Disaster Risk Management Profile: Seoul, Republic of Korea

The Republic of Korea, otherwise known as South Korea, is located on a mountainous
peninsula extending from mainland China. The population of South Korea, as of July
2006, is 48,846,823. A census conducted in 2000 revealed that 88.3 % of the national
population of South Korea resides in cities. In comparison, in 1960 38 % of the
population lived in South Korea’s cities, which shows the population shift. This growth
is from industrialization resulting in urbanization. Due to this rapid growth and to help
lighten the housing issues for Seoul, in 1989 the government built five satellite cities:
Ilsan, Bundang, Sanbon, Pyeongchon, and Jungdong. Modern day Seoul acts as a
metropolitan center for more than 20 million people.