Provinces of Korea

These divisions were initially called ju (Korean: 주; Hanja: 州) in Unified Silla and Later Baekje, and there were nine in total.

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 remained unchanged throughout the Japanese colonial period.

With the freezing of the Korean War in 1953, provincial boundaries were again modified between the two Koreas, and have since remained mostly unchanged; new cities and special administrative regions have since been created in their provinces.

[2] It had five sub-capitals (소경; 小京; sogyeong) at Geumgwan-gyeong (금관경, now Gimhae), Namwon-gyeong (남원경, Namwon), Seowon-gyeong (서원경, Cheongju), Jungwon-gyeong (중원경, Chungju), and Bugwon-gyeong (북원경, Wonju).

[5] Goryeo had three subcapitals: Donggyeong (now Gyeongju), Namgyeong (now Seoul), and Seogyeong (now Pyongyang).

In 1895, Korea was redivided into 23 districts (Bu; 부; 府), each named for the city or county that was its capital.

The following table lists the present provincial divisions in the Korean Peninsula.