Gyeonggi (region)

Gyeonggi
경기지방 · 京畿地方
Etymology: "Area Surrounding the Capital"
Gyeonggi marked in blue in central Korea
Gyeonggi marked in blue in central Korea
Countries North Korea
 South Korea
DialectsGyeonggi (문화어, 표준어)
Gyeonggi
Hangul
경기 지방
Hanja
京畿地方
Revised RomanizationGyeonggi jibang
McCune–ReischauerKyŏnggi chibang

Gyeonggi (Korean경기; Hanja京畿), alternatively spelled Kyŏnggi or Kyunggi, is a region of the Korean Peninsula that has historically occupied the west-central region of Korea. In modern times, the region hosts South Korea's Gyeonggi Province and Incheon Metropolitan City, and North Korea's Kaesong Industrial Region, and Changpung, and Ch'ŏrwŏn counties.

Etymology

The current name of the region, Gyeonggi, comes from a combination of Gyeong (京/경; "capital") and Gi (畿/기; "near"), ultimately from Gyeonghyeon (京縣/경현) and Gihyeon (畿縣/기현) in relation to the location of the capital, Gaegyeong (modern day Kaesŏng, North Korea). The name means "Area Surrounding the Capital", and was first used in 1018 during the Goryeo dynasty.[1] Prior, the region was called Gwannae-do (關內道/관내도).[2]

History

Unified Silla and Goryeo

Towards the end of the Three Kingdoms period, the southeastern kingdom of Silla unified the Korean Peninsula up to the Taedong River and moved the capital from Gyeongju to Kaesong shortly thereafter. Gyeonggi originally a frontier region to Kaesong, as well as the secondary capital Namgyeong (modern-day Seoul, South Korea).[3]

Joseon and Korean Empire periods

In 1392, general Yi Seong-gye, later 'Taejo of Joseon', waged successful a coup against the Goryeo dynasty and founded the Joseon dynasty. Two years later, Taejo moved the capital south to Hanseong (modern-day Seoul).[4] During the Joseon dynasty, Hanseong served not only as the national capital, but the provincial capital as well. Gyeonggi was one of the Eight Provinces (팔도 paldo), until 1895 when King Gojong created the 23 District system, splitting Gyeonggi into five districts, or bu (府/부):

  • Hanseong-bu (韓城府/한성부)
  • Incheon-bu (仁川府/인천부)
  • Gaeseong-bu (改城府/개성부)
  • Gongju-bu (公洲府/공주부)
  • Chungju-bu (忠州府/충주부)

One year later, the 23 districts were reorganized into eighteen provinces. In 1910, the Korean Empire was annexed into the Empire of Japan. Japanese Korea, or Chōsen (Kanji: 朝鮮), was administered from Keijō (JP: 京城; Korean경성), and was surrounded by Keiki-dō.

Contemporary history (1945–present)

Korea was liberated from Japan in 1945, and the People's Republic of Korea, a provisional government, was founded shortly after. The provisional republic remained a sovereign, independent state for several days, until the United States and Soviet Union devised a plan to temporary partition Korea into two occupied zones, then reunify the peninsula once it was determined that the Koreans were fit to govern themselves.

Korea was divided at the 38th parallel north, which divided Korea roughly in half. Korea south of the 38th parallel was occupied by the United States Army Military Government in Korea. Most of Gyeonggi, including Kaesong, fell under the American occupation zone. By the end of the war, Kaesong was one of the only cities to officially change hands, going from a South Korean city to a North Korean city.

Administrative divisions

Both Korean governments claim sovereignty over the whole of the Korean Peninsula, and neither governments recognize changes to Korea's internal divisions made by the other.

Administrative divisions of Kyŏnggi (North Korea)

Kyŏnggi falls under one of the seven claimed provinces of North Korea.

Provinces (道/도)
Map Province Hancha Chosŏn'gŭl RR McCune-Reischauer Abbreviation Capital
Kyonggi 京畿道 경기도 Gyeonggi-do Kyŏnggi-do N/A Sŏul

Cities of Kyŏnggi-do

Counties of Kyŏnggi-do

Areas of South Hwanghae and Kangwŏn in the Kyŏnggi region

Administrative divisions of Gyeonggi (South Korea)

Provinces (道/도)
Map Province Hanja Hangul RR McCune-Reischauer Abbreviation Capital
Gyeonggi 京畿道 경기도 Gyeonggi-do Kyŏnggi-do N/A Suwon
# Name Hangul Hanja Population (2015.5)[5] Subdivisions
Special City
1 Suwon 수원시 水原市 1,177,376 4 ilban-gu — 41 haengjeong-dong
2 Seongnam 성남시 城南市 974,580 3 ilban-gu — 39 haengjeong-dong
3 Goyang 고양시 高陽市 1,041,706 3 ilban-gu — 46 haengjeong-dong
4 Yongin 용인시 龍仁市 968,346 3 ilban-gu — 1 eup, 6 myeon, 23 haengjeong-dong
5 Bucheon 부천시 富川市 852,758 36 haengjeong-dong
6 Ansan 안산시 安山市 704,765 2 ilban-gu — 24 haengjeong-dong
7 Anyang 안양시 安養市 599,464 2 ilban-gu — 31 haengjeong-dong
8 Namyangju 남양주시 南楊州市 640,579 5 eup, 4 myeon, 7 haengjeong-dong
9 Hwaseong 화성시 華城市 565,269 4 eup, 10 myeon, 10 haengjeong-dong
City
10 Uijeongbu 의정부시 議政府市 431,149 15 haengjeong-dong
11 Siheung 시흥시 始興市 393,356 17 haengjeong-dong
12 Pyeongtaek 평택시 平澤市 453,437 3 eup, 6 myeon, 13 haengjeong-dong
13 Gwangmyeong 광명시 光明市 346,888 18 haengjeong-dong
14 Paju 파주시 坡州市 416,439 4 eup, 9 myeon, 7 haengjeong-dong
15 Gunpo 군포시 軍浦市 288,494 11 haengjeong-dong
16 Gwangju 광주시 廣州市 304,503 3 eup, 4 myeon, 3 haengjeong-dong
17 Gimpo 김포시 金浦市 344,585 3 eup, 3 myeon, 6 haengjeong-dong
18 Icheon 이천시 利川市 204,988 2 eup, 8 myeon, 4 haengjeong-dong
19 Yangju 양주시 楊州市 203,519 1 eup, 4 myeon, 6 haengjeong-dong
20 Guri 구리시 九里市 186,611 8 haengjeong-dong
21 Osan 오산시 烏山市 207,596 6 haengjeong-dong
22 Anseong 안성시 安城市 181,478 1 eup, 11 myeon, 3 haengjeong-dong
23 Uiwang 의왕시 義王市 157,916 6 haengjeong-dong
24 Pocheon 포천시 抱川市 155,629 1 eup, 11 myeon, 2 haengjeong-dong
25 Hanam 하남시 河南市 155,752 12 haengjeong-dong
26 Dongducheon 동두천시 東豆川市 97,407 8 haengjeong-dong
27 Gwacheon 과천시 果川市 69,914 6 haengjeong-dong
28 Yeoju 여주시 驪州市 110,560 1 eup, 8 myeon, 3 haengjeong-dong
County
29 Yangpyeong 양평군 楊平郡 106,445 1 eup, 11 myeon
30 Gapyeong 가평군 加平郡 61,403 1 eup, 5 myeon
31 Yeoncheon 연천군 漣川郡 45,314 2 eup, 8 myeon
— Claimed —
32 Gaeseong Special City 개성특별시 開城特別市 192,578 24 dong, 3 ri
33 Gaepung-guyeok 개풍구역 開豊區域 Unknown 2 dong, 14 ri
33 Jangdan County 장단군 長湍郡 Unknown Unknown

References

  1. ^ 경기 (京畿) , Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean), Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2024-06-02
  2. ^ 관북지방 (關北地方), Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean), Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2024-06-02
  3. ^ 경주시의 역사, Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean), Academy of Korean Studies. Retrieved 2024-06-02
  4. ^ History of Seoul, Seoul Solution (in English). Retrieved 2024-06-02
  5. ^ "Population". Gyeonggi Province. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2013.