What is the capital of South Korea?

The capital of South Korea is Seoul. It is officially known as Seoul Special Metropolitan City and serves as the country’s political, economic, cultural, and educational center.

The city lies along the Han River in northwestern South Korea. Its history as a major capital began when the Joseon dynasty selected Hanyang, the historical name for the area, as its seat of government in 1394. The city was later known by names including Hanseong and Gyeongseong before Seoul became its official name after Korea’s liberation from Japan in 1945.

Seoul is often confused with Incheon because both belong to the same urban region and Incheon contains South Korea’s major international airport. Busan is the country’s second-largest city and an important port, while Daegu is a major inland city, but neither is the national capital. Some government functions moved to Sejong, yet Seoul remains South Korea’s constitutional capital and principal seat of national institutions.