List of districts of Seoul

The districts of Seoul are the twenty-five gu (districts; Korean: 구; Hanja: 區) comprising Seoul, South Korea. The gu vary greatly in area (from 10 to 47 km) and population (from less than 140,000 to 630,000), fourteen of which are located north of the Han River, and eleven south. Songpa District is the most populated, while Seocho District has the largest area. Gu are similar to London's or New York's boroughs or Tokyo's 23 special wards. Each gu's government handles many of the functions that are handled by city governments in other jurisdictions. This city-like standing is underscored by the fact that each gu has its own legislative council, mayor and sister cities. Each gu is further divided into dong or neighborhoods. Some gu have only a few dong while others (like Jongno District) have a very large number of distinct neighborhoods. Districts of Seoul form a total of 467 legal-status subdivisions.
Jongno-gu, with Dongdaemun famous for its fashion markets, and Jung-gu, form the historic and administrative core of the city, housing palaces, government buildings, cultural sites, and hosting major landmarks like the N Seoul Tower. Yongsan-gu, located just south of central Seoul but still north of the river, is known for Itaewon’s international scene. The district also hosts a sizeable amount of the country's foreign embassies. Seodaemun-gu and Mapo-gu are home to Yonsei University, Sogang University, and Hongdae, a hub of youth culture and nightlife. Eunpyeong-gu, Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu, bordered by the Suraksan and Bukhansan mountains to the north, and Gangbuk-gu, are in the northernmost part of the city, offering residential areas and access to Bukhansan National Park. Seongbuk-gu, home of Korea University, and Jungnang-gu, blend traditional neighborhoods with modern infrastructure. Dongdaemun-gu and Seongdong-gu are growing commercial and residential districts.
Gangnam-gu, one of the most significant districts of Seoul, home to many of the country's corporations and businesses, Seocho-gu, the largest district by land area, and Songpa-gu, are among the most affluent areas, with Seocho housing legal institutions, and Songpa featuring major attractions like Lotte World and the Lotte World Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world. Gwangjin-gu, located along the river, is known for its vibrant university district and shopping centers. Geumcheon-gu, in the southwest, is one of the smaller districts of the city, bordered by the Anyangcheon to the west. Yangcheon-gu, home to some of the tallest residential buildings in the city, Gangseo-gu, Seoul's westernmost district, and Guro-gu in the southwest offer a mix of residential and industrial zones, with Gangseo home to Gimpo International Airport and Guro being an IT hub. Yeongdeungpo-gu and Dongjak-gu are key financial and transportation centers, with Yeongdeungpo hosting major corporate offices and Dongjak known for its universities and military facilities.
At the time of national independence in 1945, Seoul was a rapidly growing city, divided into 8 districts (gu) and 268 neighborhoods (dong). In 1949, the city's administrative limits expanded exponentially to 268.353 km², roughly doubling its size from 1945. This was driven by the need to accommodate rapid population growth and urbanization after independence. With the realignments of si (cities), do (provinces), gu (districts), and gun (counties), the jurisdiction included 45 ri-districts, such as Sungin-myeon, Dokdo-myeon, Eunpyeong-myeon, and Siheung-gun, and Dong-myeon of Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Seongbuk-gu was also included in the original eight, bringing a total of nine, as Seoul Metropolitan Government organization continued to advance to address the city's rapid expansion. When the city kept growing, Seoul annexed 5 gun (counties) and 84 ri-districts in 1963, significantly increasing its administrative area. The city's total area was 595.50 km², and the population was 2.59 million.
It grew again in 1973 when Seoul incorporated additional territory, including Gupabal-ri, Jingwannae-ri, and Jingwanoe-ri of Goyang-gun, Gyeonggi-do. It raised the overall area of Seoul to 605.33 km². That year, the administrative districts were once again reorganized, and Gwanak-gu and Dobong-gu were officially declared districts. This increased the number of districts to 11 from 9. As city expansion in Seoul gained momentum, the need for more administrative divisions became more apparent. Gangnam-gu emerged in 1975, increasing the number of districts to 12. The establishment of Gangnam-gu was particularly significant as it marked the beginning of Seoul's expansion south of the Han River, which paved the way for what would become one of the city's most affluent and lively districts. By 1977, another expansion formed Gangseo-gu, increasing the number of districts to 13. This was then followed in 1979 by the establishment of Eunpyeong-gu and Gangdong-gu, increasing the number to 15 districts.
The 1980s also saw additional administrative restructuring with the creation of Guro-gu and Dongjak-gu, bringing the total number of districts to 17. Seoul's population had grown to 9.2 million by then, a testament to the city's rapid growth into a metropolis. In 1988, extensive administrative restructuring resulted in the establishment of Songpa-gu, Jungnang-gu, Nowon-gu, Seocho-gu, and Yangcheon-gu. This expansion increased the number of districts from 17 to 22. The late 1980s also witnessed Seoul's growing international stature, since it was scheduled to host the 1988 Summer Olympics, which further stimulated urban development and modernization. The most recent major reorganization took place in 1995 when Gangbuk-gu, Geumcheon-gu, and Gwangjin-gu were added, bringing Seoul to 25 districts.
The Seoul Metropolitan Council is the legislative body of Seoul, overseeing the city’s 25 districts. Council members are elected every four years, with most representing specific districts, while 10 others are elected through proportional representation. The council plays a crucial role in local governance, making decisions on policies, budgets, and legislation that impact the city's administration and development. It consists of standing committees, special committees, and a secretariat, with a chair and two vice-chairs overseeing operations. Council members hold the right to review and approve policies, manage finances, and address residents' petitions. The Seoul Metropolitan Council is empowered to pass ordinances, approve budgets, and review city policies and affairs. Standing committees focus on specific areas like public safety, housing, and transportation, while special committees address urgent city matters or ethical concerns. The council also plays a role in ensuring transparency and citizen participation, organizing public hearings and collecting public opinions on city issues. Members of the Council hold significant power to decide on policy, legislation, residents' complaints, and city affairs related to the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. They make use of such rights in a wide range of ways, ranging from ordinances, voting, to approval processes. The council can enact, amend, and repeal ordinances, examine and approve budget proposals, approve or disapprove final accounts, and impose and collect local taxes and fees outside the purview of national laws. The council further handles funds, purchases and sells principal properties, installs and removes public installations, and listens to petitions from the people regarding municipal affairs.
The Seoul Metropolitan Council also possesses the power to exercise control over the executive branch (the SMG and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education) to monitor and correct its actions. This includes calling for attendance, answers, or opinions from the mayor or superintendent, calling for documents, auditing, and investigating administrative affairs. The council may address petitions that are brought up by citizens or other parties having interests in Seoul, complaining about or requesting improvements in city administration. Petitions may involve affairs such as damage relief, penalty against corrupt officials, promulgation or abolition of laws and regulations, administration of public facilities, and other affairs. The Seoul Metropolitan Council also has the power to select its own rules of procedure, regulate meetings, and construct its organization. It is also empowered to determine the legal status of council members and regulate internal affairs independently. With these responsibilities and rights, the Seoul Metropolitan Council has an extremely crucial role in determining Seoul's administration and growth, where the people may provide their inputs in decisions that affect their daily life and the future of the city.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, the executive branch, works alongside the Seoul Metropolitan Council. The mayor of Seoul and the mayors of each district serve four-year terms, with vice mayors and various directors of bureaus, offices, and divisions working under them. The dongs, or neighborhoods, provide direct services to residents within their respective areas. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is directly under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister, with the Seoul Mayor holding a privileged government position and able to report city affairs at cabinet meetings. The status of civil servants within the Seoul Metropolitan Government, including key positions such as the director general of planning and coordination and the heads of bureaus, was elevated by one tier. The Seoul Metropolitan Government oversees several key locations within its jurisdiction, which serve as the administrative centers for the city's operations. These locations include the Seoul City Hall, which serves as the base of operations of the local government, Seoul City Hall Seosomun Building, Seoul City Hall Seosomun Building 2, Seoul City Hall Namsan Building, Seoul City Hall Mugyo-dong Building, Seoul City Hall Cheonggyecheonro Building, and the Press Center.
2014 estimate by Seoul Statistics.