Special city
Metropolitan autonomous city
Metropolitan cities
Specific cities
Administrative cities
Cities
The largest cities of South Korea have an autonomous status equivalent to that of provinces. Seoul , the largest city and capital, is classified as a teukbyeolsi (Special City ), while the next 6 largest cities (see the list below) are classified as gwangyeoksi (Metropolitan Cities; see Special cities of South Korea ). Smaller cities are classified as si ("cities") and are under provincial jurisdiction, at the same level as counties (see Administrative divisions of South Korea ).
Notes
The name "Seoul" does not originate from hanja. The official Chinese translation is written as 首爾 /首尔 , which is a transcription based on the pronunciation of "Seoul", but 漢城 /汉城 remains frequently used. As a suffix, the character gyeong (京 ) is used, which means "capital".
Seoul was designated a "Special Independent City" (Teukbyeol-jayusi; 특별자유시 ; 特別自由市 ) separate from Gyeonggi Province on August 16, 1946; it became a "Special City" on August 15, 1949.
City
Hangul
Hanja
Province
Population
(2012)
Area
Founded
Andong
안동시
安東市
North Gyeongsang
168,009
1521.26
1963-01-01
Ansan
안산시
安山市
Gyeonggi
715,313
149.06
1986-01-01
Anseong
안성시
安城市
Gyeonggi
180,900
553.47
1998-04-01
Anyang
안양시
安養市
Gyeonggi
614,170
58.46
1973-07-01
Asan
아산시
牙山市
South Chungcheong
275,350
542.15
1986-01-01
Boryeong
보령시
保寧市
South Chungcheong
106,106
569.01
1986-01-01
Bucheon
부천시
富川市
Gyeonggi
872,662
53.40
1973-07-01
Busan
부산광역시
釜山廣域市
City-c none
3,548,640
765.94
1963-01-01
Changwon
창원시
昌原市
South Gyeongsang
1,091,733
736.34
1980-04-01
Cheonan
천안시
天安市
South Chungcheong
574,148
636.22
1963-01-01
Cheongju
청주시
淸州市
North Chungcheong
662,852
153.45
1949-08-15
Chuncheon
춘천시
春川市
Gangwon
273,130
1116.35
1949-08-15
Chungju
충주시
忠州市
North Chungcheong
208,266
983.70
1956-07-08
Daegu
대구광역시
大邱廣域市
City-c none
2,508,563
885.60
1981-07-01
Daejeon
대전광역시
大田廣域市
City-c none
1,518,651
539.86
1989-01-01
Dangjin
당진시
唐津市
South Chungcheong
151,013
694.08
2012-01-01
Dongducheon
동두천시
東豆川市
Gyeonggi
96,215
95.66
1981-07-01
Donghae
동해시
東海市
Gangwon
94,617
180.17
1980-04-01
Gangneung
강릉시
江陵市
Gangwon
217,494
1040.07
1955-09-01
Geoje
거제시
巨濟市
South Gyeongsang
232,891
401.61
1989-01-01
Gimcheon
김천시
金泉市
North Gyeongsang
135,421
1009.50
1949-08-14
Gimhae
김해시
金海市
South Gyeongsang
507,726
463.28
1981-07-01
Gimje
김제시
金堤市
North Jeolla
92,911
544.99
1989-01-01
Gimpo
김포시
金浦市
Gyeonggi
260,997
276.64
1998-04-01
Gongju
공주시
公州市
South Chungcheong
124,359
940.36
1986-01-01
Goyang
고양시
高陽市
Gyeonggi
961,451
267.31
1992-02-01
Gumi
구미시
龜尾市
North Gyeongsang
413,893
615.52
1978-02-15
Gunpo
군포시
軍浦市
Gyeonggi
287,311
36.36
1989-01-01
Gunsan
군산시
群山市
North Jeolla
276,538
675.38
1949-08-15
Guri
구리시
九里市
Gyeonggi
194,537
33.30
1986-01-01
Gwacheon
과천시
果川市
Gyeonggi
71,799
35.86
1986-01-01
Gwangju
광주광역시
光州廣域市
City-c none
1,466,516
501.26
1986-11-01
Gwangju
광주시
廣州市
Gyeonggi
266,444
430.96
2001-03-21
Gwangmyeong
광명시
光明市
Gyeonggi
355,618
38.50
1981-07-01
Gwangyang
광양시
光陽市
South Jeolla
150,565
453.84
1989-01-01
Gyeongju
경주시
慶州市
North Gyeongsang
265,028
1324.39
1955-09-01
Gyeongsan
경산시
慶山市
North Gyeongsang
243,746
411.70
1989-01-01
Gyeryong
계룡시
鷄龍市
South Chungcheong
42,427
60.74
2003-09-19
Hanam
하남시
河南市
Gyeonggi
148,122
93.07
1989-01-01
Hwaseong
화성시
華城市
Gyeonggi
517,505
687.54
2001-03-21
Icheon
이천시
利川市
Gyeonggi
204,331
531.09
1996-03-01
Iksan
익산시
益山市
North Jeolla
308,458
506.70
1949-08-15
Incheon
인천광역시
仁川廣域市
City-c none
2,808,286
1032.41
1981-07-01
Jecheon
제천시
堤川市
North Chungcheong
137,317
883.09
1980-04-01
Jeongeup
정읍시
井邑市
North Jeolla
120,114
692.93
1981-07-01
Jeonju
전주시
全州市
North Jeolla
647,504
206.22
1949-08-15
Jeju
제주시
濟州市
Jeju
423,853
977.80
1955-09-01
Jinju
진주시
晋州市
South Gyeongsang
336,310
712.62
1949-08-15
Naju
나주시
羅州市
South Jeolla
88,094
608.15
1981-07-01
Namyangju
남양주시
南楊州市
Gyeonggi
580,151
458.54
1989-01-01
Namwon
남원시
南原市
North Jeolla
87,367
752.50
1981-07-01
Nonsan
논산시
論山市
South Chungcheong
127,056
554.85
1996-03-01
Miryang
밀양시
密陽市
South Gyeongsang
109,087
799.01
1989-01-01
Mokpo
목포시
木浦市
South Jeolla
244,256
50.08
1949-08-15
Mungyeong
문경시
聞慶市
North Gyeongsang
76,045
911.17
1986-01-01
Osan
오산시
烏山市
Gyeonggi
194,775
42.76
1989-01-01
Paju
파주시
坡州市
Gyeonggi
382,816
672.57
1996-03-01
Pocheon
포천시
抱川市
Gyeonggi
157,684
826.50
2003-10-19
Pohang
포항시
浦項市
North Gyeongsang
517,322
1128.76
1949-08-14
Pyeongtaek
평택시
平澤市
Gyeonggi
428,075
454.62
1986-01-01
Sacheon
사천시
泗川市
South Gyeongsang
114,654
398.25
1956-07-08
Sangju
상주시
尙州市
North Gyeongsang
104,652
1254.83
1986-01-01
Samcheok
삼척시
三陟市
Gangwon
71,825
1185.86
1986-01-01
Sejong
세종특별자치시
世宗特別自治市
City-b none
122,263
465.23
2012-07-01
Seogwipo
서귀포시
西歸浦市
Jeju
153,241
870.87
1981-07-01
Seongnam
성남시
城南市
Gyeonggi
979,412
141.82
1973-07-01
Seosan
서산시
瑞山市
South Chungcheong
161,610
740.66
1989-01-01
Seoul
서울특별시
特別市
City-a none
10,251,297
605.27
1946-08-16
Siheung
시흥시
始興市
Gyeonggi
400,891
135.02
1989-01-01
Sokcho
속초시
束草市
Gangwon
88,723
105.00
1963-01-01
Suncheon
순천시
順天市
South Jeolla
272,274
907.41
1949-08-14
Suwon
수원시
水原市
Gyeonggi
1,098,010
121.09
1949-08-14
Taebaek
태백시
太白市
Gangwon
49,837
303.57
1981-07-01
Tongyeong
통영시
統營市
South Gyeongsang
140,140
238.85
1955-09-01
Uijeongbu
의정부시
議政府市
Gyeonggi
430,198
81.59
1963-01-01
Uiwang
의왕시
儀旺市
Gyeonggi
150,379
54.00
1989-01-01
Ulsan
울산광역시
蔚山廣域市
City-c none
1,136,948
1057.50
1997-07-15
Wonju
원주시
原州市
Gangwon
321,146
872.56
1955-09-01
Yangju
양주시
楊州市
Gyeonggi
199,956
309.77
2003-10-19
Yangsan
양산시
梁山市
South Gyeongsang
267,108
485.18
1996-03-01
Yeoju
여주시
驪州市
Gyeonggi
109,265
608.64
2013-09-23
Yeongcheon
영천시
永川市
North Gyeongsang
103,174
920.29
1981-07-01
Yeongju
영주시
榮州市
North Gyeongsang
114,446
669.05
1980-04-01
Yeosu
여수시
麗水市
South Jeolla
292,627
501.27
1949-08-14
Yongin
용인시
龍仁市
Gyeonggi
898,530
591.36
1996-03-01
Renamed cities [ edit ]
Before
Hangul
Hanja
After
Hangul
Hanja
Renamed date
Chungmu
충무시
忠武市
Tongyeong
통영시
統營市
1995-01-01
Daecheon
대천시
大川市
Boryeong
보령시
保寧市
1995-01-01
Donggwangyang
동광양시
東光陽市
Gwangyang
광양시
光陽市
1995-01-01
Geumseong
금성시
錦城市
Naju
나주시
羅州市
1986-01-01
Gyeongseong
경성부
京城府
Seoul
서울특별자유시
特別自由市
1946-08-16
Iri
이리시
裡里市
Iksan
익산시
益山市
1995-05-10
Jangseungpo
장승포시
長承浦市
Geoje
거제시
巨濟市
1995-01-01
Jeomchon
점촌시
店村市
Mungyeong
문경시
聞慶市
1995-01-01
Jeongju
정주시
井州市
Jeongeup
정읍시
井邑市
1995-01-01
Migeum
미금시
渼金市
Namyangju
남양주시
南楊州市
1995-01-01
Onyang
온양시
溫陽市
Asan
아산시
牙山市
1995-01-01
Samcheonpo
삼천포시
三千浦市
Sacheon
사천시
泗川市
1995-05-10
Dissolved cities [ edit ]
Claimed cities of the Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
Sources [ edit ]
External links [ edit ]