Seongnam, city, Gyeonggi do (province), northwestern South Korea, about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Seoul. Given the status of a municipality in 1973, it developed rapidly as a satellite city of Seoul, absorbing some of the capital’s population and light industries. During the late 20th century Seongnam experienced some of the most rapid population growth in the country and developed into a major city. Seongnam has several industrial developments where high-technology and research companies dominate. The city’s cultural and historical relics include several Buddhist temples dating as far back as the Goryeo (935–1392) era and Namhansanseong, a mountain fortification that was an important defense during the Manchu invasion of the early 17th century. Namhansanseong was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014. Pop. (2020) 922,025.