In its base, there are over 9.7 million people living in Seoul, one of the world’s most densely populated towns, and there are 26 million people in the greater metropolitan area. Unavoidable damage may result from a nuclear explosion in the city’s center, making it a desert of destruction and despair.
By examining the fire effects mile by kilometer, we can get a glimpse of the people, climate, and infrastructural toll this catastrophe may impose.
When a atomic bomb bursts, its destructive energy is measured in terms of a fire, a flash, extreme heat and dangerous rays. The distance from the blast’s centre, or “ground zero,” is essentially what affects the population and infrastructure.
Let’s suppose the blast of a 1-megaton atomic bomb in northern Seoul, around Gwanghwamun Square, for picture. The injury may be broken up into certain areas that extend beyond ground zero. ( Maps: https ://www.mapz.com/ )
0–1 Kilometer: Earth zero and complete annihilation
Within the first mile diameter of the blast, the disaster is complete. Anything within this diameter may be completely vaporized by the fireball, which has temperatures higher than the sun’s surface. Houses, cars, and facilities would cease to exist, reduced to dust and ashes. The heat and energy would instantly kill nearly 100 % of the people.
In a matter of seconds, Gwanghwamun Square, along with ancient websites like Gyeongbokgung Palace and the big government buildings in Jongno-gu, may disappear. In less than a minute, the wave did radiate upwards, traveling faster than the speed of audio. By the power of the fire, anything that is not vaporized by the heat, such as reinforced concrete buildings, may be crushed.
1–2 Kilometers: Firestorm and extreme fire area
Beyond 1 mile, but nevertheless within a 2-kilometer diameter, the damage remains considerable. The intense heat would spread quickly, igniting common fires all over the area, causing a firestorm, even though the fireball’s core would not extend this way. The dense urban landscape, which may cause a lot of key Seoul to become a sea of flames, may fuel these fires.
Buildings would suffer significant damage or collapse entirely. Institutions made of glass, steel and concrete would still be greatly compromised, while most residential and commercial properties, such as those in neighborhoods like Myeongdong and Insadong, would crumble completely. Anyone living in this area would suffer horrifying injuries as a result of the pressure wave’s impact, which would break windows and give dangerous glass shards flying at high speeds.
2–5 Kilometers: Serious energy and blast damage
Although some buildings might still be standing, the explosion’s effects would still be fatal at a distance of 2 to 5 meters from ground zero. Survivors may be exposed to intense levels of radiation, known as the first rays, which is released in the first moment following detonation. In this region, the majority of people may pass away quickly and painfully in just an afternoon due to the exposure.
Significant structural damage may be done to neighborhoods like Itaewon, Yongsan, and the famous Dongdaemun business area. The extreme heat would also cause fires to burst across the city, and the majority of buildings would be destroyed or seriously damaged. People would still be thrown through the air and hurled into debris by the shockwave, which would also cause dangerous or important injuries. Roads and transport infrastructure do collapse, leaving the area impossible.
5–10 Kilometers: Moderate to severe destruction area
In the 5- to 10-kilometer circle, the effects of the storm and radiation undermine significantly, but the destruction remains severe. At this range, classic areas such as Gangnam, Yeouido, and the outer margins of Yongsan-gu do experience significant harm. The fire wave would destroy windows, decline weaker houses, and burn flammable materials. Several high-rises in Seoul’s tightly packed urban areas could half collapse, and fires may continue to spread.
Radiation exposure would still be risky in this situation, but it might not be fatal for those who are sheltered or home. There are more than 3, 200 weapon homes in Seoul. The majority of them are not prepared because there are radioactive homes, and some have been found to be ill maintained.
The US Command Post Theater Air Naval Ground Operations ( CP Tango ) complex, which is deep underground in an undisclosed location in the Seoul capital region, is protected by numerous blast-proof doors and serves as the main command center for military operations launched against North Korea in the event of hostilities. It has  , food and supplies for two weeks for up to 500 South Korean and US military.
If you’re the same as me, you’re definitely never invited. You can find out , where to go , here ( good luck ). Those of us who were exposed to the outdoors may experience severe burns and radiation sickness within days. Survivors may struggle to find medical aid, as clinics, clinics, and emergency services may become overwhelmed or destroyed.
10–20 Kilometers: Gentle injury and consequences zone
At a distance of 10 to 20 kilometers, while the most harmful effects of the fire and flash would be reduced, this place would face widespread system damage, along with publicity to radioactive fallout.
The southern sections of Seoul, including districts like Jamsil and pieces of Songpa-gu, may experience broken panels, damaged buildings and flames, although some buildings may be sitting. As aftermath, radioactive particles thrown into the environment by the explosion, may start to fall, putting survivors at risk of rays sickness.
Depending on the weather patterns at the time, nuclear fallout may cover the area. In addition to flames, this fallout may contaminate the air, water, and ground, making the area unsafe for weeks or even months. Long-term health problems like cancers and genetic abnormalities in individuals would be the result of global exposure. The risk of death may be great for the population in this area, especially those who had no shelter right away after the explosion.
20–30 Kilometers: Secondary damage and consequences
In the 20- to 30-kilometer circle, the physical harm to facilities would be less serious, but radioactive fallout would be a major concern. Incheon and Suwon, as well as other cities and regions beyond the Seoul town limits, did start to experience the dangerous effects of aftermath. Fallout particles, carried by storm currents, may sit over large areas, leading to long-term rays exposure.
While many buildings would remain intact, services such as electricity, water supply and communications would be severely disrupted, leaving survivors without access to basic necessities. Due to the extensive destruction and high radiation levels closer to ground zero, emergency response teams would not be able to reach these areas.
Long-term consequences
The explosion would only serve as the start of the city’s problems. Seoul would continue to experience rain for days, polluting the environment, and leaving vast swaths of the city uninhabitable for decades. Cancers and radiation sickness were among the serious health risks faced by those who managed to avoid the initial destruction.
Beyond the human cost, Seoul’s destruction would have a significant impact on both the economy and politics. South Korea, a global economic hub, would experience a catastrophic collapse of its economy, affecting industries such as technology, automotive manufacturing and shipping. There would be immediate disruptions to the global supply chain, which would cause global economic unrest.
One of the most vibrant cities in the world would completely collapse if a single nuclear bomb went off in central Seoul. Survivors would have to deal with the agonizing realities of radiation sickness, environmental destruction, and societal collapse, with a death toll of millions. The thing is, they rarely come as singles. A nuclear attack on Seoul would use a number of weapons, including artillery, chemical weapons, and biological weapons. When the shit hits the fan, ai n’t no one in this place escaping.
The once-thriving capital of South Korea would be reduced to a barren wasteland, forever changed by a single, catastrophic decision. North Korea would cease to exist as a functioning state, and historians would use the phrase” Pyrrhic victory” to explain its significance. It serves as a clear reminder of the unimaginable destruction caused by nuclear weapons and the need for continued efforts to achieve world peace and nuclear disarmament.
This piece was composed after reading Annie Jacobsen’s incredibly frightening book , Nuclear War: A Scenario. She details the impact of a nuclear war through time with a harrowing first twenty-four minutes, next twenty-four minutes, the final twenty-four minutes, and then the next twenty-four months. She starts the text with a prologue:
A 1-megaton thermonuclear weapon detonation begins with a flash of light and heat that is so great that the average person ca n’t even comprehend it. One hundred and eighty million degrees Fahrenheit is four or five times the temperature at the Earth’s core.
Every line that follows is just as powerful. Anyone who believes that using nuclear weapons would make them safer or more secure should read the book. Read the book and one question pops up: Why , is , there a nuclear weapons debate in Seoul?
Jeffrey Robertson is an academic, consultant and writer focusing on foreign affairs, diplomacy and the Korean Peninsula.  , This article was originally published on his Substack, Diplomatic Seoul, and is republished with permission.  , Read more here.