Geography

Seoul has been the capital for about 600 years, since the Joseon dynasty.

• 대한민국의 수도는 어디입니까?What is the capital of the Republic of Korea?

Its full official name is Seoul Teukbyeolsi — Seoul Special City.

• 우리나라 수도의 정식 명칭은 무엇입니까?What is the full official name of our capital?

After Gwangju and Jeonnam merged in July 2026, the metropolitan-level governments number 16 in total.

• 전남·광주 통합 이후 전국 시·도의 수는 몇 개입니까?After the Jeonnam–Gwangju merger, how many cities/provinces (si·do) are there nationwide?

Gwangju and Jeollanam-do merged on July 1, 2026 into the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City (Jeonnam-Gwangju Tonghap Teukbyeolsi).

• 광주와 전남을 합쳐 새로 출범한 특별시의 이름은 무엇입니까?What is the name of the new special city created by combining Gwangju and Jeonnam?

Seoul Special City and the Jeonnam-Gwangju Unified Special City — two in total.

Seoul has been a Special City since 1946; Jeonnam-Gwangju became one with the 2026 merger.

Sejong, built as the administrative capital, is the only special self-governing city.

• 정부세종청사가 있는 특별자치시는 어디입니까?In which special self-governing city is the Government Complex Sejong located?

Jeju, the largest island, is a special self-governing province and a top tourist destination.

• 한라산이 있는 특별자치도는 어디입니까?In which special self-governing province is Hallasan located?

Gangwon, in the northeast, is home to Seoraksan and the Taebaek range.

• 대한민국 동북부의 특별자치도는 어디입니까?What is the special self-governing province in Korea's northeast?

Jeonju, famous for its Hanok Village and bibimbap, is the center of Jeonbuk.

• 2024년에 특별자치도로 출범한 전라도 지역은 어디입니까?Which Jeolla region became a special self-governing province in 2024?

Busan, the largest port, is commonly called the second city after Seoul.

• 해운대와 광안리로 유명한 광역시는 어디입니까?Which metropolitan city is famous for Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches?

Incheon International Airport, the country's main gateway, is in Incheon.

• 인천국제공항이 위치한 도시는 어디입니까?In which city is Incheon International Airport located?

Palgongsan and the big traditional Seomun Market are Daegu landmarks.

• 경상북도와 접하며 분지에 위치한 대표 광역시는 어디입니까?Which major metropolitan city borders Gyeongsangbuk-do and sits in a basin?

Daejeon is Korea's science city, home to many research institutes.

• 대덕연구개발특구가 있는 광역시는 어디입니까?In which metropolitan city is the Daedeok research and development zone?

Ulsan is Korea's industrial capital — cars, ships, and petrochemicals.

• 현대자동차 대규모 공장이 있는 광역시는 어디입니까?In which metropolitan city is Hyundai Motor's large factory complex?

Gyeonggi-do wraps around Seoul and holds the largest population of any province.

• 수원시가 도청 소재지인 광역자치단체는 어디입니까?Which metropolitan government has Suwon as its provincial capital?

Dokdo, in the East Sea, is the easternmost territory of the Republic of Korea.

• 경상북도 울릉군에 속한 동쪽 섬은 어디입니까?What eastern island belongs to Ulleung-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do?

The unified city was launched on July 1, 2026.

After Gwangju merged into the new special city in 2026, five metropolitan cities remain: Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Daejeon, Ulsan.

The five gwangyeoksi are Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Daejeon, and Ulsan.

Jeju (2006), Gangwon (2023), and Jeonbuk (2024) are the three special self-governing provinces.

Hallasan on Jeju Island rises 1,947 m — the highest in South Korea.

• 대한민국에서 가장 높은 산은 무엇입니까?What is the highest mountain in South Korea?
• 제주도 중앙에 있는 우리나라 최고봉은 무엇입니까?What is Korea's highest peak, at the center of Jeju Island?

Seoraksan in Gangwon Province is crowded with visitors when the leaves turn in autumn.

• 강원특별자치도의 대표적인 명산이자 국립공원은 무엇입니까?What famous mountain and national park represents Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province?
• 속초·인제·양양 일대의 유명한 산은 무엇입니까?What famous mountain lies around Sokcho, Inje, and Yangyang?

Baekdusan stands on the border with China. It appears in the first line of the national anthem.

• 남한과 북한을 합한 한반도에서 가장 높은 산은 무엇입니까?What is the highest mountain on the whole Korean Peninsula, North and South combined?

Hallasan is about 1,947 meters above sea level.

• 대한민국 최고봉 한라산의 해발 높이는 얼마입니까?What is the elevation of Hallasan, Korea's highest peak?

Jirisan was designated Korea's first national park in 1967.

• 1967년 우리나라에서 처음 국립공원으로 지정된 산은 무엇입니까?Which mountain was first designated a national park in 1967?

The Taebaek range runs north–south along the east coast, called the peninsula's backbone.

• 강원 지역을 중심으로 남북으로 뻗은 큰 산맥은 무엇입니까?What big mountain range stretches north–south through the Gangwon area?

Baekdusan sits on the border of North Korea and China.

Jeju Island is the largest, formed by a volcano, and a place many people visit.

• 대한민국에서 가장 큰 섬은 어디입니까?What is the largest island in Korea?
• 우리나라 최대의 섬은 무엇입니까?What is our country's biggest island?

Dokdo is Korean territory in the East Sea, administratively part of Ulleung County.

Dokdo is clearly Korean territory, and Korea keeps a police force stationed there.

Marado lies south of Jeju Island and is the southernmost point of Korea.

Ulleungdo is a volcanic island in the East Sea. Dokdo belongs to the same county.

• 독도와 가까운 동해의 큰 섬은 어디입니까?What large East Sea island lies near Dokdo?
• 독도를 행정적으로 관할하는 울릉군의 대표 섬은 어디입니까?What is the main island of Ulleung-gun, which administers Dokdo?

Korea is a peninsula with sea on three sides: East, West and South.

The Han River divides Seoul into north and south. Parks line both banks.

• 서울을 가로지르는 강은 무엇입니까?What river crosses Seoul?
• 수도 서울의 중심을 흐르는 대표 강은 무엇입니까?What is the main river flowing through the center of the capital, Seoul?

Four long rivers. The Amnok (Yalu) runs along the border with China.

The Nakdonggang, about 510 km, is taught as South Korea's longest river.

• 부산·경남 지역으로 흘러 남해로 들어가는 긴 강은 무엇입니까?What long river flows through Busan and South Gyeongsang into the South Sea?

The Geumgang waters the Chungcheong region and passes near Daejeon.

• 충청권의 주요 하천으로 군산 부근 서해로 흐르는 강은 무엇입니까?What major Chungcheong river flows into the West Sea near Gunsan?

The Yeongsangang flows through the Jeonnam-Gwangju region toward Mokpo.

• 나주평야와 목포 인근으로 흐르는 강은 무엇입니까?What river flows past the Naju Plain toward Mokpo?

The deep sea east of the peninsula is called the East Sea.

• 독도와 울릉도가 있는 바다는 무엇입니까?In which sea are Dokdo and Ulleungdo?

The shallow sea between Korea and China is the West Sea, also called the Yellow Sea.

• 인천 앞바다가 속한 바다는 무엇입니까?To which sea do the waters off Incheon belong?

The island-dotted sea south of the peninsula is the South Sea.

• 부산 서쪽과 여수·통영 앞바다가 속한 바다는 무엇입니까?To which sea do the waters west of Busan and off Yeosu–Tongyeong belong?

Korea has four clearly separate seasons, and what people wear and eat changes with them.

• 대한민국의 사계절은 무엇입니까?What are Korea's four seasons?

In spring a cold snap can return during the blossom season, and yellow dust blows in from the west.

• 개나리·진달래·벚꽃이 피고 황사가 나타나기도 하는 계절은 무엇입니까?In which season do forsythia, azalea, and cherry blossoms bloom, sometimes with yellow dust?

The rainy spell (jangma) comes around late June to July, and typhoons follow in late summer.

• 무더위와 장마가 나타나는 계절은 무엇입니까?In which season do the sweltering heat and the rainy spell (jangma) occur?

From late September the leaves turn colour starting in the north and moving south.

• 단풍이 들고 추수를 하는 계절은 무엇입니까?In which season do leaves turn colors and the harvest take place?

Winter is cold and dry, and the pattern of three cold days and four mild ones is often mentioned.

• 한국의 사계절 중 날씨가 춥고 눈이 내리는 계절은 무엇입니까?Which of Korea's four seasons is cold and snowy?

In spring, fine yellow dust called hwangsa blows over from continental deserts.

The early-summer stretch of days of rain is called jangma.

The autumn coloring of leaves is called danpung; Seoraksan and Naejangsan are famous for it.

South and North Korea together occupy the Korean Peninsula.

• 남한과 북한이 함께 있는 반도는 무엇입니까?On what peninsula are both South and North Korea?

The only land border of South Korea is with North Korea, across the truce line.

• 휴전선을 사이에 두고 대한민국과 맞닿아 있는 곳은 어디입니까?What lies across the truce line from South Korea?

Across the West Sea to the west lies China.

• 대한민국과 황해를 사이에 두고 있는 국가는 어디입니까?Which country faces Korea across the Yellow Sea?

Japan lies across the water to the southeast.

• 부산에서 대한해협을 건너 가까운 국가는 어디입니까?Which country is close to Busan across the Korea Strait?

The waterway between Korea and Japan is the Korea Strait.

• 부산과 일본 규슈 사이 바닷길을 무엇이라고 합니까?What do we call the sea route between Busan and Japan's Kyushu?

The DMZ is a roughly 4 km-wide buffer strip along the truce line.

• 휴전선 주변의 비무장 구역을 영어 약자로 무엇이라고 합니까?What is the English abbreviation for the demilitarized area around the truce line?

Panmunjom, in the DMZ, hosts talks between the two Koreas.

• 공동경비구역(JSA)이 있는 장소는 어디입니까?Where is the Joint Security Area (JSA)?

In the far northeast, North Korea shares a short border with Russia.

The West Sea, also called the Yellow Sea, lies between Korea and China.

The ROK–US Mutual Defense Treaty has been in force since 1953.