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Seocho District (Korean: 서초구, RR: Seocho-gu) is one of the 25 local government districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Seocho is considered a part of the Gangnam region, along with the Gangnam and Songpa districts of Seoul. As of 2022, Seocho District ranks as the richest neighborhood in South Korea and among the most expensive areas in Seoul with an average sales price of 47.75 million South Korean won per 3.3 square meters.[2] Many of the wealthiest residents are concentrated in the three Gangnam districts including Seocho, known as Gangnam School District Eight(강남 8학군).[3]
Seocho District is served by the Seoul Subway Line 2, Line 3, Line 4, Line 7, Bundang Line, Line 9, and Shinbundang Line. South Korea's longest highway, Gyeongbu Expressway, also ends in Seocho. The most crowded area in Korea, Gangnam-daero Gangnam Station, is located in this District.
Seocho
서초구 | |
|---|---|
Autonomous District | |
 Samsung Town, Also known as the Main headquarters for Samsung Group. | |
 Flag | |
 Location of Seocho-gu in Seoul
Coordinates: 37°29′01″N 127°01′57″E | |
| Coordinates: 37°29′01″N 127°01′57″E / 37.48361°N 127.03250°E | |
| Country | South Korea |
| Region | Sudogwon |
| Special City | Seoul |
| Administrative dong | 18 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Jun Sung-soo (2022–) (People Power) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 46.92 km2 (18.12 sq mi) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
| • Total | 401,749 |
| Time zone | UTC+9 (Korea Standard Time) |
| Postal code | 06500 ~ 06899 |
| Area code(s) | +82-2-500(02 inside Korea) |
| District Traits | Bird: Dove
Flower: Roe Tree: Zelkova Color: Green |
| Website | Seocho-gu official website |
History
editSeocho District was once the capital of the Baekje Kingdom which existed between 18 BC and 660 AD. At the time, the area was named Wiryesong (Fortress Castle) and was located in the western area of present-day Seocho-gu. Located next to the Hangang River, the area which present Seocho-gu currently occupies is sometimes considered the cradle of Korean civilization, having been inhabited since prehistoric times.
Development of the area first began in 1965 with plans to turn the land into a secondary hub of the metropolis. Over the course of 20 years, the area was transformed from its rural beginnings into an urban center with a population of around 400,000. Seocho District was officially established in January 1988, separating from the Gangnam-gu jurisdiction.
Economy
editAccording to the Korean Bar Association, more than one third of the practicing attorneys in Seoul work out of Seocho-dong, a southern neighborhood in Seocho District. Sometimes referred to as “Seocho Judicial Town,” the area is also home to many of the country's most important legal institutions, including the Supreme Court, the Supreme Public Prosecutors’ Office, the Seoul Central District Court, and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. The area also includes the headquarters of some of the world's largest companies which compose the clientele for many attorneys.
Notable Firms
editSeveral of the world’s largest companies have their headquarters located in this district. Samsung, the country’s largest conglomerate, has many of its important buildings in the area in an office park called Samsung Town. Hyundai Motor Group, which as of 2022 is the 11th largest automobile manufacturer in the world, is also headquartered in the district.
Income
editDue to the high concentration of residents with specialty occupations in Seocho District, the area is known to be one of the most wealthy neighborhoods in Seoul.[4] In 2021, the average monthly income for residents in Seocho District was 3,770,000 KRW; this figure is only second to Gangnam District–at the district level–and is higher than the city of Seoul’s average monthly income of 2,980,000 KRW.[4]
Gangnam 8 District
editGangnam School District 8 is a school district (administered by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education) that encompasses the Seocho and Gangnam districts of Seoul.[8] The district is known for its high-quality education and features some of Korea’s most elite and competitive high schools such as Whimoon and Kyunggi high school.[9] Graduating classes from high schools in Gangnam School District 8 boast high admission rates to Korea’s top universities.[10] Seoul National University’s freshman class in 2022 had 10% of its students come from schools in Gangnam School District 8.[10]
Libraries
editThe district has a large public library system with 21 public libraries.
In addition to libraries, Seocho District is home of 24 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, 11 high schools, 1 school for disabled, and 2 universities. [11]
Boundaries
editSeorae Village
editSeorae Village, commonly referred to as the French district or “Little France”, is an enclave located in Banpo 4-dong of Seocho district. In the 1980s, with the construction of high-end, luxury residential villas, Seorae Village emerged as an affluent, residential neighborhood. Additionally, with the French Embassy School in Korea (Lycée français de Séoul) moving from Yongsan-gu to Seocho-gu in 1985, the French population in Seorae Village in Korea steadily grew; the number of French residents residing in Seorae Village was further increased by French corporations– such as Carrefour, TGV, CLSA, and Bank of Renault– entering the Korean market in the 1990s. Today, approximately 40% of the French population living in Korea reside in Seorae Village.
Gangnam Station
editGangnam Station is one of the most crowded places in Korea and a common meeting ground for young people. After the release of PSY’s hit song, Gangnam Style, it also became a major tourist attraction. The station has a variety of outlets including restaurants, theaters, record stores, beauty salons, and massage specialists. It serves as an important hub for transportation and is interconnected with the bus system.
Notable Events
editCollapse of Sampoong Department Store
editSampoong Department Store, constructed in the Seocho-dong area of the district, collapsed on June 29, 1995 due to structural failures and regulatory negligence. The disaster resulted in 502 deaths and over 900 injuries. The collapse of the Sampoong Department Store is only second to the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh in terms of casualties caused by unintended building collapses. Executives responsible for the construction of the Sampoong department store– namely Lee Joon who is the chairman of Sampoong Group’s construction division– were later convicted for criminal negligence.
Woomyeon Mountain Avalanche
editWoomyeon Mountain is a mountain terrain that stretches along the borders of the Seocho, Bangbae, Yangjae, and Woomyeon neighborhoods of Seocho District. In 2011, unprecedented levels of rain in greater Seoul– over 587 mm in just 3 days– triggered an avalanche in Woomyeon mountain. The disaster heavily impacted the Hyeongchon Village neighborhood of Seocho District, resulting in over 17 deaths and 50 injuries in the area.
Gangnam Station Flood
editOn August 8, 2022, Seoul experienced one of the heaviest rainfalls in the last century. The greater Seoul area experienced over 381.5 mm of precipitation– beating the single-day precipitation record of 354.7 mm in 1920. One of the most impacted areas was Gangnam Station in Seocho-gu; a total of 3 casualties occurred in this area with 2 people being sucked into a sinkhole and the other drowning inside a lower level parking lot.
Tourism
editThe district is referred to as the “City of Corporation and IT industry”. The sub-center is home to many restaurants, hotels, and cafes [City of Irvine Citation].
Seoul Arts Center
editThe Seoul Arts Center is located in Seocho District, Seoul. The Arts center includes five main buildings: the Opera House, the Music Hall, the Hangaram Art Museum, the Hangaram Design Museum, and the Seoul Calligraphy Art Museum. [16]
The Music Hall and Seoul Calligraphy Museum were built in 1988. The Hangaram Art Museum and Art Archives were completed in 1990, and the Opera House was built and opened to the public in 1993. The arts center attracts nearly 3 million annual visitors and in 2023 marked its 30th anniversary of the opening of whole venues. [17]
National Library of Korea
editThe National Library of Korea was established in 1945 and is located in Seoul. The library contains over 10 million volumes and numerous foreign books. Additionally, the library contains several South Korean National Treasures.
National Gugak Center
editThe National Gugak Center, located in Bangbae 3-dong of Seocho District, was founded in 1951 with the purpose of preserving Korean court and folk music. The institute aims to promote traditional Korean music by hosting and engaging in workshops, research, and live performances.
Accommodations
editSeocho District has a wide variety of hotel accommodations. The following is a list of the largest hotels in Seocho District based on number of rooms. [19]
References
edit- ^ Reporter, Kim Joo-heon (2022-03-14). "Seoul to demonstrate AI care call service to look after single elderlies". www.ajudaily.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ https://www.citypopulation.de/en/southkorea/admin/, Retrieved 2023-03-01.
- ^ "Need a lawyer? Check out Seocho-dong". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 2008-10-19. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ a b 헤럴드경제 (2021-11-19). "서초구 전문직 月858만원 '급여킹'...영등포구 20대 '급여왕자' [헤럴드 뷰-대한민국 금융지도 ①서울]". 헤럴드경제 (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Ban, good schools draw families to Gangnam". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 2018-01-22. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ 윤민식 (2015-07-20). "School reform, for better or for worse?". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ Kim, Young-Chul; Kim, Young-Joon; Loury, Glenn (2013-03-01). "Widening Gap in College Admission and Improving Equal Opportunity in South Korea" (PDF). Munich Personal RePEc Archive. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
- ^ "[영상:THISCovery] 강남 8학군이라는 말은 왜 생긴 걸까?". www.hani.co.kr (in Korean). 2023-02-14. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ 뉴스, SBS (2015-12-26). "명문고 강남 이전과 평준화 정책이 만든 '8학군병'". SBS NEWS (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ a b 조선일보 (2022-10-18). "올해 서울대 신입생 10% 강남구·서초구 고교 출신". 조선일보 (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ "Seocho-gu(English)". www.seocho.go.kr. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ Bizwire, Korea. "Seoul's Seocho District Publishes Tourist Map for Young Travelers". Be Korea-savvy. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ "Possibly next SOHO, Seoul selects 5 neighborhoods for new signature 'K-alleys'". koreatimes. 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ Herald, The Korea (2010-03-30). "A petite France in Seoul: Seorae Village". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ "Rue de France is a new Franco-Korean nexus". koreajoongangdaily.joins.com. 2019-07-14. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ 예술의전당. "Greetings | About SAC | About". Seoul Arts Center (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ 예술의전당. "Greetings | About SAC | About". Seoul Arts Center (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-04-06.
- ^ ""아직도 안 가봤어?"...요즘 애들은 다 여기서 놀아요 [스물스물]". 매일경제 (in Korean). 2023-02-11. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
- ^ "Accommodation - Seocho-gu(English)". www.seocho.go.kr. Retrieved 2023-04-06.