Seongnam is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Because of its convenient location near Seoul, the South Korean capital, it is a largely residential city with a population similar to other satellite cities, such as Goyang and Gwacheon. Its most heavily occupied sector is the Bundang district, which is home to a huge number of multi-skyscraper apartment complexes that are also common in other major Korean cities. The Bundang district serves as Seongnam's heart and provides the rest of the city with the Bundang subway line, which extends into Seoul.
In recent years, a movement to have Seongnam designated a metropolitan city capable of governing itself has arisen. This is due in part to Seongnam's growing population and changes in its main function as a city for residents whose workplaces are in Seoul. This has come about as Seongnam now strives to develop local industries, such as high-tech computer chip manufacturing. In addition, Seongnam's population has already bypassed those of other self-governing cities, showing how much Seongnam has rapidly developed since 1991, when it was officially established as a satellite city.
