Seoul has been the center of politics, economy, culture, and transportation of Korea for six centuries since Taejo, the founder of the Joseon Dynasty, moved the capital here in the third year (1394) of his reign. Today one quarter of the nation's population lives in Seoul, which serves as the broadband core of all branches of knowledge. Seoul preserves numerous relics of the Joseon Dynasty: Dongdaemun and Namdaemun Gates; five extant palaces, namely Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Chang-gyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Gyeonghuigung; royal tombs, including Hongneung and Seonjeongneung; and Sung Kyun Kwan, the Confucian educational institution. The litany of Seoul's cultural heritage is endless. The city's legacy winds through its labyrinthine alleys. At the same time, Seoul has risen as a global landmark of modernity, with many must-see attractions: Lotte World, an amusement park; Seoul Tower, the symbol of Seoul blazing through the night; many parks and museums; department stores and other emporiums; jazz bars, cafes, a casino, etc. These attentions make Seoul a favorite tourist destination where visitors find all the amenities and entertainment they could want.
quoted from 24-25pp, KOREA Travel Guide 2000 published by Korea National Tourism Organization:
http://www.visitkorea.or.kr
Temperature in Seoul
The annual mean temperature ranges from 10 to 16°C except in the high mountain areas. The warmest month is August, whereas January is the coldest one. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 20 to 26°C in August and from -5 to 5°C in January
The annual precipitation is about 1,500mm in the southern part of Korea and 1,300mm in the central part. More than half of the annual precipitation falls during the Changma season when a stationary front lingers across the Korean peninsula for about a month in summer. The winter precipitation is less than 10% of the total.
The prevailing wind systems are southwesterly in summer and northwesterly in winter. The speed of the latter is higher than the former in general. During the transition period from southwesterly to northwesterly in September and October, a well developed land-sea breeze emerges as a prominent feature.
Humidity reaches the highest in July, marking 70-80 % nationwide. On the contrary, the lowest means of the monthly humidity are 30-40 % in January and April. Meanwhile, the pleasant humidity of September and October contributes to a plentiful harvest.
Changma, a part of summer Asian Monsoon systems, starts from the southern area of Korea in late June and gradually proceeds northward. On the average, Changma continues for 30 days when frequent heavy rains and flash floods result in great natural disasters. Two or three typhoons out of about 28 generated annually in the Northwest Pacific influence the Korean peninsula from June to October.
