Seoul symbols are the conscious branding of the South Korean capital city. The city authorities promote or market the metropolis by judicious use of symbols. The Seoul symbols are made keeping in mind the traditional Korean culture and also the more contemporary market forces. There is a number of symbols representing the rich history of Seoul. “Hi Seoul” has been the city brand since 2002.
Seoul City Brand
In order to represent the 600 year history of Seoul, a brand contest was held during the Citizen's Day in October 2002. Among the several entries for the brand contest, “Hi Seoul” was declared as the Seoul city brand. The Seoul city brand aims in promoting the friendly image of the city in the global community. The symbol also promotes unity and harmony among Seoul citizens. There are three colors in the Seoul city symbol. They are red, yellow and blue.
Some of the other symbols of Seoul are described below:
The Emblem of Seoul
The emblem of the Seoul city was designed to represent the bright future of the South Korean capital. The emblem was adopted in the year 1947. However, the current emblem was adopted in the year 1996.
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The Seoul emblem features the following: Seoul, Korean letters, sun, mountains and the Hangang River, which symbolizes Seoul's bent towards human-oriented city. The green mountain on the emblem stands for love for mountains. The sun represents vision and future. On the emblem, the Hangang River is colored blue. However the idea for the emblem is derived from the city itself and two painters of the Joseon Dynasty.
Mascot of Seoul
Mascot of Seoul is another symbol of the city, which represents the light heart, open mind, lofty ideal and the strong spirit of the Seoul citizens. The picture of the mascot is a tiger named 'Wangbeomi', which is a character in Korean folktales. The mascot has been in use since 1998, February 19.
Tree, Flower, Bird of Seoul
'Ginkgo', a tree symbolizes Seoul's development and prosperity. In 1971, Gingko was declared as the national tree of Seoul. The tree is known for its longevity, beauty and strong resistance to pollution. The national flower of Seoul is 'forsythia', which symbolizes Seoul's citizens’ cooperative spirit. In 1971, April 3, the flower was declared as the national flower. 'Magpie' is believed to be the harbinger of good news and is the national bird of Seoul since 1964.
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