Primary administrative division of Korea
Korea
has had administrative districts that can be considered provinces since the 7th century. These divisions were initially called
ju
(
Korean
:
週
;
Hanja
:
州
) in
Unified Silla
and
Later Baekje
, and there were nine in total. After
Goryeo
conquered these states in the 10th century, twelve divisions called
mok
(
목
;
牧
) were established, although they were reorganized into ten
do
(
도
;
道
) in the 11th century.
After
Joseon
's conquest of Goryeo, it reorganized the peninsula into eight
do
in 1413. The provincial boundaries closely reflected major
regional
and
dialect
boundaries, and are still often referred to in Korean today simply as the
Eight Provinces
. In 1895, as part of the
Gabo Reform
, the country was redivided into 23 districts (
Bu;
部;
府
), which were replaced a year later by thirteen new provinces. The thirteen provinces of 1896 included three of the original eight provinces, with the five remaining original provinces divided into north and south halves (
Bukdo
(北道;
北道
) and
Namdo
(南道;
南道
) respectively). The thirteen provinces remained unchanged throughout the
Japanese colonial period
.
With the liberation of Korea in 1945, the Korean peninsula was divided into
North Korea
and
South Korea
, with the dividing line established along the
38th parallel
. As a result, three provinces?
Hwanghae
,
Gyeonggi
, and
Gangwon
(Kangw?n)?were divided into North Korea and South Korea today. The special cities of
Seoul
(South Korea) and
P'y?ngyang
(North Korea) were formed in 1946. Between 1946 and 1954, five new provinces were created:
Jeju
in South Korea, and
North
and
South Hwanghae
,
Chagang
, and
Ryanggang
in North Korea. Since 1954, provincial boundaries in both the North and South have remained unchanged but new cities and special administrative regions have been created.
Provinces of Unified Silla
[
edit
]
The Korean peninsula was mostly unified for the first time by the state
Silla
in the 7th century.
[1]
Silla's capital was Geumseong (now
Gyeongju
).
[2]
It had five sub-capitals (
소경
;
小京
;
sogyeong
) at Geumgwan-gyeong (
金官京
, now
Gimhae
), Namwon-gyeong (南原京,
Namwon
), Seowon-gyeong (
西原京
,
Cheongju
), Jungwon-gyeong (
中原京
,
Chungju
), and Bugwon-gyeong (
北原京
,
Wonju
).
[3]
The country was divided into nine provinces (
週
;
ju
): three in the pre-660 territory of Silla, and three each in the territories of the former kingdoms
Baekje
and
Goguryeo
.
[4]
Provinces of Goryeo
[
edit
]
Goryeo was established in the 10th century, and had its capital at Gaegyeong (now
Kaesong
). It conquered Silla and
Later Baekje
, and also conquered parts of the former territory of
Goguryeo
.
[5]
Goryeo had three subcapitals: Donggyeong (now
Gyeongju
), Namgyeong (now
Seoul
), and Seogyeong (now
Pyongyang
).
[6]
Goryeo reorganized its provinces several times. Originally, the country had one royal district (
機內
;
畿內
;
ginae
) around Gaegyeong and twelve administrative districts (
목
;
牧
;
mok
).
[7]
In 995, the twelve districts were redivided into ten provinces (
도
;
道
;
do
).
[8]
In 1005,
[8]
[
clarification needed
]
the ten provinces were again redivided, this time into five provinces and two frontier districts (
界
;
界
;
gye
). Gyojudo later became its own province after 1178, making it six provinces and two frontier districts.
Provinces of Goryeo over time
Provinces (pre-995)
[7]
|
Provinces (995?1005)
[8]
|
Provinces
(post-1005)
[9]
|
Modern equivalent
|
Silla equivalent
|
Yangju
-mok (
揚州牧
)
|
Gwannae-do
|
Seohae-do (西海道,西海도)
|
Hwanghae
|
Hanju
|
Hwangju
-mok (
黃州牧
)
|
North Hwanghae
|
Haeju
-mok (
海州牧
)
|
South Hwanghae
|
Gwangju
-mok (
廣州牧
)
|
Yanggwang-do(楊廣道,楊廣道)
|
Gyeonggi
|
Chungju
-mok (
忠州牧
)
|
Jungwon-do
|
North Chungcheong
|
Cheongju
-mok
|
Ungju
|
Gongju
-mok
|
Hanam-do
|
South Chungcheong
|
Jeonju
-mok (
全州牧
)
|
Gangnam-do
|
Jeolla
-do(全羅道)
|
Jeonbuk
|
Jeonju
|
Naju
-mok
|
Haeyang-do(海陽道)
|
South Jeolla
|
Muju
|
Seungju
-mok
|
Sangju
-mok
|
Yeongnam
-do
|
Gyeongsang
-do(慶尙道)
|
North Gyeongsang
|
Sangju
|
Jinju
-mok
|
Sannam-do
|
Western
South Gyeongsang
|
Gangju
|
Yeongdong-do
|
Eastern
South Gyeongsang
|
Yangju
|
?
|
Sakbang-do
|
Gyoju-do(交州道,交州道),also known as gyoju gangneungdo(交州江陵道,敎主강릉도)
[a]
|
Gangwon
|
Sakju
|
?
|
Donggye(東界,冬季),also known as Dongbukmyeon(東北面,동북면)
|
Myeongju
|
?
|
Paeseo-do
|
Bukgye(北界,北界),Also known as Seobukmyeon(西北面,서북면))
|
Pyeongan
|
?
|
Provinces of Joseon
[
edit
]
In 1413, Korea (at that time called Joseon) was divided into eight provinces:
Chungcheong
,
Gangwon
,
Gyeonggi
,
Gyeongsang
,
Jeolla
,
Hamgy?ng
(originally called Yeonggil),
Hwanghae
(originally called P'unghae), and
P'y?ngan
.
Districts of Late Joseon period
[
edit
]
In 1895, Korea was redivided into 23 districts (
Bu;
部;
府
), each named for the city or county that was its capital. The districts were short-lived, however, as the following year, the provincial system was restored.
Provinces of the Korean Empire
[
edit
]
In 1896, the former eight provinces were restored, with five of them (Chungcheong, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Hamgy?ng, and P'y?ngan) being divided into North and South Provinces (
Bukdo
(北道;
北道
) and
Namdo
(南道;
南道
) respectively). The resulting system of thirteen provinces lasted until the
Division of Korea
in 1945.
The thirteen provinces were:
North
and
South Chungcheong
,
Gangwon
,
Gyeonggi
,
North
and
South Gyeongsang
,
North
and
South Hamgy?ng
,
Hwanghae
,
North
and
South Jeolla
, and
North
and
South P'y?ngan
.
Provinces of Ch?sen
[
edit
]
Under Colonial
Japanese rule
, Korean provinces of
Korean Empire
, remained much the same, only taking on the
Japanese
reading of the
hanja
. The Provinces of Ch?sen were:
Provincial divisions since the division of Korea
[
edit
]
At the end of
World War II
in 1945, Korea was divided into Northern Korea and Southern Korea under trusteeship of the
Soviet Union
and the
United States
. The peninsula was divided at the
38th parallel
in 1945. In 1948, the two zones became the independent countries of
North Korea
and
South Korea
.
Three provinces?Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon?were divided by the 38th parallel.
Also in 1946, the cities of
Seoul
in the south and
Pyongyang
in the north separated from Gyeonggi and South Pyongan Provinces respectively to become Special Cities. Both
North Korea
and
South Korea
have subsequently upgraded other cities to a level equal to a province, and these cities (
special cities of North Korea
and
special cities of South Korea
[
qq.v.
]) are sometimes counted along with provinces.
Finally, the new provinces of
Jeju Province
(in the south, in 1946) and
Chagang Province
(in the north, 1949) were formed, from parts of South Jeolla and North Pyongan respectively. In 1954,
Ryanggang Province
was split from South Hamgyong and Hwanghae was divided into
North
and
South Hwanghae Provinces
.
The following table lists the present provincial divisions in the
Korean Peninsula
.
RR
Romaja
|
M?R
Romaja
|
Hangul/Chosongul
|
Hanja
|
ISO
|
Type
|
Area
|
Capital
|
Region
|
Country
|
Busan
|
Pusan
|
釜山市
|
釜山市
|
KR-26
|
City
|
767
|
Yeonje
|
Yeongnam
|
South Korea
|
Chungcheongbuk
North Chungcheong
|
Chungchongbuk
North Ch'ungch'?ng
|
忠淸北道
|
忠?北道
|
KR-43
|
Province
|
7,436
|
Cheongju
|
Hoseo
|
South Korea
|
Chungcheongnam
South Chungcheong
|
Chungchongnam
South Ch'ungch'?ng
|
忠淸南道
|
忠?南道
|
KR-44
|
Province
|
8,352
|
Hongseong
|
Hoseo
|
South Korea
|
Daegu
|
Taegu
|
大邱市
|
大邱市
|
KR-27
|
City
|
884
|
Jung
|
Yeongnam
|
South Korea
|
Daejeon
|
Taej?n
|
大田市
|
大田市
|
KR-30
|
City
|
539
|
Seo
|
Hoseo
|
South Korea
|
Gangwon
|
Kangw?n
|
江原道
|
江原道
|
KR-42
|
Province
|
16,894
|
Chuncheon
|
Gwandong
|
South Korea
|
Gangwon
|
Kangw?n
|
江原道
|
江原道
|
KP-07
|
Province
|
11,091
|
Wonsan
|
Gwandong
|
North Korea
|
Gwangju
|
Kwangju
|
光州市
|
光州市
|
KR-29
|
City
|
501
|
Seo
|
Honam
|
South Korea
|
Gyeonggi
|
Ky?nggi
|
京畿道
|
京畿道
|
KR-41
|
Province
|
10,131
|
Suwon
|
Sudogwon
|
South Korea
|
Gyeongsangbuk
North Gyeongsang
|
Kyongsangbuk
North Ky?ngsang
|
慶尙北道
|
慶尙北道
|
KR-47
|
Province
|
19,440
|
Andong
|
Yeongnam
|
South Korea
|
Gyeongsangnam
South Gyeongsang
|
Kyongsangnam
South Ky?ngsang
|
慶尙南道
|
慶尙南道
|
KR-48
|
Province
|
11,859
|
Changwon
|
Yeongnam
|
South Korea
|
Hamgyongbuk
North Hamgyeong
|
Hamgyongbuk
North Hamgy?ng
|
咸鏡北道
|
咸鏡北道
|
KP-09
|
Province
|
15,980
|
Chongjin
|
Kwanbuk
|
North Korea
|
Hamgyongnam
South Hamgyeong
|
Hamgyongnam
South Hamgy?ng
|
咸鏡南道
|
咸鏡南道
|
KP-08
|
Province
|
18,534
|
Hamhung
|
Kwannam
|
North Korea
|
Hwanghaebuk
North Hwanghae
|
Hwanghaebuk
North Hwanghae
|
黃海北道
|
黃海北道
|
KP-06
|
Province
|
8,154
|
Sariwon
|
Haeso
|
North Korea
|
Hwanghaenam
South Hwanghae
|
Hwanghaenam
South Hwanghae
|
黃海南道
|
黃海南道
|
KP-05
|
Province
|
8,450
|
Haeju
|
Haeso
|
North Korea
|
Incheon
|
Inch'?n
|
仁川市
|
仁川市
|
KR-28
|
City
|
1,029
|
Namdong
|
Sudogwon
|
South Korea
|
Jagang
|
Chagang
|
慈江道
|
慈江道
|
KP-04
|
Province
|
16,765
|
Kanggye
|
Kwanso
|
North Korea
|
Jeju
|
Cheju
|
濟州道
|
濟州道
|
KR-49
|
Province
|
1,846
|
Jeju City
|
Jejudo
|
South Korea
|
Jeollabuk
North Jeolla
|
Jeollabuk
North Ch?lla
|
全北特別自治道
|
全北特別自治道
|
KR-45
|
Province
|
8,043
|
Jeonju
|
Honam
|
South Korea
|
Jeollanam
South Jeolla
|
Chollanam
South Ch?lla
|
全羅南道
|
全羅南道
|
KR-46
|
Province
|
11,858
|
Muan
|
Honam
|
South Korea
|
Nampo
|
Namp'o
|
남포시
|
南浦市
|
KP-??
|
City
|
829
|
Kangs?
|
Kwanso
|
North Korea
|
Naseon
|
Ras?n
|
나선시/라선시
|
羅先市
|
KP-13
|
City
|
746
|
Rajin
|
Kwanbuk
|
North Korea
|
Pyeonganbuk
North Pyeongan
|
Pyonganbuk
North P'y?ngan
|
平安北道
|
平安北道
|
KP-03
|
Province
|
12,680
|
Sinuiju
|
Kwanso
|
North Korea
|
Pyeongannam
South Pyeongan
|
Pyongannam
South P'y?ngan
|
平安南道
|
平安南道
|
KP-02
|
Province
|
11,891
|
Pyongsong
|
Kwanso
|
North Korea
|
Pyeongyang
|
P'y?ngyang
|
평양시
|
平壤市
|
KP-01
|
City
|
1,100
|
Chung
|
Kwanso
|
North Korea
|
Gaeseong
|
Kaes?ng
|
開城市
|
開城市
|
none
|
City
|
442
|
Kaepung
|
Haeso
|
North Korea
|
Yanggang
|
Ryanggang
|
양강도/兩江道
|
兩江道
|
KP-10
|
Province
|
13,880
|
Hyesan
|
Kwannam
|
North Korea
|
Sejong
|
Sejong
|
世宗市
|
世宗市
|
KR-50
|
City
|
465
|
Hansol
|
Hoseo
|
South Korea
|
Seoul
|
S?ul
|
서울市
|
서울市
[1]
|
KR-11
|
City
|
605
|
Jung
|
Sudogwon
|
South Korea
|
Ulsan
|
Ulsan
|
蔚山市
|
蔚山市
|
KR-31
|
City
|
1,057
|
Nam
|
Yeongnam
|
South Korea
|
- Notes
- 1
See
Names of Seoul
.
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Initially installed from part of Donggye in 1178 as Chunchudo(춘주도,春州道).Was once called Dongjudo(桐主導,東州道) but named as gyojudo in 1263.From 1314 to 1388 it was known as Hoeyangdo(回讓渡,淮陽道)as a result of demotion of Gyojumok under Hoeyang.From 1388 to 1392, it was known as gyojugangneungdo after merging with gangneungdo(강릉도,江陵道).
- ^
"Gwandong" is the name for the region as a whole, with "Yeongseo" denoting the western half of the province and "Yeongdong" the eastern half. "Yeongdong" is used more often than either of the other two terms, however, especially in reference to railway and road arteries that cross through Gangwon, connecting the Seoul and Yeongdong regions.
- ^
The province's name literally means "area within a 500-
li
(200-km) radius" (
gi
;
畿
) of the "capital" (
Gyeong
;
京
), referring to the royal capital Hanseong (modern-day Seoul). The regional name "Gijeon" is obsolete. The 20th-century term "
Sudogwon
" ("Capital Region") is used today to denote the Seoul-
Incheon
conurbation and that part of Gyeonggi Province that forms part of the same built-up, urban area.
- ^
"Gwanbuk" was used to designate either the province as whole, or only the northern part thereof. In the latter case, "Gwannam" was then used to denote the southern part of the province.
- ^
The modern-day division of the province into
North
and
South
did not occur until 1954.
- ^
The initial "n" in "Naju" is pronounced as "l" (lower-case "L") when it comes after another consonant; the final "n" in the "Jeon" of "Jeonju" is then assimilated to an "l" sound.
- ^
The distinctive Jeju dialect is used on
Jeju Island
, which became a separate province in 1946.
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Unified Silla Dynasty"
.
Encyclopædia Britannica
. Retrieved
2024-04-26
.
- ^
이, 機動,
"新羅 (新羅)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
- ^
前, 덕재,
"五小京 (五小京)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
- ^
a
b
朴, 成俔,
"救主 (九州)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
- ^
朴, 腫氣(국민대 名譽敎授),
"高麗 (高麗)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
- ^
"3景"
.
우리歷史넷
.
National Institute of Korean History
. Retrieved
2024-04-26
.
- ^
a
b
金, 現影,
"목 (牧)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
- ^
a
b
c
"十道 (十道)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
- ^
"오도 (五道)"
,
Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
(in Korean),
Academy of Korean Studies
, retrieved
2024-04-26
Sources
[
edit
]
- Nahm, Andrew C. (1988).
Korea: Tradition and Transformation - A History of the Korean People.
Elizabeth, NJ: Hollym International.
- Nahm 1988
(in Korean).
External links
[
edit
]