Regions of Korea
Encyclopedia
Korea
has traditionally been divided into a number of unofficial regions that reflect historical, geographical, and dialect boundaries within the peninsula
. Many of the names in the list below overlap or are obsolete today, with Honam
, Yeongdong
, Yeongnam
, and the modern term Sudogwon
being the only ones in wide use in South Korea
.
The names of Korea's traditional Eight Provinces
are often also used as regional monikers.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
has traditionally been divided into a number of unofficial regions that reflect historical, geographical, and dialect boundaries within the peninsula
Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula is a peninsula in East Asia. It extends southwards for about 684 miles from continental Asia into the Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the south, and the Yellow Sea to the west, the Korea Strait connecting the first two bodies of water.Until the end of...
. Many of the names in the list below overlap or are obsolete today, with Honam
Honam
Honam is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to North and South Jeolla Provinces....
, Yeongdong
Yeongdong
This article is about Yeongdong, a region in eastern Korea. For the county of the same name in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, see Yeongdong County....
, Yeongnam
Yeongnam
Yeongnam is the name of a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea....
, and the modern term Sudogwon
Seoul National Capital Area
The Seoul National Capital Area is a region located in the north-west of South Korea. It is generally referred to as Sudogwon in Korean, and contains three different administrative districts; Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do....
being the only ones in wide use in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
The names of Korea's traditional Eight Provinces
Eight Provinces (Korea)
During most of the Joseon Dynasty, Korea was divided into eight provinces . The eight provinces' boundaries remained unchanged for almost five centuries from 1413 to 1895, and formed a geographic paradigm that is still reflected today in the Korean Peninsula's administrative divisions, dialects,...
are often also used as regional monikers.
List of regions
- Gwandong: GangwonGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
and Kangwŏn Provinces - Haesŏ: HwanghaeHwanghaeHwanghae was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hwanghae was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was Haeju.The regional name for the province was Haesŏ .-History:...
region, North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea... - HonamHonamHonam is a region coinciding with the former Jeolla Province in what is now South Korea. Today, the term refers to North and South Jeolla Provinces....
: JeollaJeollaJeolla was a province in southwestern Korea, one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and the Special City of Gwangju as well as Jeju Island...
region, South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... - Hoseo: ChungcheongChungcheongChungcheong was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Chungcheong was located in the southwest of Korea...
region, South Korea - KwanbukKwanbukKwanbuk is a region in North Hamgyong and South Hamgyong Provinces of North Korea. The region may once have been occupied by the Okjeo people...
: North Hamgyŏng Province (or HamgyŏngHamgyongHamgyŏng was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Hamgyŏng was located in the northeast of Korea. The provincial capital was Hamhŭng.-History:...
region generally), North Korea - KwannamKwannamKwannam is a traditional Korean term used to refer to the southern region of Hamgyong province, including portions of modern-day North Hamgyong and South Hamgyong, North Korea. Its literal meaning is "South of the Ridge", the ridge in question being Mach'ŏnnyŏng 마천령 摩天嶺...
: South Hamgyŏng Province, North Korea - Kwansŏ: P'yŏnganPyonganP'yŏngan was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. P'yŏngan was located in the northwest of Korea. The provincial capital was P'yŏngyang.-History:P'yŏngan Province was formed in 1413...
region, North Korea - Gyeonggi: SeoulSeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, IncheonIncheonThe Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
, and Gyeonggi Province, South Korea - YeongdongYeongdongThis article is about Yeongdong, a region in eastern Korea. For the county of the same name in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea, see Yeongdong County....
: eastern GangwonGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
and Kangwŏn Provinces - YeongnamYeongnamYeongnam is the name of a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province in what is now South Korea....
: GyeongsangGyeongsangGyeongsang was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. Gyeongsang was located in the southeast of Korea....
region, South Korea - YeongseoYeongseoYeongseo is the western, inland region of Gangwon Province, South Korea and Kangwon Province, North Korea. It is divided from the coastal Yeongdong region by the Taebaek Mountains. The name yeongseo reflects this distinction; it literally means “west of the passes”. The region is marked by high...
: western GangwonGangwon-do (South Korea)Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
and Kangwŏn Provinces
See also
- Provinces of KoreaProvinces of KoreaThis article describes the historical development of Korea's provinces . For detailed information on current administrative divisions, please see Administrative divisions of North Korea and Administrative divisions of South Korea....
- Dialects of Korean
- List of Korea-related topics
- Yanbian Korean Autonomous PrefectureYanbian Korean Autonomous PrefectureYanbian is a Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin Province, in Northeastern China, above the border with North Korea. Yanbian is bordered to the north by Heilongjiang, on the west by Baishan City and Jilin City, on the south by North Hamgyong Province of North Korea, and on the east by Primorsky...
in China - North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
- South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...