Provinces of Korea

has had administrative districts that can be considered provinces since the 7th century. These divisions were initially called ju in Unified Silla and Later Baekje, and there were nine in total. After Goryeo conquered these states in the 10th century, twelve divisions called mok were established, although they were reorganized into ten do in the 11th century.
After Joseon's conquest of Goryeo, it established the Eight Provinces in 1413. These provincial boundaries closely reflected major regional and dialect boundaries, and are still significant in contemporary Korea. In 1895, as part of the Gabo Reform, the country was redivided into 23 districts, 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 and Namdo. The thirteen provinces remained unchanged throughout the Japanese colonial period.
With the liberation of Korea in 1945, the Korean peninsula was divided into North Korea and South Korea, with the dividing line established along the 38th parallel. Three provinces—Hwanghae, Gyeonggi, and Gangwon —were modified or split as a part of this. The special cities of Seoul and P'yŏngyang were formed in 1946. Between 1946 and 1954, five new provinces were created: Jeju in South Korea, and North and South Hwanghae, Chagang, and Ryanggang in North Korea. With the freezing of the Korean War in 1953, provincial boundaries were again modified between the two Koreas, and have since remained mostly unchanged; new cities and special administrative regions have since been created in their provinces.

Provinces of Balhae

Although southern part of Korean peninsula was took over by Silla, northern part was not fully conquered by nor Tang dynasty and Silla. Under the leadership of Tae Joyŏng, Parhae was founded. The country was divided into 5 capitals, 15 provinces; and 62 prefectures. Its territory covered former regions of Goguryeo while added territories of Outer Manchuria.

Hanja	Hangul	RR, Pinyin	Modern location
上京/龍州	상경/용주	Sanggyeong/Yongju Shangjing/Longzhou	Ning'an
中京/顯州	중경/현주	Junggyeong/Hyeonju Zhongjing/Xianzhou	Helong/Dunhua
東京/慶州	동경/경주	Donggyeong/Gyeongju Dongjing/Qingzhou	Hunchun
南京/沃州	남경/옥주	Namgyeong/Okju Nanjing/Wozhou	Hamheung
西京/神州	서경/신주	Seogyeong/Sinju Xijing/Shenzhou	Linjiang
瑕州	하주	Haju Xiazhou	Jingyu
扶州	부주	Buju Fuzhou	Kaiyuan
鄚州	막주	Makju Mozhou	Acheng
定州	정주	Jeongju/Dingzhou	Partizansk
安州	안주	Anju Anzhou	Olga
華州	화주	Hwaju Huazhou	Ussuriysk/Shuaibin
伊州	이주	Iju Yizhou	Dangbi
德理鎮	덕리진	Deongnijin/Delizhen	Yilan
達州	달주	Dalju	Tongjiang
寧州	영주	Yeongju Ningzhou	Dalnerechensk

Provinces of Unified Silla

The Korean peninsula was mostly unified for the first time by the state Silla in the 7th century. Silla's capital was Geumseong. It had five sub-capitals at Geumgwan-gyeong, Namwon-gyeong, Seowon-gyeong, Jungwon-gyeong, and Bugwon-gyeong.
The country was divided into nine provinces : three in the pre-660 territory of Silla, and three each in the territories of the former kingdoms Baekje and Goguryeo.

Province	Hangul	Hanja	Capital	Modern equivalent	Former kingdom
	양주	良州	Yangju	Eastern Gyeongsang	Silla
	강주	康州	Gangju	Western South Gyeongsang	Silla
	상주	尙州	Sangju	Western North Gyeongsang	Silla
	무주	武州	Muju	South Jeolla	Baekje
	전주	全州	Jeonju	North Jeolla	Baekje
	웅주	熊州	Gongju	South Chungcheong	Baekje
	한주	漢州	Hanju	North Chungcheong, Gyeonggi, Hwanghae	Goguryeo
	삭주	朔州	Sakju	Western Gangwon	Goguryeo
	명주	溟州	Myeongju	Eastern Gangwon	Goguryeo

Provinces of Goryeo

Goryeo was established in the 10th century, and had its capital at Gaegyeong. It conquered Silla and Later Baekje, and also conquered parts of the former territory of Goguryeo. Goryeo had three subcapitals: Donggyeong, Namgyeong, and Seogyeong.
Goryeo reorganized its provinces several times. Originally, the country had one royal district around Gaegyeong and twelve administrative districts. In 995, the twelve districts were redivided into ten provinces. In 1005, the ten provinces were again redivided, this time into five provinces and two frontier districts. Gyojudo later became its own province after 1178, making it six provinces and two frontier districts.

Provinces	Provinces	Provinces	Modern equivalent	Silla equivalent
Yangju-mok	Gwannae-do	Seohae-do	Hwanghae	Hanju
Hwangju-mok	Gwannae-do	Seohae-do	North Hwanghae	Hanju
Haeju-mok	Gwannae-do	Seohae-do	South Hwanghae	Hanju
Gwangju-mok	Gwannae-do	Yanggwang-do	Gyeonggi	Hanju
Chungju-mok	Jungwon-do	Yanggwang-do	North Chungcheong	Hanju
Cheongju-mok	Jungwon-do	Yanggwang-do	North Chungcheong	Ungju
Gongju-mok	Hanam-do	Yanggwang-do	South Chungcheong	Ungju
Jeonju-mok	Gangnam-do	Jeolla-do	Jeonbuk	Jeonju
Naju-mok	Haeyang-do	Jeolla-do	South Jeolla	Muju
Seungju-mok	Haeyang-do	Jeolla-do	South Jeolla	Muju
Sangju-mok	Yeongnam-do	Gyeongsang-do	North Gyeongsang	Sangju
Jinju-mok	Sannam-do	Gyeongsang-do	Western South Gyeongsang	Gangju
Jinju-mok	Yeongdong-do	Gyeongsang-do	Eastern South Gyeongsang	Yangju
—	Sakbang-do	Gyoju-do,also known as gyoju gangneungdo	Gangwon	Sakju
—	Sakbang-do	Donggye,also known as Dongbukmyeon	Gangwon	Myeongju
—	Paeseo-do	Bukgye,Also known as Seobukmyeon)	Pyeongan	—

Provinces of Joseon

In 1413, Korea was divided into eight provinces: Chungcheong, Gangwon, Gyeonggi, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, Hamgyŏng, Hwanghae, and P'yŏngan.

RR Romaja	M–R Romaja	Hangul	Hanja	Name origin	Capital	Region	Korean dialect	Post-1896 Provinces
Chungcheong	Ch'ungch'ŏng	충청도	忠淸道	Chungju, Cheongju	Gongju	Hoseo	Chungcheong dialect	North Chungcheong South Chungcheong
Gangwon	Kangwŏn	강원도	江原道	Gangneung, Wonju	Wonju	Gwandong	Hanseong	Gijeon	Seoul dialect	Gyeonggi
Gyeongsang	Kyŏngsang	경상도	慶尙道	Gyeongju, Sangju	Daegu	Yeongnam	Gyeongsang dialect	North Gyeongsang South Gyeongsang
Hamgyeong	Hamgyŏng	함경도	咸鏡道	Hamhung, Kyongsong	Hamhung	Kwanbuk, Kwannam	Hamgyŏng dialect	North Hamgyong South Hamgyong
Hwanghae	Hwanghae	황해도	黃海道	Hwangju, Haeju	Haeju	Haeso	Hwanghae dialect	Hwanghae
Jeolla	Chŏlla	전라도	全羅道	Jeonju, Naju	Jeonju	Honam	Jeolla dialect; Jeju language	North Jeolla South Jeolla
Pyeongan	P'yŏngan	평안도	平安道	Pyongyang, Anju	Pyongyang	Kwanso	Pyongan dialect	North Pyongan South Pyongan

Districts of Late Joseon period

In 1895, Korea was redivided into 23 districts, each named for the city or county that was its capital. The districts were short-lived, however, as the following year, the provincial system was restored.

Andong
Chuncheon
Chungju
Daegu
Dongnae
Gangneung
Gongju
Haeju
Hamhŭng
Hanseong
Hongju
Incheon
Jeju
Jeonju
Jinju
Kaesŏng
Kanggye
Kapsan
Kyŏngsŏng
Naju
Namwon
P'yŏngyang
Ŭiju