The Name “Seoul” Has Been Used Since When?

The Name “Seoul” Has Been Around For Quite A While

The name “Seoul,” which refers to the capital of South Korea, was originally a pure Korean noun meaning the capital of a country. Therefore, it was used to refer to Seorabeol, the capital of Silla, and Gaeseong, the capital of Goryeo, as well. Hanyang, the capital of Joseon, was also commonly referred to as Seoul.

The Name “Seoul” Became The Official Name In 1946

The transition of Seoul from a general noun to the official name of the capital began after Korea’s liberation from Japan in 1945 when the “Seoul City Charter” was announced in 1946. The document, issued by the US military in Korea in August 1946, officially designated Seoul as a “Special City.”

Then, How Was The Seoul Area Referred To Throughout History?

According to the “Yongbi Eocheonga,” a song about the founding of the Joseon Dynasty written in Hangul, during the Baekje period, it was referred to as Wiryeseong or Hansan, during the Goguryeo period as Nampyeongyang, during the Unified Silla period as Hansanju, Hanju, or Hanyanggun, during the Goryeo period as Yangju, Namgyeong, or Hanyangju, and during the Joseon period as Hanyang or Hanseongbu. During the Japanese colonial period, it was known as Gyeongseongbu.

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