[Overview] Seoul (officially Seoul Special City, formerly known as “Hanseong”) is the capital city and largest metropolis of the Republic of Korea (ROK). It is also the political, economic, cultural and educational center, as well as the hub for air, land, and sea transportation. Located in the central part of the Korean Peninsula, the city covers an area of 605 square kilometers and has a population of about 9.33 million. It is administratively divided into 25 districts.

[Politics] Seoul is governed by the Seoul Metropolitan Council and the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The Metropolitan Council consists of 111 members elected by residents for four-year terms. The Council is led by one President and two Vice Presidents, both elected by council members for two-year terms. The Metropolitan Government is headed by a Mayor and three Vice-Mayors, including Vice-Mayor I for Administrative Affairs, Vice-Mayor II for Administrative Affairs, and Vice-Mayor for Political Affairs. The Mayor is elected by residents for a term of four years. The incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon was elected in the mayoral by-election in April 2021 and re-elected in June 2022.

[Economy] Seoul is the economic, financial, logistics, and commercial center of the ROK. Its services sector is highly developed, with finance and information & communications serving as the pillars. The city has identified emerging sectors, including digital content, information & communications, biomedicine, and green industry, as new engines of economic growth, and provides strong policy support to foster their development.

[Culture] As the cultural and educational center of the ROK, Seoul boasts a well-developed cultural industry. Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1948, is the oldest and most prestigious symphony orchestra in the country. The city is also home to renowned universities, including Seoul National University and Korea University.