he grandeur of the ancient walled city, embraced by the meandering Han River, can still be discerned in the thriving international city of today. Seoul, the capital, is located halfway down the Korean peninsula near the West Coast. It is ideally sited among mountains and along the Han River, so it is not hard to see why it was chosen as the nation¡¯s capital in 1394 at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

Seoul¡¯s architectural symbols of the past have been carefully preserved to maintain a link between the city of yesterday and the thriving cosmopolitan metropolis that it is today.

Vestiges of Joseon Dynasty are still prominent features of the city¡¯s landscape, including six of the original gates and other sections of the 10-mile-long city wall, and four major palaces and a garden with royal ancestral shrines, some of which have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
These and other architectural relics add to the color and charm of modern Seoul.

Seoul is proud of its 5,000 years of cultural heritage. The mysterious symmetry of old and new can be better observed here than anywhere else. Seoul is a well-planned metropolitan city with a population of 12 million. Ever since the colossal success of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup in 2002, Korea has been gaining an unquestioned reputation as a top international convention destination.

Due to its advanced convention infrastructure, affordable accommodation, and glorious cultural heritage of 5,000 years, Seoul ranked the 1st convention destination in Asia and the 3rd in the world in 2001 according to the International Congress and Convention Association, which is the authoritative representative of the meeting industry of the world.