The South Korea is divided into several administrative areas. The principal subdivisions consist of nine provinces ( C , 도, 道), six cities metropolitan ( gwangyeogsi , 광역시, 廣域市), and a special city ( teukbyeolsi , 특별시, 特別市). Administratively, the cities have the same statute as the provinces.

The secondary subdivisions are: the city, the county, the district, the city, the district, the district and the village.

Principal subdivisions

Special city

The special city ( teukbyeolsi , 특별시, 特別市) is Seoul (서울특별시; 漢城特別市). See 1 on the chart for its localization.

Project of a new capital

Already, the government of South Korea had to indicate in 2004 the town of Yeongi, with a score of kilometers in the West of Cheongju and to about thirty in North Daejeon, to accommodate the new capital, Seoul, in the long term, being threatened of hypertrophy. But this project was considered to be anticonstitutional. At the end of September 2005, the government, again, announced its decision to equip the country with a new built capital of all parts, located 160 kilometers more at the south of Seoul. The site of the new city, whose name was not decided yet, covers a surface of some 71 km ². It is located in the province of Chungcheong of the South, close to the towns of Daejeon and Cheongju. Its construction would begin in 2007. The installation of the ministries (Defense, Finances, Education, Foreign affairs, Relations with the North Korea…), and other government agencies is considered for 2012.

Six metropolitan cities

The six metropolitan cities ( gwangyeogsi , 광역시, 廣域市) are:

  • 2 - Pusan (another romanisation: Busan ) (부산광역시; 釜山廣域市)

  • 3 - Daegu (대구광역시; 大邱廣域市)
  • 4 - Incheon (인천광역시; 仁川廣域市)
  • 5 - Gwangju (광주광역시; 光州廣域市)
  • 6 - Daejeon (대전광역시; 大田廣域市)
  • 7 - Ulsan (울산광역시; 蔚山廣域市)

Nine provinces

The nine provinces ( C , 도, 道) are:

Other subdivisions

Cities

The provinces have two types of subdivisions: a if (“city”; 시; 市) is a city of more than 150  000 inhabitants and the same area is called a gun (“county”; 군; 郡) if it comprises less inhabitants.

Cities of more than 500  000 inhabitants are subdivided in gu , kinds of districts and those in dong , i.e. in districts. These cities are: Suwon, Cheongju and Jeonju.

  • Big cities (more 500  000 inhabitants)

    • Districts ( gu )
      • Districts ( dong )

The less populated cities are only divided into districts.

  • More small towns (less 500  000 inhabitants)

    • Districts ( dong )

Counties

The gun (“county”; 군; 郡) is, with the if , of the subdivisions of the provinces as well as métropoitaines cities of Pusan, Daegu, Incheon and Ulsan, with the gu .

The counties have populations lower than 150  000 inhabitants (otherwise, they become cities) and are more rural than the cities or the districts. The counties are subdivided in eup , for cities, and in myeon , for districts.

  • Counties ( gun )

    • Quoted ( eup )
    • Districts ( myeon )

Districts

Seoul and the metropolitan cities of Gwangju and Daejeon and the towns of Suwon, Cheongju and Jeonju are divided into gu (“district”; 구; 區) which in their turn is subdivided in dong . The gu have capacities similar to those of the district of London and New York. Those of Seoul and the metropolitan cities have more capacities. The gu are divided into districts, named dong .

  • Districts ( gu )

    • Districts ( dong )

Cities

A eup (“quoted” or “more small town”; 읍; 邑) is, with the myeon , a division of the counties just as of the cities whose population is of less 500  000 inhabitants. In their turn, the eup are subdivided in villages, said laughed . The minimal population of a eup is of 20  000 inhabitants.

  • Quoted ( eup )

    • Villages ( laughed )

Districts

A myeon (“district”; 면; 面) is, with the eup , a division of the counties just as of the cities whose population is of less 500  000 inhabitants. They are the rural regions of the counties and the cities. In their turn, the myeon are subdivided in villages, said laughed . The minimal population is of 6  000 inhabitants.

  • Districts ( myeon )

    • Villages ( laughed )

Districts

A dong (“district”; 동; 洞) is the single administrative subdivision of the districts and the cities which precisely do not comprise a district. Certain very populeux districts, for example with Seoul and Suwon, are divided into ga (가; 可), but only for ends of addresses.

  • Districts ( dong )

    • Under-districts for Seoul and Suwon ( ga )

Villages

A laughed (“village”; 리; 里) is the single administrative subdivision of the districts and the cities. It is the level of government which comprises more the small number of inhabitants.

See too

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