Seoul Practical Information is a great way to acquainted yourself with some basic information pertaining to Seoul, South Korea while planning your trip. Officially called the Seoul Special City, it is the capital of South Korea and the largest city in the country, as well as one of the largest cities in the world.

Location 

Seoul is located in the heart of the Korean Peninsula, with the Han River dividing the city into the south-side and north-side. Seoul is located in the northwest corner of the country of South Korea, surrounded by mountains, and roughly 100 km from the border of China and North Korea. South Korea is officially called the Republic of Korea, and is neighbored by China, Japan, and North Korea. The Yellow Sea to the west, and the East Sea to the east, surround this mountainous country. The exact coordinates for Seoul are 37 degrees 34' 08" north, and 126 degrees 58' 36" east.

Population 

The estimated population for the city of Seoul is approximately 10,500,000 residents, and 24,500,000 residents live in the entire metro area. The majority of the residents of Seoul are Korean, with Chinese and Japanese in the minority.

Religion 

There are 2 major religious groups in Seoul, Buddhists and Christians, but there are several other religious groups in Seoul such as Shamanists, Confucianists and Catholics.

Language 

The official language of Seoul, as well as the entire Republic of Korea, is Korean. Korean is the officially language of both North and South Korea, and there are about 78 million people worldwide speaking Korean, making it the 13th most widely spoken language.

Currency 

The official currency of Seoul, as well as the rest of South Korea, is the Korean won. One won is divided into 100 jeon, but the jeon is no longer used in daily transactions, only used for exchange rates. The won coins used are the 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500, and the won banknotes used are the 1000, 5000, 10000, and 50000 won notes. It is a good idea to exchange a small amount of currency before arriving in Seoul, but upon arrival, visitors can exchange foreign currency at most major banks, and most major hotels offer guests a currency exchange service. ATMs are also a great way to pull local currency from your local bank, but it is advisable to check with your bank before leaving to make sure your ATM cards are accepted in Seoul and South Korea.

Time Zone 

Seoul's time zone is Korea Standard Time (KST) or Greenwich Mean Time plus nine hours (GMT +9 hours). South Korea does not observe Daylight Saving Time (DST).