From July 31 until August 2 (following my tour of the DMZ) I explored Seoul. Seoul, as you Kaesong probably know, is the capital of South Korea. It has been inhabited for more than 2,000 years, dating at least back to a settlement of Baekje. It served as capital of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). During the Korean War it was almost completely destroyed, but was aggressively rebuilt during the 1960s and 1970s. Today, with a population of over 10 million, it is one of the biggest cities in the world.

My tour began at the Korean War Memorial Museum, a very impressive memorial to every way Koreans have fought in for centuries.

Outside the museum.

Inside the museum.

N Seoul Tower. This tower was built in 1969 and opened to the public in 1980. At 777 feet in height, one can get a great view of the city. It is a communication tower.

Views from N Seoul Tower.

Changgyeonggung Palace. This palace was built in 1483 by King Sejong for his father. During the colonial period Japan built a zoo and museum on the site (Japan worked hard to erase Korean culture during the time). These were later removed. The photos below were also taken here.

Even in Korea we can’t escape the scourge of Kudzu!

More photos to come!