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Seoul - A History Trivia Quiz

Seoul is the capital of and largest city in South Korea. Seen as a rising city both economically and culturally, Seoul is steadily moving up on the list of the world's richest, most populous and most visited cities in the world.

A multiple-choice quiz by Joepetz. Estimated time: 4 mins.

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Author
Joepetz

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
372,325

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

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392

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Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Archeologists have found evidence that people have been living in the area where Seoul now stands since at least the Paleolithic Age, several thousands of years ago. But the city proper did not begin to take root and spread out from the Han River until what alloy was discovered? Hint

Iron

Steel

Brass

Bronze

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Question 2 of 10

2. Seoul was officially founded in 18B.C. when the Baekje Kingdom began building one of its capitals in the area that is today called Seoul. What was the Baekje capital called at this time? Hint

Hanyang

Silla

Seoul

Wiryeseong

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Question 3 of 10

3. What is the English translation of Hanseong, the name Seoul took when it became the Korean capital in 1394? Hint

Northern Capital

Palace on the Mountain Top

Land of the Koreans

Fortress City on the Han

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Question 4 of 10

4. Seoul saw its first glimmer of becoming a major world city when Korea ceased its isolationism in the 19th century. With which foreign world power did Seoul benefit from the most? Hint

United States

France

United Kingdom

Germany

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Question 5 of 10

5. In the early 1900s, Japan annexed the Korean peninsula and made it part of the Japanese Empire. What did the Japanese name Seoul while the city was under their control? Hint

Keijo

Nippon

Busan

Taisho

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Question 6 of 10

6. How many times did the city of Seoul switch hands between North Korea and South Korea during the Korean War? Hint

Over fifty

Never

Four times

About a dozen

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Question 7 of 10

7. As Seoul began to revitalize after the Korean War, it annexed many of the smaller towns around it. However, even though this greatly increased the population and was beneficial in the long run, what short-term problem did this expansion cause? Hint

The people who lived in these annexed towns rebelled.

The city spent billions industrializing what were mostly rural areas.

The annexation of these towns started another war with North Korea.

The city could no longer make good on its tax break promise.

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Question 8 of 10

8. In the 1980s, why was a green belt established around the city of Seoul? Hint

To provide a place for the Olympic Village

To create a national park

To supply Seoul with much needed water resources

To prevent urbanization

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which event did Seoul cohost with Japan in 2002? Hint

The Summer Olympic Games

The Asian Games

The Winter Olympic Games

The FIFA World Cup

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Question 10 of 10

10. In 2004, which South Korean city did the government propose moving the capital to in order to slow the growth and crowdedness of Seoul? Hint

Incheon

Gongju

Busan

Daegu

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Bronze

With the introduction of bronze in about 700 B.C., people were able to set up permanent establishments away from the Han River as water could now be more easily transported. This allowed for the beginning of the construction of what would become Seoul.

2. Seoul was officially founded in 18B.C. when the Baekje Kingdom began building one of its capitals in the area that is today called Seoul. What was the Baekje capital called at this time?

Answer: Wiryeseong

Remnants of Wiryeseong can be found in and around Seoul. However, they are located on the South of the Han River while most of the other ancient Korean artifacts and locations are on the north. The Baekje lost control of Seoul as well as all of Korea in 392 to the Goguryeo and they lost the city to the Silla in 551. The Silla then renamed Wiryeseong as Hanyang.

3. What is the English translation of Hanseong, the name Seoul took when it became the Korean capital in 1394?

Answer: Fortress City on the Han

During the Joseon Period in the 1300s, Seoul was a walled city because tigers would often enter the city and roam around the streets. Today, most of the wall is gone but remnants of it are still in existence, mainly the gates which can be found around several downtown districts.

4. Seoul saw its first glimmer of becoming a major world city when Korea ceased its isolationism in the 19th century. With which foreign world power did Seoul benefit from the most?

Answer: United States

The United States quickly became Korea's top trading partner. U.S. companies also jointly owned several Korean electric and water companies, helping Seoul to become the first city in the Orient to have electricity and running water.

5. In the early 1900s, Japan annexed the Korean peninsula and made it part of the Japanese Empire. What did the Japanese name Seoul while the city was under their control?

Answer: Keijo

Keijo was run like other major Japanese cities of time, containing two wards and expanding outwards as it gobbled up smaller cities and towns. Korea remained under Japanese control until it was liberated in the aftermath of World War II.

6. How many times did the city of Seoul switch hands between North Korea and South Korea during the Korean War?

Answer: Four times

Seoul nearly straddles the present-day border between the North and South and since it is an important city, its control was fought over incessantly. Once the war ended, over half of the city was destroyed, half of its people homeless and its population exploded with millions of refugees from the North.

Answer: The city spent billions industrializing what were mostly rural areas.

Many of the towns surrounding Seoul that were annexed were extremely rural and had little to no industry or systems of transportation. It took billions in investment and years of building before the newer areas blended in with the rest of the city.

8. In the 1980s, why was a green belt established around the city of Seoul?

Answer: To prevent urbanization

Seoul and other large South Korea cities such as Incheon and Busan were expanding rapidly and traffic and air pollution because serious problems. The green belt had little impact, however, and the city continued to spread and the pollution and traffic worsened.

9. Which event did Seoul cohost with Japan in 2002?

Answer: The FIFA World Cup

South Korea and Japan had bid separately but combined into one bid because both nations feared they would split the votes and allow Mexico to win the hosting duties. This was the first time ever that two nations cohosted the FIFA World Cup.

10. In 2004, which South Korean city did the government propose moving the capital to in order to slow the growth and crowdedness of Seoul?

Answer: Gongju

Gongju is a small city only having a population of about 100,000 people in 2004. The proposed move angered many in the nation and the law allowing the move was declared unconstitutional without a national referendum. The government later proposed moving just the legislative and other branches to Gongju and keeping the executive branch in Seoul as a solution to this quandary.

Source: Author Joepetz

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