Provinces of Korea


Korea's provinces have been the primary administrative division of Korea since the mid Goryeo dynasty in the early 11th century, and were preceded by provincial-level divisions dating back to Unified Silla, in the late 7th century.
During the Unified Silla Period, Korea was divided into nine Ju, an old word for "province" that was used to name both the kingdom's provinces and its provincial capitals.
After Goryeo defeated Silla and Later Baekje in 935 and 936 respectively, the new kingdom "was divided into one royal district and twelve administrative districts ", which were soon redivided into ten provinces. In 1009 the country was again redivided, this time into one royal district, five provinces and two frontier districts.
After the Joseon Dynasty's rise to power and the formation of Joseon in 1392, the country was redivided into eight new provinces 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, 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 and Namdo. The thirteen provinces remained unchanged throughout the period of Japanese annexation.
With the liberation of Korea in 1945, the Korean peninsula was divided into Northern Korea and Southern Korea under trusteeship from Soviet Union and America, with the dividing line established along the 38th parallel. As a result, three provinces—Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon —were divided into North Korea and South Korea today.
The special cities of Seoul and P'yŏngyang 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

In 660, the southeastern kingdom of Silla conquered Baekje in the Southwest, and in 668, Silla conquered Goguryeo in the north with the help of China's Tang Dynasty. For the first time, most of the Korean peninsula was ruled by a single power. Silla's northern boundary ran through the middle of southern Goguryeo, from the Taedong River in the west to Wŏnsan in modern-day Kangwon Province in the east. In 721, Silla solidified its northern boundary with Balhae by building a wall between P'yŏngyang and Wŏnsan.
The country's capital was Geumseong, and sub-capitals were located at Geumgwan-gyeong, Namwon-gyeong, Seowon-gyeong, Jungwon-gyeong, and Bugwon-gyeong.
The country was divided into nine provinces : three in the pre-660 territory of Silla, and three each in the former kingdoms of Baekje and Goguryeo.
The table below lists the three preceding kingdoms, each province's name in the Roman alphabet, hangul, and hanja, as well as the provincial capital, and the equivalent modern-day province.
Former kingdomProvinceHangulHanjaCapitalModern equivalent
SillaYangju양주良州YangjuEastern Gyeongsang
SillaGangju강주康州GangjuWestern South Gyeongsang
SillaSangju상주尙州SangjuWestern North Gyeongsang
BaekjeMuju무주武州MujuSouth Jeolla
BaekjeJeonju전주全州JeonjuNorth Jeolla
BaekjeUngju웅주熊州GongjuSouth Chungcheong
GoguryeoHanju한주漢州Hanju North Chungcheong, Gyeonggi, Hwanghae
GoguryeoSakju삭주朔州SakjuWestern Gangwon
GoguryeoMyeongju명주溟州MyeongjuEastern Gangwon

Provinces of Goryeo

In 892, Gyeon Hwon founded the kingdom of Later Baekje in southwestern Silla, and in 918, Wanggeon established the kingdom of Goryeo in the northwest, with its capital at Songak. In 935, Goryeo conquered the remnants of Silla, and in 936, it conquered Later Baekje. Songak was greatly expanded and renamed Gaegyeong. Taejo expanded the country's territory by conquering part of the land formerly belonging to Goguryeo, in the northwest of the Korean peninsula, as far north as the Amnok River. A wall was constructed from the Amnok River in the northwest to the Sea of Japan in the southeast, on the boundary between Goryeo and the northeastern Jurched territory.
The country had one capital and three sub-capitals: Donggyeong, Namgyeong, and Seogyeong.
Originally, the country had one royal district around Gaegyeong and twelve administrative districts :
The twelve districts were soon redivided into ten provinces. Gwannae-do included the administrative districts of Yangju, Hwangju, Gwangju, and Haeju; Jungwon-do included Chungju and Cheongju; Hanam-do replaced Gongju; Gangnam-do replaced Jeonju; Yeongnam-do replaced Sangju; Sannam-do replaced Jinju; and Haeyang-do replaced Naju and Seungju; the three other new provinces were Yeongdong-do, Panbang-do, and Paeseo-do.
Finally, in 1009, the ten provinces were again redivided, this time into five provinces and two frontier districts.
The table below lists the provinces of Silla, the administrative districts of Goryeo that replaced them, then the pre- and post-1009 provinces, as well as their modern equivalents.
Province of SillaAdministrative districtPre-1009 provincePost-1009 provinceModern equivalent
HanjuGyeonggi GyeonggiGyeonggiKaesŏng
HanjuYangju-mok Gwannae-doSeohae-doHwanghae
HanjuHwangju-mok Gwannae-doSeohae-doNorth Hwanghae
HanjuHaeju-mok Gwannae-doSeohae-doSouth Hwanghae
HanjuGwangju-mok Gwannae-doYanggwang-doGyeonggi
HanjuChungju-mok Jungwon-doYanggwang-doNorth Chungcheong
UngjuCheongju-mokJungwon-doYanggwang-doNorth Chungcheong
UngjuGongju-mokHanam-doYanggwang-doSouth Chungcheong
JeonjuJeonju-mok Gangnam-doJeolla-doNorth Jeolla
MujuNaju-mokHaeyang-doJeolla-doSouth Jeolla
MujuSeungjuHaeyang-doJeolla-doSouth Jeolla
SangjuSangju-mokYeongnam-doGyeongsang-doNorth Gyeongsang
GangjuJinju-mokSannam-doGyeongsang-doWestern South Gyeongsang
YangjuJinju-mokYeongdong-doGyeongsang-doEastern South Gyeongsang
Sakju—Sakbang-doGyoju-doGangwon
Myeongju—Sakbang-doDonggyeGangwon
——Paeseo-doBukgyePyeongan

Provinces of Joseon

In 1413, Korea was divided into eight provinces: Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Hamgyŏng, Hwanghae, and P'yŏngan.
RR RomajaM–R RomajaHangulHanjaName originCapitalRegionKorean dialectPost-1896 Provinces
ChungcheongCh'ungch'ŏng충청도忠淸道Chungju,
Cheongju 		GongjuHoseoChungcheong dialectChungcheongbuk
Chungcheongnam
GangwonKangwŏn강원도江原道Gangneung,
Wonju 		WonjuGwandong
Gangwon dialectGangwon
GyeonggiKyŏnggi경기도京畿道Hanseong
Gijeon Seoul dialectGyeonggi
GyeongsangKyŏngsang경상도慶尙道Gyeongju,
Sangju 		DaeguYeongnamGyeongsang dialectGyeongsangbuk
Gyeongsangnam
HamgyeongHamgyŏng함경도咸鏡道Hamhung,
Kyongsong 		HamhungKwanbuk, Kwannam Hamgyŏng dialectHamgyŏngbuk
Hamgyŏngnam
HwanghaeHwanghae황해도黃海道Hwangju,
Haeju 		HaejuHaesoHwanghae dialectHwanghae
JeollaChŏlla전라도全羅道Jeonju,
Naju 		JeonjuHonamJeolla dialect;
Jeju language 		Jeollabuk
Jeollanam
PyeonganP'yŏngan평안도平安道Pyongyang,
Anju 		PyongyangKwansoPyongan dialectP'yŏnganbuk
P'yŏngannam

;Notes
1. "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.

2. The province's name literally means "area within a 500-li radius" of the "capital", referring to the royal capital Hanseong. The regional name "Gijeon" is obsolete. The 20th-century term "Sudogwon" 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.

3. "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.

4. The modern-day division of the province into North and South did not occur until 1954.

5. The initial "n" in "Naju" is pronounced as "l" when it comes after another consonant; the final "n" in the "Jeon" of "Jeonju" is then assimilated to an "l" sound.

6. The distinctive Jeju dialect is used on Jeju Island, which became a separate province in 1946.

Districts of Late Joseon

In 1895, Korea was redivided into 23 districts, 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.
In 1896, the former eight provinces were restored, with five of them being divided into North and South Provinces and Namdo. 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 Hamgyŏng, Hwanghae, North and South Jeolla, and North and South P'yŏngan.

Provinces of Korea under Japanese colonial rule (Chōsen)

Under Japanese rule, Korean provinces remained much the same, only taking on the Japanese reading of the hanja. The Provinces of Chōsen were:
Japanese nameKanaKanjiKorean nameHangul
Chūsei-hoku Prefectureちゅうせいほくどう忠清北道Chungcheong-bukdo충청북도
Keishō-hoku Prefectureけいしょうほくどう慶尚北道Gyeongsang-bukdo경상북도
Chūsei-nan Prefectureちゅうせいなんどう忠淸南道Chungcheong-namdo충청남도
Keishō-nan Prefectureけいしょうなんどう慶尚南道Gyeongsang-namdo경상남도
Heian-hoku Prefectureへいあんほくどう平安北道Pyeongan-bukdo평안북도
Kōgen Prefectureこうげんどう江原道Gangwondo강원도
Heian-nan Prefectureへいあんなんどう平安南道Pyeongan-namdo평안남도
Kōkai Prefectureこうかいどう黃海道Hwanghaedo황해도
Kankyō-hoku Prefectureかんきょうほくどう咸鏡北道Hamgyeong-bukdo함경북도
Zenra-hoku Prefectureぜんらほくどう全羅北道Jeolla-bukdo전라북도
Kankyō-nan Prefectureかんきょうなんどう咸鏡南道Hamgyeong-namdo함경남도
Zenra-nan Prefectureぜんらなんどう全羅南道Jeolla-namdo전라남도
Keiki Prefectureけいきどう京畿道Gyeonggido경기도

Provincial divisions since the division of Korea

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 upgraded cities to a level equal to a province, and these cities are sometimes counted along with provinces.
Finally, the new provinces of Jeju Province and Chagang Province were formed, from parts of South Jeolla and North Pyongan respectively. In 1954, Ryanggang Province split from South Hamgyong.
The following table lists the present provincial divisions in the Korean Peninsula.
RR RomajaM–R RomajaHangul/ChosongulHanjaISOTypeAreaCapitalRegionCountry
BusanPusan부산시釜山市KR-26City767YeonjeYeongnamSouth Korea
ChungcheongbukNorth ChungcheongChungchongbukNorth Ch'ungch'ŏng충청북도忠清北道KR-43Province7,436CheongjuHoseoSouth Korea
ChungcheongnamSouth ChungcheongChungchongnamSouth Ch'ungch'ŏng충청남도忠清南道KR-44Province8,352HongseongHoseoSouth Korea
DaeguTaegu대구시大邱市KR-27City884JungYeongnamSouth Korea
DaejeonTaejŏn대전시大田市KR-30City539SeoHoseoSouth Korea
GangwonKangwŏn강원도江原道KR-42Province16,894ChuncheonGwandongSouth Korea
GangwonKangwŏn강원도江原道KP-07Province11,091WonsanGwandongNorth Korea
GwangjuKwangju광주시光州市KR-29City501SeoHonamSouth Korea
GyeonggiKyŏnggi경기도京畿道KR-41Province10,131SuwonSudogwonSouth Korea
GyeongsangbukNorth GyeongsangKyongsangbukNorth Kyŏngsang경상북도慶尙北道KR-47Province19,440AndongYeongnamSouth Korea
GyeongsangnamSouth GyeongsangKyongsangnamSouth Kyŏngsang경상남도慶尙南道KR-48Province11,859ChangwonYeongnamSouth Korea
HamgyongbukNorth HamgyeongHamgyongbukNorth Hamgyŏng함경북도咸鏡北道KP-09Province15,980ChongjinKwanbukNorth Korea
HamgyongnamSouth HamgyeongHamgyongnamSouth Hamgyŏng함경남도咸鏡南道KP-08Province18,534HamhungKwannamNorth Korea
HwanghaebukNorth HwanghaeHwanghaebukNorth Hwanghae황해북도黃海北道KP-06Province8,154SariwonHaesoNorth Korea
HwanghaenamSouth HwanghaeHwanghaenamSouth Hwanghae황해남도黃海南道KP-05Province8,450HaejuHaesoNorth Korea
IncheonInch'ŏn인천시仁川市KR-28City1,029NamdongSudogwonSouth Korea
JagangChagang자강도慈江道KP-04Province16,765KanggyeKwansoNorth Korea
JejuCheju제주도濟州道KR-49Province1,846Jeju CityJejudoSouth Korea
JeollabukNorth JeollaChollabukNorth Chŏlla전라북도全羅北道KR-45Province8,043JeonjuHonamSouth Korea
JeollanamSouth JeollaChollanamSouth Chŏlla전라남도全羅南道KR-46Province11,858MuanHonamSouth Korea
NampoNamp'o남포시南浦市KP-??City829KangsŏKwansoNorth Korea
NaseonRasŏn나선시/라선시羅先市KP-13City746RajinKwanbukNorth Korea
PyeonganbukNorth PyeonganPyonganbukNorth P'yŏngan평안북도平安北道KP-03Province12,680SinuijuKwansoNorth Korea
PyeongannamSouth PyeonganPyongannamSouth P'yŏngan평안남도平安南道KP-02Province11,891PyongsongKwansoNorth Korea
PyeongyangP'yŏngyang평양시平壤市KP-01City1,100ChungKwansoNorth Korea
YanggangRyanggang양강도/량강도兩江道KP-10Province13,880HyesanKwannamNorth Korea
SejongSechong세종시世宗市KR-50City465HansolHoseoSouth Korea
SeoulSŏul서울시서울市KR-11City605JungSudogwonSouth Korea
UlsanUlsan울산시蔚山市KR-31City1,057NamYeongnamSouth Korea

;Notes: 1 See Names of Seoul.