Seoul - Soul

Japanese: ソウル - そうる

The capital of South Korea (Republic of Korea) in the north. It is the center of politics, economy, culture, and transportation. The original meaning of the word Seoul was country or capital in Korean, but it is generally used as a proper word meaning "capital", and it is not written in Chinese characters, so it is not a proper noun. The area is 605.5 square kilometers, and the population is 9,853,972 (2000). The administrative district is made up of 25 districts: Jongno-gu, Jung-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Seongdong-gu, Seongbuk-gu, Dobong-gu, Seodaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, Yongsan-gu, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Gwanak-gu, Gangnam-gu, Gangseo-gu, Gangdong-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Dongjak-gu, Guro-gu, Gwangjin-gu, Jungnang-gu, Gangbuk-gu, Nowon-gu, Yangcheon-gu, Geumcheon-gu, Dancho-gu, and Songpa-gu.

The Han River runs through the center of Seoul from east to west, dividing the city into Gangbuk and Gangnam. In the north of Gangbuk are Bugaksan (342.4m), Inwangsan to the west, Naksan to the east, and Namsan (232m) to the south, and in the middle is the basin that is the heart of Seoul. In Gangnam are Gwanaksan (629m), Cheonggyesan, and Namhansan (495m). The geology of the mountains and hills can be divided into two regions: granite gneiss in the southwest and granite in the northeast. The average annual temperature is 11.1°C, the average January temperature is -4.9°C, the average August temperature is 25.4°C, and the annual precipitation is 1259mm.

Seoul is home to approximately 21% of South Korea's total population and accounts for approximately 65% of the nation's economic power. The Yeongdeungpo Industrial District in Gangnam is part of the Gyeongin Industrial Zone that connects to Incheon Metropolitan City and is home to many textile, food, metal, machinery and chemical factories. Commercial centers include Namdaemun, Dongdaemun, Cheongnyangni and Yeongdeungpo Markets, and Namdaemun-ro is home to the Bank of Korea and other bank head offices, department stores and hotels. Sejong-ro is home to the Central Government Complex and the Government Complex, while Taepyeong-ro is home to government offices, media organisations and company headquarters.

Seoul is a major transportation hub, particularly the starting point of the Gyeongin and Gyeongbu Expressways, and the starting point of the Gyeongin, Gyeongbu, Gyeongwon, Gyeongui and Jungang railway lines. Subway Line 1 was completed in 1974, connecting Seoul Station to Cheongnyangni Station via City Hall and Jongno. Subway Line 2, which acts as a circular line, Subway Line 3, which connects Gu Pabal in the northwest to Yangjae in the southeast, and Line 4, which connects Sanggye in the northeast to Sadang in the south of the Han River (Gangnam), were also completed in 1985. Gimpo International Airport, located in the western suburbs, had formed an air route network to 15 countries (1999), but Incheon International Airport opened in March 2001. As a result, Gimpo Airport became a domestic airport only.

There are comprehensive universities such as Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University, Hanyang University, Sungkyunkwan University, JoongAng University, Sogang University, Dongguk University, Kyunghee University, Ewha Women's University, and Sookmyung Women's University, as well as single-subject colleges and vocational colleges. There are also many cultural facilities such as the National Museum of Korea, Central Library, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, National Theater, Children's Grand Park, Olympic Stadium, Seoul Sports Stadium, and Jangchung Gymnasium.

In addition, small theaters aimed at young people have been built on the former site of Seoul National University and in Shinchon, transforming the area into a cultural district.

Seoul was the capital of the Yi Dynasty for over 500 years, so many historical sites remain. Royal palaces such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Deoksugung Palace, mountain fortresses such as Namhansanseong, Haengjusanseong, and Bukhansanseong, Jongmyo Shrine, Namdaemun Gate, and Dongdaemun Gate still retain their original appearance. There is also Pagoda Park, known for the modern March 1st Independence Movement, and Independence Gate, which showed Korea's determination for independence from the Qing Dynasty.

As the Korean economy developed, Yeomudo Island was the focus of development from the 1970s onwards, followed by the Yeongdong district of Gangnam. The National Assembly and the Stock Exchange were built on Yeomudo Island, high-rise apartment buildings sprang up in Gangnam, and the majority of the middle class moved there, causing the centre of gravity of Seoul to shift from the north to the south.

In order to prevent an over-emphasis on Seoul, since the 1988 Olympics the government has focused on developing cities such as Daejeon, Daegu, Busan, and Gwangju, and has been working to develop Seoul, the capital with a population of 10 million, to prevent excessive concentration.

[Chang Bo-Hyung]

World Heritage Registration

In Seoul, Jongmyo Shrine (1995) and Changdeokgung Palace (1997) were both registered as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) (World Cultural Heritage).

[Editorial Department]

history

Seoul used to be the territory of Mahan (Baekje), but was occupied by Goguryeo in the mid-5th century and was also called South Pyongyang. It came under the control of Silla from the mid-6th century onwards, and became Hanyang County in 755. In the early Goryeo period, it was named Yangju, but in 1067, the Nanjing Residency was established, and it began to develop as a city, called Nanjing or Zhongjing, and eventually became one of the three capitals along with Kaesong and Pyongyang. In 1308, it was renamed Hanyangbu, and in 1394, during the Joseon dynasty, Yi Seong-gye moved the capital to this place, and the following year, Hanyang was renamed Hanseong, and palaces such as Gyeongbokgung Palace and government offices, as well as a 18.5 km wall and four great gates were built, completely transforming it into a walled city, and the population reached about 100,000 in the early Joseon dynasty. For about 500 years, Hanseong (commonly known as Gyeongseong) was the royal capital of the Yi Dynasty and the center of politics, economy, and culture. Most of the city was burned down during the Imjin War (Toyotomi Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea), but it was eventually restored and became a large city with a population of 200,000 by the end of the 18th century. However, in 1910, when Japan annexed Korea, it changed its name to Gyeongseong. It was only after liberation in 1945 that it was officially renamed Seoul, and it became the capital of the Republic of Korea when it was established. North Korea also designated Seoul as its capital in its constitution until 1972, when it changed the name to Pyongyang. Seoul was destroyed during the Korean War, but since the 1960s it has become a large city with many modern skyscrapers.

[Yazawa Kosuke]

Mount Kitadake
It is located in the northern part of Gangbuk. In the foreground of the photo is the presidential residence, the Blue House. Seoul, South Korea ©Masashi Tanaka ">

Mount Kitadake

Dongdaemun
The eastern gate of the walled city of Hanseong. It retains its appearance from the Joseon Dynasty. Seoul, Korea ©Masashi Tanaka ">

Dongdaemun

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

韓国（大韓民国）北部にある同国の首都。政治・経済・文化・交通の中心地。ソウルの本来の語意は、朝鮮語で国、都城であったが、一般には「都」という意味で使われる固有語で、漢字表記はなく、固有名詞ではなかった。面積605.5平方キロメートル、人口985万3972（2000）。行政区域は鍾路(しょうろ)区、中区、東大門区、城東区、城北区、道峰区、西大門区、麻浦区、竜山(りゅうざん)区、永登浦区、冠岳区、江南区、江西区、江東区、恩平区、銅雀(どうじゃく)区、九老区、広津区、中浪区、江北区、蘆原区、陽川区、衿川区、端草区、松坡区の25区からなる。

　ソウルの中央を東西に貫流する漢江を境に江北と江南に二分される。江北の北部には北岳山（342.4メートル）、西に仁旺(じんおう)山、東に駱(らく)山、南に南山（232メートル）があり、その中央にソウルの心臓部になっている盆地がある。江南には冠岳山（629メートル）、清渓山、南漢山（495メートル）がある。山地・丘陵の地質は南西部の花崗片麻(かこうへんま)岩と北東部の花崗岩の2地域に区分することができる。年平均気温11.1℃、1月平均気温零下4.9℃、8月平均気温25.4℃、年降水量1259ミリメートルである。

　ソウルは韓国全人口の約21％が住んでおり、また全国経済力の約65％を占める。江南の永登浦工業地区は仁川(じんせん)広域市に連なる京仁工業地帯の一部で、繊維、食品、金属、機械、化学薬品工場が多い。商業中心地には南大門、東大門、清涼里、永登浦市場などがあり、南大門路には韓国銀行をはじめとして各銀行の本店と百貨店、ホテルなどが密集している。世宗路には中央庁、政府総合庁舎、そのほか太平路に官庁、言論機関、会社の本社などがある。

　ソウルは交通の大中心地になっていて、とくに京仁・京釜両高速道路の始発地、鉄道の京仁・京釜・京元・京義・中央各線の起点となっている。地下鉄の1号線は1974年に完成し、ソウル駅から市庁、鍾路などを経て清涼里駅まで連結されている。環状線としての2号線、北西の旧把撥から南東の良才を結ぶ地下鉄3号線、北東の上渓から漢江の南（江南）の舎堂を結ぶ4号線も85年に完成した。西方郊外にある金浦(きんぽ)国際空港は15か国（1999）へ航空路網を形成していたが、2001年3月仁川国際空港が開港。これに伴い金浦空港は国内線専用となった。

　国立ソウル大学校をはじめ、高麗(こうらい)、延世、漢陽、成均館、中央、西江、東国、慶煕(けいき)、梨花(りか)女子、淑明女子などの総合大学のほか単科大学、専門大学がある。国立中央博物館、中央図書館、世宗文化会館、国立劇場、子供の大公園、オリンピック競技場、ソウル運動場、奨忠体育館などの文化施設が多い。

　そのほか、ソウル大学の跡地や新村にも若年層を中心とする小劇場などがつくられ、文化的な地区に変わってきている。

　ソウルは李朝(りちょう)500余年にわたる都であったので史跡が多く残っている。景福宮、昌徳宮、徳寿宮などの王宮、南漢山城、幸州山城、北漢山城などの山城、宗廟(そうびょう)、南大門、東大門などが昔の姿をとどめている。また近代の三・一独立運動で知られるパゴタ公園、清(しん)朝からの独立の決意を示した独立門などもある。

　韓国経済の発展とともに、1970年代から汝牟(ヨイ)島が重点的に開発され、その後、江南の永東地区が開発された。汝牟島には国会議事堂や証券取引所が建設され、江南には高層アパートが林立し、中産階層の大多数が移住するようになり、ソウルの重心は江北から江南に移ってしまった。

　政府はソウル偏重を防ぐため、1988年に開催されたオリンピック以後は、大田、大邱(たいきゅう)、釜山、光州などの都市を重点的に発展させ、ソウルは1000万人の住む首都として、過度の集中がおこらぬよう、整備を進めている。

［張　保　雄］

世界遺産の登録

ソウル市内では、宗廟（1995年）と昌徳宮（1997年）が、ユネスコ（国連教育科学文化機関）により、ともに世界遺産の文化遺産に登録された（世界文化遺産）。

［編集部］

歴史

ソウルの地は古くは馬韓(ばかん)＝百済(くだら)の領土であったが、5世紀なかば過ぎ、高句麗(こうくり)に占領され、南平壌ともよばれた。6世紀なかば以降は新羅(しらぎ)の支配下に置かれ、755年、漢陽郡となった。高麗初期は楊州(ようしゅう)と命名されたが、1067年、南京留守官が置かれ、以後、都市として発展し始め、南京あるいは中京ともよばれ、やがて開城、平壌と並ぶ三京の一つとなった。1308年、漢陽府と改められ、李朝に入ると、1394年、李成桂(りせいけい)がこの地へ遷都、翌年、漢陽を漢城と改名し、景福宮などの宮殿や官庁、周囲18.5キロメートルの城壁と四大門などを築き、城郭都市として一新、李朝初期の人口は約10万人に達した。以後、漢城（京城は俗称）は約500年間、李朝の王都として政治、経済、文化の中心地となった。壬辰倭乱(じんしんわらん)（豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉の朝鮮侵略）の際、大半を焼失したが、やがて復旧され、18世紀末には人口20万人を数える大都市となった。しかし、1910年、韓国併合とともに日本は名称を京城とした。1945年の解放で初めて正式名をソウルと改称、大韓民国の成立とともにその首都となった。北朝鮮も、1972年の改憲で平壌を首都と改めるまで、憲法でソウルを首都と定めていた。ソウルは朝鮮戦争で破壊されたが、1960年代以降、近代的な高層ビルも林立する大都市となっている。

［矢澤康祐］

北岳山

東大門

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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