What is the capital of South Korea?
Seoul is bisected by the Han river in the northwest of South Korea, ringed by mountains.
Seoul is the capital and seat of government of South Korea, a role it has held since 1394. South Korea itself has an estimated population of 51,684,564 (2025).
Seoul is also the largest city in South Korea, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Seoul at a glance
| City population | 9,579,177 (2025) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 26,037,000 (2025) |
| Country | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| Capital since | 1394 |
| Largest city in South Korea | Seoul |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (KST) |
| Currency | South Korean won (KRW) |
About Seoul
Seoul has been the capital of South Korea since 1394, Seoul became the capital of Korea in 1394 under the Joseon dynasty, and is the capital of modern South Korea.
Seoul is South Korea's largest city, and its wider metropolitan area is one of the most populous in the world.
Around half of South Korea's entire population lives in the Seoul metropolitan area.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Seoul.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of South Korea?
Is Seoul the largest city in South Korea?
What is the population of Seoul?
Where is Seoul located?
When did Seoul become the capital of South Korea?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of South Korea on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.