Seoul Capital Area

Its population of 26 million (as of 2024)^[1] is ranked as the fourth largest metropolitan area in the world. Its area is about 12,685 km² (4,898 sq mi). It forms the cultural, commercial, financial, industrial, and residential center of South Korea. The largest city is Seoul, with a population of approximately 10 million people, followed by Incheon, with 3 million inhabitants.

Seoul Capital Area 수도권
Seoul, the largest city in the metropolitan area
Country	South Korea
Major cities	Seoul Incheon Suwon Ansan Anyang Goyang Seongnam Bucheon Yongin
Area
• Capital area	12,685 km2 (4,898 sq mi)
Population  (2020)
• Metro	26,037,000
• Metro density	2,053/km2 (5,320/sq mi)
• Percentage of South Korea's total population	~50% (52 million)
GDP
• Seoul Capital Area	KR₩1,137 trillion US$909.6 billion (2022)
HDI (2021)	0.952 very high · 1st

 

The Capital Area occupies a plain in the Han River valley.

Covering only about 12% of the country's area, the Seoul Capital Area is home to more than 48.2% of the national population, and is the world's ninth largest urban area. This percentage has risen steadily since the mid-20th century, and the trend is expected to continue. Currently more than half of the people who move from one region to another are moving to the capital area.^[2] In 2020, it was reported that the Seoul Capital Area's population had exceeded 50% of the country's total population, with 25,925,799 people living in the area (50.002% of the total 51,849,861).

Subdivision	Area km2	Population	GDP (KR₩)	GDP (US$)
Gyeonggi Province	10,184	13,511,676	₩ 547 trillion	US$ 437.6 billion
Seoul	605	9,586,195	₩ 486 trillion	US$ 388.8 billion
Incheon	1,063	2,945,454	₩ 104 trillion	US$ 83.2 billion
Seoul Capital Area	11,852	26,043,325	₩ 1,137 trillion	US$ 909.6 billion

In 2020, Seoul Capital Area's Gross Regional Product was around US$900 billion, generating around half of the country's total GDP. It is the fourth largest urban economy in the world after Tokyo, New York and Los Angeles but ahead of Paris and London. The region hosts headquarters of 59 Forbes Global 2000 companies. As the economy of Seoul Capital Area transformed to knowledge economy from the manufacturing-based economy of the 20th century, there are a number of high-tech business parks in Seoul Capital Area, such as Digital Media City and Pangyo Techno Valley.^{[citation needed]}

 

The Seoul Capital Area is home to the most affluent and livable cities and apartments in Korea but there are significant discrepancies between cities and districts, particularly between those built in the older and newer generations. Newer areas with more modern and luxurious apartments and infrastructure are more expensive, along with proximity to Gangnam District, the commercial center of the region.

Various agencies have been set up to deal with the intergovernmental problems of the region. Proposals for consolidating some or all of the cities of the capital area into a handful of metropolitan cities have thus far not been implemented.^{[citation needed]}

Development in the area is currently governed by the Capital Region Readjustment Planning Act (수도권정비계획법), first passed in 1982 and last revised in 1996.^{[citation needed]}

The Seoul Capital Area is divided among the special city of Seoul, the metropolitan city of Incheon, and province of Gyeonggi. Seoul has 25 gu (local government wards), Incheon has 8 gu and 2 counties, and Gyeonggi Province has 28 cities and 3 counties as the subdivisions.

 

 

Seoul

The 25 districts of Seoul.

Incheon

The 8 districts and 2 counties of Incheon.

Gyeonggi-do

28 cities and 3 counties of Gyeonggi-do. Below are seven of the largest cities, sorted by their population size:

Suwon

The 4 gu of Suwon (수원; 水原).

• Paldal-gu (팔달구; 八達區)
• Yeongtong-gu (영통구; 霊通區)
• Jangan-gu (장안구; 長安區)
• Gwonseon-gu (권선구; 勸善區)

Goyang

The 3 gu of Goyang (고양; 高陽).

• Deogyang-gu (덕양구; 德陽區)
• Ilsandong-gu (일산동구; 一山東區)
• Ilsanseo-gu (일산서구; 一山西區)

Yongin

The 3 gu of Yongin (용인; 龍仁).

• Cheoin-gu (처인구; 處仁區)
• Giheung-gu (기흥구; 器興區)
• Suji-gu (수지구; 水枝區)

Seongnam

The 3 gu of Seongnam (성남; 城南).

• Bundang-gu (분당구; 盆唐區)
• Jungwon-gu (중원구; 中原區)
• Sujeong-gu (수정구; 壽井區)

Bucheon

Ansan

The 2 gu of Ansan (안산; 安山).

• Danwon-gu (단원구; 檀園區)
• Sangnok-gu (상록구; 常綠區)

Anyang

The 2 gu of Anyang (안양; 安養).

• Dongan-gu (동안구; 東安區)
• Manan-gu (만안구; 萬安區)

 

 

 

The cities of the capital area are tightly interconnected by road and rail. Many of the country's railroad lines, most notably the Gyeongbu Line, terminate in the region. In addition, rapid transit is provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, which has lines that serve all districts of Seoul, as well as the city of Incheon and other surrounding cities within Gyeonggi Province.

The region is a nexus for travel by air and water. The country's two largest airports, Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport, are in the metropolitan area. International and domestic ferries depart from Incheon's ferry terminals several times a day.

Seoul Ring Expressway (Expressway No. 100) connects satellite cities around Seoul.

• Geography of South Korea
• Regions of Korea
• Demographics of South Korea
• Capital Region
• List of metropolitan areas by population
• List of metropolitan areas in Asia by population
• Subdivisions of South Korea
• Seoul Ring Expressway
• Greater Tokyo Area
• Jing-Jin-Ji