Asia · capital city
What Is the Capital of South Korea?
Seoul
The capital of South Korea is Seoul. About 10.0 million people live in the Seoul urban area — 19.3% of the country's population.
10.0 million
Urban area population
UTC+9
Time zone
37.55°N
Latitude · 126.98°E
Yes
Largest city
Seoul at a glance
Name origin
The name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city;" it was the capital of the unified Korea from 1392 to 1910.
Time zone
UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
37 33 N, 126 59 E · IANA time zone Asia/Seoul
Location of South Korea
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Largest cities in South Korea
1
Seoul Capital
10.0 million2
Busan
3.5 million3
Incheon
2.8 million4
Daegu
2.2 million5
Daejon
1.6 million6
Gwangju
1.5 millionUrban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Capitals closest to Seoul
Pyongyang, North Korea — 195 km
Beijing, China — 956 km
Tokyo, Japan — 1,157 km
Taipei, Taiwan — 1,485 km
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — 1,994 km
Manila, Philippines — 2,620 km
Hanoi, Vietnam — 2,739 km
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands — 3,096 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Seoul
What is the capital of South Korea?
The capital of South Korea is Seoul. About 10.0 million people live in the Seoul urban area — 19.3% of the country's population.
Is Seoul the largest city in South Korea?
Yes — Seoul is also the largest urban area of South Korea (10.0 million).
What time zone is Seoul in?
Seoul is on UTC+9 — UTC+9 (14 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Seoul come from?
The name originates from the Korean word meaning "capital city;" it was the capital of the unified Korea from 1392 to 1910.
Which capital is closest to Seoul?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Pyongyang (North Korea) is the closest, 195 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).