This article describes the historical evolution of '
Korea's
provinces' (''Do'' ;
Hangul: 도;
Hanja: 道). For detailed information on current administrative divisions, please see
Administrative divisions of North Korea and
Administrative divisions of South Korea.
Provinces (''Do'') 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 (''Ju'' and ''Mok'') dating back to
Unified Silla, in the late
7th century.
Historical summary
During the Unified Silla Period (AD
668-
935), Korea was divided into nine ''Ju'' (주; 州), an old word for "province" that was used to name both the kingdom's provinces and its provincial capitals. (Cantonese-English dictionary translates 州 variously as "prefecture" or "department.")
After Goryeo defeated
Silla and
Later Baekje in 935 and
936 respectively, the new kingdom "was divided into one royal district (''Ginae;'' 기내; 畿內) and twelve administrative districts (''Mok;'' 목; 牧)" (
Nahm 1988), which were soon redivided into ten provinces (''Do''). In
1009 the country was again redivided, this time into one royal district, five provinces (''Do'') and two frontier districts (''Gye;'' 계; 界?). The name and concept of ''Do'' originated from the Chinese
''Dao''.
After the
Joseon Dynasty's rise to power and the formation of
Joseon in
1392, the country was redivided into eight new provinces (''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 (''Paldo''). In
1895, as part of the
Gabo Reform, the country was redivided into 23 districts (''Bu;'' 부; 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'' (북도; 北道) and ''Namdo'' (남도; 南道) respectively). The thirteen provinces remained unchanged throughout the
Japanese Colonial Period.
With the surrender of
Japan in
1945, the Korean peninsula was divided into
Soviet (northern) and
American (southern) zones of occupation, with the dividing line established along the
38th parallel. (See
Division of Korea for more details.) As a result, three provinces—
Hwanghae,
Gyeonggi, and
Gangwon (Kangwŏn)—were divided into Soviet- and American-occupied sections.
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. New cities and special administrative regions have been created, however: see
Special cities of Korea for their history. For a comprehensive description of Korea's provinces and special cities today, please see
Administrative divisions of North Korea and
Administrative divisions of South Korea.
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 (see also
Three Kingdoms of Korea). 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 (which flows through
P'yŏngyang) in the west to
Wŏnsan in modern-day
Gangwon Province in the east. In 721, Silla solidifed its northern boundary with
Balhae (which replaced Goguryeo in the north) by building a wall between P'yŏngyang and Wŏnsan.
The country's capital was
Geumseong (modern-day
Gyeongju), and sub-capitals were located at Geumgwan-gyeong (
Gimhae),
Namwon-gyeong, Seowon-gyeong (
Cheongju), Jungwon-gyeong (
Chungju), and Bugwon-gyeong (
Wonju).
The country was divided into 9 provinces (''
Ju''): 3 in the pre-660 territory of Silla, and 3 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.
Provinces of Goryeo
In
892,
Gyeon Hwon founded the kingdom of
Later Baekje in southwestern Silla, and in
918,
Wanggeon (
King Taejo) established the kingdom of
Goryeo in the northwest, with its capital at
Songak (modern-day
Kaesŏng). 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
Yalu River. A wall was constructed from the Yalu River in the northwest to the
Sea of Japan (East Sea) in the southeast, on the boundary between Goryeo and the northeastern
Jurched territory.
The country had one capital (Gaegyeong) and three sub-capitals: Donggyeong (modern-day
Gyeongju and the former capital of Silla), Namgyeong (modern-day
Seoul), and Seogyeong (modern-day
P'yŏngyang).
Originally, the country had one royal district (''Ginae;'' 기내; 畿內) around Gaegyeong and twelve administrative districts (''Mok;'' 목; 牧): (Note that Gwangju-mok is modern-day
Gwangju-si in Gyeonggi Province, not the larger Gwangju Metropolitan City.)
The twelve districts were soon redivided into ten provinces (''
Do;'' 도; 道).
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 (''Do'') and two frontier districts (''Gye;'' 계; 界?).
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.
Provinces of Joseon
In
1413, Korea (at that time called Joseon) was divided into eight provinces:
Chungcheong,
Gangwon,
Gyeonggi,
Gyeongsang,
Jeolla,
Hamgyŏng (originally called Yeonggil),
Hwanghae (originally called P'unghae, and
P'yŏngan.
For detailed information on the eight provinces of Joseon—an important subject for understanding Korea's modern geography—please see
Eight Provinces (Korea), as well as the articles on the individual provinces, as listed above.
Districts of Late Joseon
In
1895, Korea was redivided into 23 districts (''Bu;'' 부; 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 (see
below).
Each district name in the following list links to the article on the province from which the district was formed, and where more detailed information on the district is provided:
Andong,
Chuncheon,
Chungju,
Daegu,
Dongnae,
Gangneung,
Gongju,
Haeju,
Hamhŭng,
Hanseong,
Hongju,
Incheon,
Jeju,
Jeonju,
Jinju,
Kaesŏng,
Kanggye,
Kapsan,
Kyŏngsŏng,
Naju,
Namwon,
P'yŏngyang,
Ŭiju
Provinces of the Korean Empire
In
1896, the former eight provinces were restored, with five of them (Chungcheong, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Hamgyŏng, and P'yŏngan) being divided into North and South Provinces (''Bukdo'' (북도; 北道) and ''Namdo'' (남도; 南道) respectively). The resulting system of thirteen provinces lasted through the entire
Japanese Colonial Period, 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 since the division of Korea
At the end of
World War II in
1945, Korea was divided into
American and
Soviet zones of occupation. (See
Division of Korea for more information.) The peninsula was divided at the
38th parallel, with the Americans controlling the south half of the peninsula and the Soviets controlling the north half. In
1948, the two zones became the independent countries of
North and
South Korea.
3 provinces—Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon—were divided by the 38th parallel.
★ Most of Hwanghae Province belonged to the Soviet (northern) zone. The southern portion became part of Gyeonggi Province in the south.
★ Most of Gyeonggi Province belonged to the American (southern) zone. In
1946, the northern portion became part of Kangŏn Province in the north (see next item).
★ Gangwon Province was divided roughly in half, to form modern-day
Gangwon Province in South Korea and
Kangwŏn Province in North Korea. The northern province is expanded in 1946 to include the northern portion of Gyeonggi Province and the southern portion of South Hamgyong Province (around the city of
Wŏnsan).
Also in 1946, the cities of
Seoul in the south and
P'yŏngyang in the north separated from Gyeonggi and South P'yŏngan Provinces respectively to become Special Cities. Finally, the new provinces of
Jeju (in the south, in 1946) and
Chagang (in the north, 1949) were formed, from parts of South Jeolla and North P'yŏngan respectively. In 1954,
Ryanggang Province split from South Hamgyong.
For more details, see the articles
Administrative divisions of South Korea and
Administrative divisions of North Korea, as well as the articles on the thirteen
provinces of the Korean Empire and the individual articles linked to in this section.
Notes
Sources include Nahm 1988;
[1] (in Korean).
References
★ Nahm, Andrew C. (1988). ''Korea: Tradition and Transformation - A History of the Korean People.'' Elizabeth, NJ: Hollym International.
See also
★
List of Korea-related topics
★
Special cities of Korea
★
Administrative divisions of South Korea
★
Administrative divisions of North Korea
★
Regions of Korea
External links
★
Map North Korea
★
Map South Korea
----
''For other integral meanings of ''Do'' in
East Asian
cultures, see
Do.''
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