Suwon
Suwon (Korean: 수원; [su.wʌn]) is the largest city and capital of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea's most populous province. The city lies approximately 30 km (19 mi) south of the national capital, Seoul. With a population close to 1¼ million, Suwon has more inhabitants than the metropolitan city Ulsan, though it enjoys a lesser degree of self-governance as a 'special case city'.
Suwon
수원
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| Korean transcription(s) | |
| • Hangul | 수원특례시 |
| • Hanja | 水原特例市 |
| • Revised Romanization | Suwon-teungnyesi |
| • McCune–Reischauer | Suwŏn-t'ŭkrye-si |
From top, left to right: view of Suwon from Paldalsan Mountain, Suwon World Cup Stadium, Hwaseong Haenggung Palace, Hwaseong Fortress, Gwanggyo Lake Park, Suwon Station | |
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Flag Emblem of Suwon | |
Location in South Korea | |
| Coordinates: 37°16′N 127°01′E | |
| Country | South Korea |
| Area | Gyeonggi Province (Seoul Capital) |
| Administrative divisions | 4 gu, 43 dong |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-Council |
| • Mayor | Lee Jae-jun (Democratic) |
| • Council | Suwon City Council |
| • Members of the Gyeonggi Provincial Council | List |
| • Members of the National Assembly | List |
| Area | |
| • Total | 121.04 km2 (46.73 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 582 m (1,909 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2023) | |
| • Total | 1,233,424 |
| • Dialect | Gyeonggi |
| Area code | +82-31-2xx |
| Flower | Azalea |
| Tree | Pine |
| Bird | Egret |
| Website | Suwon City Council |
Traditionally known as the 'City of Filial Piety', modern Suwon retains a variety of historical landmarks. As a walled city, it is a popular destination for day-trippers from Seoul, with the wall itself—Hwaseong Fortress—receiving 1½ million visits in 2015.
Suwon plays an important economic role as it is home to Samsung Electronics, Korea's largest and most profitable company. The company's research and development centre is in Yeongtong-gu in eastern Suwon, where its headquarters have also been located since 2016. Samsung's prominence in Suwon is clear: the company is partnered with Sungkyunkwan University, which has a campus in the city; it also owns the professional football team Suwon Samsung Bluewings. This team has won the K League four times and the Asian Super Cup twice. The city is also home to the K League 1 team Suwon FC and the KBO League baseball team KT Wiz.
Suwon houses several well-known universities, most notably Sungkyunkwan University and Ajou University. It is served by three expressways, the national railway network, and three lines on the Seoul Metropolitan Subway.