Provinces of North Korea
Provinces are the first level of division within North Korea. There are nine provinces in North Korea: Chagang, North Hamgyong, South Hamgyong, North Hwanghae, South Hwanghae, Kangwon, North Pyongan, South Pyongan, and Ryanggang.
History
Although the details of local administration have changed dramatically over time, the basic outline of the current three-tiered system was implemented under the reign of Gojong in 1895. A similar system also remains in use in South Korea.Provinces are the highest-ranked administrative divisions in North Korea. Provinces have equal status to the special cities.
List of provinces
The populations listed for each province are from the 2008 North Korea Census. From this census, an additional 702,372 people are living in military camps.| Name | Chosŏn'gŭl | Hancha | ISO | Population | Area | Density | Capital | Region |
| Chagang | 자강도 | 慈江道 | KP-04 | 1,299,830 | 16,765 | 77.5 | Kanggye | Kwanso |
| North Hamgyong | 함경북도 | 咸鏡北道 | KP-09 | 2,327,362 | 15,980 | 145.6 | Chongjin | Kwanbuk |
| South Hamgyong | 함경남도 | 咸鏡南道 | KP-08 | 3,066,013 | 18,534 | 165.4 | Hamhung | Kwannam |
| North Hwanghae | 황해북도 | 黃海北道 | KP-06 | 2,113,672 | 8,153.7 | 259.2 | Sariwon | Haeso |
| South Hwanghae | 황해남도 | 黃海南道 | KP-05 | 2,310,485 | 8,450.3 | 273.4 | Haeju | Haeso |
| Kangwon | 강원도 | 江原道 | KP-07 | 1,477,582 | 11,091 | 133.2 | Wonsan | Kwandong |
| North Pyongan | 평안북도 | 平安北道 | KP-03 | 2,728,662 | 12,680.3 | 215.2 | Sinuiju | Kwanso |
| South Pyongan | 평안남도 | 平安南道 | KP-02 | 4,051,696 | 11,890.6 | 340.7 | Pyongsong | Kwanso |
| Ryanggang | 량강도 | 兩江道 | KP-10 | 719,269 | 13,880 | 51.8 | Hyesan | Kwannam |
Claimed provinces
North Korea claims seven provinces on the territory controlled by South Korea. These provinces are based on the divisions of the Japanese era, but correspond somewhat to the present South Korean provinces and the special cities partitioned out of them, owing to the alterations in the provincial division affected by South Korea being more conservative relatively to those affected by the north. While people's committees for these claimed provinces were elected in 1950 during the Korean War, no government-in-exile for them exists to this day, unlike the South Korean counterpart.As part of leader Kim Jong Un's declaration that deemed peaceful unification unfeasible with South Korea, the North Korean constitution was amended in 2024 to redefine the Republic of Korea — now recognising its existence, but without establishing bilateral relations — as its 'primary enemy state' ; relinquishing its claim to the said areas, but at the same time vowed to reclaim the South through "nuclear force". However, the full copy of its updated constitution, which may include exact articles or amendments related to territorial changes, has yet to be released for international audiences to further substantiate the North's recent actions.