List of cities in South Korea
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).
List
- 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 |
安東市 |
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-cnone |
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-cnone |
2,508,563 |
885.60 |
1981-07-01 |
Daejeon |
대전광역시 |
大田廣域市 |
City-cnone |
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-cnone |
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-cnone |
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-bnone |
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-anone |
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 |
제천시 |
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-cnone |
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
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
Claimed cities of the Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces
See also
Sources
External links