Seoul

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, comprises 233.72 sq mi on the basin of the Han River in northwestern South Korea. Housing nearly one-fourth of South Korea's population, Seoul is its largest city and one of the most populous in the world. Nearly all of Seoul's residents are Korean, with Chinese and Japanese minorities. International residents represented about 2% of the total population at the end of 2007.

Seoul has a humid continental climate, with monsoons taking place from June until September. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are very cold.

As a major business and financial center, Seoul ranks fifth in the number of Fortune 500 transnational companies, housing corporate giants such as Samsung, LG Group, Hyundai and Kia.

In recent years, the metropolitan government has undertaken major environmental projects, including the restoration of Cheonggyecheon.

Fast Facts:

1. Country: South Korea
2. Currency: Korean Won (KRW)
3. Country code: +82
4. Area code: 02
5. Time zone: Korea Standard Time (UTC+9)
6. Airport code: ICN¹
7. Population: 10,421,782 (2007)²
8. Climate: Humid continental
9. Major religions: Buddhism, Christianity³
10. First mentioned in 18 BC as a settlement of the kingdom of Baekje⁴
11. North Korean border is about 50 km to the north⁵
12. Considered one of the safest places to travel because of low crime rate⁶
13. Fifth most expensive city in the world and second most expensive in Asia^{7 8}

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