A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
CITY FOCUS | SEOUL
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T he capital and largest metropolis in South Korea , Seoul is one of the most powerful metropolitan economies in the world . The annual revenue of the public companies headquartered there is just short of US $ 1.5trn , the fourth-highest of any city worldwide . In 2019 , the population of Seoul proper ( known as Seoul Special City ) was over 9.6 million , a 0.01 % decrease from the previous year , and the total metropolitan area is home to more than 25.6 million people . Seoul ’ s population density is almost double that of New York City , four times higher than Los Angeles and eight times higher than the density of Rome . More than half the population of the country lives in and around Seoul . In many senses , the city is South Korea .
This month , Business Chief is exploring South Korea ’ s capital , and its ongoing balancing act between its role as an economic powerhouse and the ongoing efforts to provide a greener , more sustainable future for its occupants .
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
As with every megacity , high population density , vast numbers of cars ( in excess of 23 million with fewer than 60,000 being electric ) and large manufacturing capabilities mean that Seoul has to contend with the
MARCH 2020