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") 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.[\[5\]](page/4/#ref-5 "note 5")[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") Seoul's history traces back to 18 BC when it was founded by the people of [Baekje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baekje), one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") During the [Joseon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseon) dynasty, Seoul was officially designated as the capital, surrounded by the Fortress Wall of Seoul.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") In the early 20th century, Seoul was occupied by the [Empire of Japan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_of_Japan), temporarily renamed "[Keijō](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keijō)" ("Gyeongseong" in Korean).[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Korean War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_War) brought fierce battles, with Seoul changing hands four times and leaving the city mostly in ruins.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Nevertheless, the city has since undergone significant reconstruction and rapid urbanization.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") The de facto administrative capital has gradually switched to the [planned city](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_city) of [Sejong City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sejong_City), which opened in 2012[\[13\]](page/4/#ref-13 "note 13") and is located about 121 kilometers further south.[\[14\]](page/4/#ref-14 "note 14")[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") As of 2019, Sejong hosts 10 out of the [South Korean government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Korean_government)'s 18 ministries.[\[15\]](page/4/#ref-15 "note 15")[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Despite this, the [Constitutional Court of Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_Court_of_Korea) declared in 2004 that Seoul must remain the national capital due to it being an "unwritten constitutional custom", unless otherwise changed by a nationwide referendum.[\[16\]](page/4/#ref-16 "note 16")[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Seoul was rated Asia's most livable city, with the second-highest quality of life globally according to [Arcadis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arcadis) in 2015[\[19\]](page/4/#ref-19 "note 19") and a GDP per capita (PPP) of approximately $40,000.[\[22\]](page/4/#ref-22 "note 22")[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") 15 [Fortune Global 500](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_Global_500) companies, including industry giants such as [Samsung](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung),[\[23\]](page/4/#ref-23 "note 23") [LG](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LG), and [Hyundai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Motor_Group), are headquartered in the Seoul Capital Area, which has major technology hubs, such as Gangnam and Digital Media City.[\[24\]](page/4/#ref-24 "note 24")[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Seoul is ranked seventh in the [Global Power City Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_city) and the [Global Financial Centres Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Financial_Centres_Index), and is one of the five leading hosts of global conferences.[\[25\]](page/4/#ref-25 "note 25")[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") The city has also hosted major events such as the [1986 Asian Games](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_Asian_Games), the [1988 Summer Olympics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Summer_Olympics), and the [2010 G20 Seoul summit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_G20_Seoul_summit), in addition to three matches at the [2002 FIFA World Cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_FIFA_World_Cup).[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Seoul is geographically set in a mountainous and hilly terrain, with [Bukhansan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhansan) positioned on its northern edge.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Within the Seoul Capital Area lie five UNESCO World Heritage Sites: [Changdeokgung](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changdeokgung), [Hwaseong Fortress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwaseong_Fortress), [Jongmyo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jongmyo), [Namhansanseong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namhansanseong), and the [Royal Tombs of the Joseon dynasty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Tombs_of_the_Joseon_dynasty).[\[26\]](page/4/#ref-26 "note 26")[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Furthermore, Seoul has witnessed a surge in modern architectural development, with iconic landmarks including the [N Seoul Tower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N_Seoul_Tower), the [63 Building](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/63_Building), the [Lotte World Tower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotte_World_Tower), the [Dongdaemun Design Plaza](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dongdaemun_Design_Plaza), [Lotte World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotte_World), the [Trade Tower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_Tower), [COEX](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfield_COEX_Mall), [IFC Seoul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Finance_Center_Seoul), and [Parc1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parc1).[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Seoul was named [World Design Capital](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Design_Capital) 2010 and has served as the national hub for the music, entertainment, and cultural industries that have propelled [K-pop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-pop) and the [Korean Wave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_Wave) to international prominence.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") ## Toponymy Main article: [Names of Seoul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Seoul) Traditionally, seoul has been a native Korean (as opposed to [Sino-Korean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sino-Korean_vocabulary)) [common noun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_noun) simply meaning 'capital city.'[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") 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](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyeongju), the capital of [Silla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silla).[\[27\]](page/4/#ref-27 "note 27")[\[28\]](page/4/#ref-28 "note 28")[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") [Wiryeseong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiryeseong), the capital settlement of [Baekje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baekje), was located within the boundaries of modern-day Seoul.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Seoul was also known by other various historical names, such as Bukhansan-gun (, during the [Goguryeo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goguryeo) era), Namcheon (,[\[29\]](page/4/#ref-29 "note 29") during the Silla era), [Hanyang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Seoul) (, during the [Northern and Southern States period](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_and_Southern_States_period)), Namgyeong (, during the [Goryeo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goryeo) era), and Hanseong (, during the [Joseon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseon) era).[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") The word seoul was used colloquially to refer to the capital as early as the 17th century.[\[30\]](page/4/#ref-30 "note 30")[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus, the Joseon capital of Hanseong was widely referred to as the seoul.[\[31\]](page/4/#ref-31 "note 31")[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") 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.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Under subsequent [Japanese colonization](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea_under_Japanese_rule), Hanseong was renamed Keijō (京城, literally 'capital city')[\[32\]](page/4/#ref-32 "note 32") by the Imperial authorities to prevent confusion with the [hanja](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanja) (a transliteration of a native Korean word), which may also refer to the [Han people](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Chinese) or the [Han dynasty](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty) in Chinese and is associated with China in Japanese context.[\[33\]](page/4/#ref-33 "note 33")[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") After [World War II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II) and the [liberation of Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberation_of_Korea), Seoul became the official name for the Korean capital.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") The [Standard Korean Language Dictionary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Korean_Language_Dictionary) still acknowledges both common and proper noun definitions of seoul.[\[34\]](page/4/#ref-34 "note 34")[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Unlike most place names in Korea, as it is not a Sino-Korean word, Seoul has no inherently corresponding Hanja ([Chinese characters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_characters) used in the Korean language).[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Instead of [phonetically transcribing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transcription_into_Chinese_characters) Seoul to Chinese, in the [Chinese-speaking](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinophone) world, Seoul was called Hànchéng ('), which is the Chinese pronunciation of Hanseong.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") On 18 January 2005, the [Seoul Metropolitan Government](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Metropolitan_Government) changed Seoul's official Chinese name from the historic \*Hànchéng \*to \*Shǒu'ěr \*(').[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Shǒu'ěr is a [phono-semantic match](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phono-semantic_matching) incorporating both sound and meaning (through 首 meaning 'head', 'chief', 'first').[\[35\]](page/4/#ref-35 "note 35")[\[36\]](page/4/#ref-36 "note 36")[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") ## History Main article: [History of Seoul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Seoul) ### Prehistory There is evidence of human habitation in the area now corresponding to Seoul from 30,000 to 40,000 years before the present.[\[37\]](page/4/#ref-37 "note 37")[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") Around 4,000 B.C., people of the area lived in huts with lowered floors called [umjip](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umjip).[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") There is evidence of the consumption of cooked grain and fish by 3,000 B.C.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Around 1,500 B.C., communities began transitioning into the [Bronze Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze_Age) and farming at scale.[\[38\]](page/4/#ref-38 "note 38")[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Due to modern Seoul's significant urbanization, [Amsa-dong Prehistoric Site](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsa-dong_Prehistoric_Site) is the only known major archaeological site in Seoul where [Stone Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Age) materials have been found,[\[38\]](page/4/#ref-38 "note 38") although such materials have also been found in minor sites throughout the city (and all around the surrounding [Han River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_River_%28Korea%29) basin),[\[39\]](page/4/#ref-39 "note 39") often through [rescue archaeology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_archaeology).[\[38\]](page/4/#ref-38 "note 38")[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Samhan and Baekje periods See also: [Samhan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samhan), [Baekje](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baekje) Around the collapse of [Wiman Joseon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiman_Joseon) (194–108 B.C.) in the northern part of Korea, numerous refugees went south to the Han River basin, which was then controlled by [Jin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_%28Korean_state%29) (4th–2nd century B.C.).[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") These diverse peoples brought with them culture and technology of the [Chinese Warring States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period) that accelerated the region's progress into the [Iron Age](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Age).[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") Their arrival destabilized the region; Jin disintegrated, and dozens of [statelets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microstate) emerged that competed for influence in the Han River basin.[\[40\]](page/4/#ref-40 "note 40")[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Baekje (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.), once one of the statelets in the [Mahan confederacy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahan_confederacy), became the dominant local power by the 2nd century A.D.[\[40\]](page/4/#ref-40 "note 40")[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Its capital was in [Wiryeseong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiryeseong); Wiryeseong specific location is not known with certainty, but it is believed to have been within the bounds of the ramparts [P'ungnapt'osŏng](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pungnaptoseong) and [Mongchontoseong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongchontoseong).[\[41\]](page/4/#ref-41 "note 41")[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") This area is now in southeastern Seoul.[\[42\]](page/4/#ref-42 "note 42")[\[43\]](page/4/#ref-43 "note 43")[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") ### Silla period In July or August 553, [Silla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silla) took the control of the region from Baekje, and the city became a part of newly established Sin Province.[\[44\]](page/4/#ref-44 "note 44")[\[45\]](page/4/#ref-45 "note 45")[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Sin (新) has both meaning of "New" and "Silla", thus literally means New Silla Province.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") In November 555, Jinheung Taewang made a royal visit to Bukhansan, and inspected the frontier.[\[46\]](page/4/#ref-46 "note 46")[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") In 557, Silla abolished Sin Province, and established Bukhansan Province.[\[47\]](page/4/#ref-47 "note 47")[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The word Hanseong appears on 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.[\[48\]](page/4/#ref-48 "note 48")[\[49\]](page/4/#ref-49 "note 49")[\[50\]](page/4/#ref-50 "note 50")[\[51\]](page/4/#ref-51 "note 51")[\[52\]](page/4/#ref-52 "note 52")[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") 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.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") During his stay, he set Jinheung Taewang Stele, abolished Bukhansan Province, and established Namcheon Province, appointing the city as the provincial capital.[\[29\]](page/4/#ref-29 "note 29")[\[53\]](page/4/#ref-53 "note 53")[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") 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" not "gang" nor "su".[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") In addition, "Bukhansan" Jinheung Stele clearly states that Silla had possession of Hanseong (modern day [Pyongyang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyongyang) [corpus](../Pyongyang/ "in our corpus")), thus Bukhansan has to be located north of Hanseong.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") Modern day Pyongyang was not Pyongyang, [Taedong River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taedong_River) was likely Han River, and Bukhansan was not Bukhansan during the three kingdoms period.[\[29\]](page/4/#ref-29 "note 29")[\[54\]](page/4/#ref-54 "note 54")[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Moreover, Pyongyang was a common noun meaning capital used by Goguryeo and Goryeo dynasties, similar to Seoul.[\[55\]](page/4/#ref-55 "note 55")[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") In 603, Goguryeo attacked [Bukhansanseong](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bukhansanseong), which Silla ended up winning.[\[56\]](page/4/#ref-56 "note 56")[\[57\]](page/4/#ref-57 "note 57")[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") In 604, Silla abolished Namcheon Province, and reestablished Bukhansan Province in order to strengthen the northern border.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") The city lost its provincial capital position and was put under Bukhansan Province once again.[\[58\]](page/4/#ref-58 "note 58")[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") 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.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") In the 11th century [Goryeo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goryeo), which succeeded [Unified Silla](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Silla), built a summer palace in Seoul, which was referred to as the "Southern Capital".[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") It was only from this period that Seoul became a larger settlement.[\[59\]](page/4/#ref-59 "note 59")[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/2/) [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/3/) [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/4/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/Seoul/page/2/) - ↑ back to [English Wikipedia](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/wikipedia/en/)