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Provinces (''Do'') have been the primary administrative division of Korea since the mid Goryeo dynasty in the early 11th Century , and were preceded by provincial-level divisions (''Ju'' and ''Mok'') dating back to Unified Silla , in the late 7th Century . HISTORICAL SUMMARY During the Unified Silla Period (AD 668 - 935 ), Korea was divided into nine ''Ju'' (주; ), an old word for "province" that was used to name both the kingdom's provinces and its provincial capitals. (Cantonese-English dictionary translates variously as "prefecture" or "department.") After Goryeo defeated Silla and Later Baekje in 935 and 936 respectively, the new kingdom "was divided into one royal district (''Ginae;'' 기내; ) and twelve administrative districts (''Mok;'' 목; )" ( Nahm 1988 ), which were soon redivided into ten provinces (''Do''). In 1009 the country was again redivided, this time into one royal district, five provinces (''Do'') and two frontier districts (''Gye;'' 계; ?). The name and concept of ''Do'' originated from the Chinese ''Dao'' . After the Joseon Dynasty 's rise to power and the formation of Joseon in 1392 , the country was redivided into eight new provinces (''Do'') in 1413 . The provincial boundaries closely reflected major Regional and Dialect boundaries, and are still often referred to in Korean today simply as the Eight Provinces (''Paldo''). In 1895 , as part of the Gabo Reform , the country was redivided into 23 districts (''Bu;'' 부; ), which were replaced a year later by thirteen new provinces. The thirteen provinces of 1896 included three of the original eight provinces, with the five remaining original provinces divided into north and south halves (''Bukdo'' (북도; ) and ''Namdo'' (남도; ) respectively). The thirteen provinces remained unchanged throughout the Japanese Colonial Period . With the surrender of Japan in 1945 , the Korean peninsula was divided into Soviet (northern) and American (southern) zones of occupation, with the dividing line established along the 38th Parallel . (See Division Of Korea for more details.) As a result, three provinces— Hwanghae , Gyeonggi , and Gangwon (Kangwŏn)—were divided into Soviet- and American-occupied sections. The in South Korea, and North and South Hwanghae , Chagang , and Ryanggang in North Korea. Since 1954, provincial boundaries in both the North and South have remained unchanged. New cities and special administrative regions have been created, however: see Special Cities Of Korea for their history. For a comprehensive description of Korea's provinces and special cities today, please see Administrative Divisions Of North Korea and Administrative Divisions Of South Korea . PROVINCES OF UNIFIED SILLA In 660 , the southeastern kingdom of Silla conquered Baekje in the Southwest, and in 668 , Silla conquered Goguryeo in the north with the help of China 's Tang Dynasty (see also Three Kingdoms Of Korea ). For the first time, most of the Korean peninsula was ruled by a single power. Silla's northern boundary ran through the middle of southern Goguryeo, from the Taedong River (which flows through P'yŏngyang ) in the west to Wŏnsan in modern-day Gangwon Province in the east. In 721, Silla solidifed its northern boundary with Balhae (which replaced Goguryeo in the north) by building a wall between P'yŏngyang and Wŏnsan. The country's capital was Geumseong (modern-day Gyeongju ), and sub-capitals were located at Geumgwan-gyeong ( Gimhae ), Namwon -gyeong, Seowon-gyeong ( Cheongju ), Jungwon-gyeong ( Chungju ), and Bugwon-gyeong ( Wonju ). The country was divided into 9 provinces ('' Ju ''): 3 in the pre-660 territory of Silla, and 3 each in the former kingdoms of Baekje and Goguryeo. The table below lists the three preceding kingdoms, each province's name in the Roman Alphabet , Hangul , and Hanja , as well as the provincial capital, and the equivalent modern-day province.
PROVINCES OF GORYEO In 892 , Gyeon Hwon founded the kingdom of Later Baekje in southwestern Silla, and in 918 , Wanggeon ( King Taejo ) established the kingdom of Goryeo in the northwest, with its capital at Songak (modern-day Kaesŏng ). In 935 , Goryeo conquered the remnants of Silla, and in 936 , it conquered Later Baekje . Songak was greatly expanded and renamed Gaegyeong . Taejo expanded the country's territory by conquering part of the land formerly belonging to Goguryeo , in the northwest of the Korean peninsula, as far north as the Yalu River . A wall was constructed from the Yalu River in the northwest to the Sea Of Japan (East Sea) in the southeast, on the boundary between Goryeo and the northeastern Jurched territory. The country had one capital (Gaegyeong) and three sub-capitals: Donggyeong (modern-day Gyeongju and the former capital of Silla), Namgyeong (modern-day Seoul ), and Seogyeong (modern-day P'yŏngyang ). Originally, the country had one royal district (''Ginae;'' 기내; ) around Gaegyeong and twelve administrative districts (''Mok;'' 목; ): (Note that Gwangju-mok is modern-day Gwangju-si in Gyeonggi Province, not the larger Gwangju Metropolitan City.) The twelve districts were soon redivided into ten provinces ('' Do ;'' 도; ). Gwannae -do included the administrative districts of Yangju, Hwangju, Gwangju, and Haeju; Jungwon -do included Chungju and Cheongju; Hanam -do replaced Gongju; Gangnam -do replaced Jeonju; Yeongnam -do replaced Sangju; Sannam -do replaced Jinju; and Haeyang -do replaced Naju and Seungju; the three other new provinces were Yeongdong -do, Panbang -do, and Paeseo -do. Finally, in 1009 , the ten provinces were again redivided, this time into five provinces (''Do'') and two frontier districts (''Gye;'' 계; ?). |
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