The Seoul metropolitan area is densely populated with 40 percent of Korean people and quite weak to the seismic hazard. According to the analysis of historical documents, the largest earthquake occurred in this area is MMI VIII-IX acompanying with a large shaking, collapse of stone walls, collapse of houses, and many casualties. Two times of damaging earthquakes occurred in the first century (A.D. 27, 89), and there was a long quiet period of about 1430 years. Another big earthquakes re-occurred three times in the 16-17 century (1518, 1613, 1692) and then a quiet period has continued to the present time. Just after Seoul earthquake in 1518, aftershocks occurred almost 19 days consecutively and many triggered earthquakes occurred not only in Seoul metropolitan area but also in Hwanghae province, northern Korea. It indicates that the largest potential earthquake in and around Seoul is MMI VIII-IX with a long occurrence period of about 1400-1500 years.