With over 10 million people, a figure that doubles if you include neighboring cities and suburbs, Seoul is by far the largest city in South Korea and the unquestioned economic, political and cultural hub of the country. Seoul suffers from a partly unwarranted reputation for pollution and traffic jams. These days, strict emissions laws have brought the pollution under control and, while traffic jams do still snarl up Seoul's streets at rush hour, the extensive subway network means that the traveler can easily shortcut through it almost all of the time. With beautiful palaces, great food and a hopping nightlife, Seoul is worth a visit. Seoul is so vast in size that getting to grips with it takes a while. The city is divided in two by the Han River, which runs east to west across the city. The Joseon-era historical core of the city, containing most palaces and government offices, lies on the north side in and around the district of Jongno, overlooked by the 262-meter peak of Namsan. The south of the river, known as Gangnam, is brasher and more modern. The island of Yeoui-do, in the river, is the closest Seoul gets to Manhattan with skyscrapers, the National Assembly and the Seoul Stock Exchange.