List of cities in South Korea explained

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 six-largest cities are classified as gwangyeoksi (Metropolitan Cities). Smaller cities are classified as si ("cities") and are under provincial jurisdiction, at the same level as counties.

City status

Article 10 of the Local Autonomy Act defines the standards under which a populated area may become a city: an area which is predominantly urbanised and has a population of at least 50,000; a which has an urbanised area with a population of at least 50,000; or a which has a total population of at least 150,000 and multiple urbanised areas each with a population of at least 20,000.^[1]

Under Article 3 of the Local Autonomy Act, a city with a population of less than 500,000 may create administrative subdivisions in the form of in its urbanised area and or in its rural area, while a city with a population of more than 500,000 may create administrative subdivisions in the form of non-autonomous .^[2]

Classifications for large municipal cities

The national government can designate cities of at least 500,000 inhabitants as special status cities. This status expands the scope of administrative authority delegated from the provincial government to the city government.^[3]

Big city

A big city is a city (other than a special city or a metropolitan city) that has a population greater than 500,000, and has been designated by an order of the national government under Article 198 of the Local Autonomy Act. Big municipal cities are given the power to subdivide themselves into non-autonomous districts (Korean: 일반구; Korean: 一般區).^[3]

Due its legal status as an administrative city, Jeju City cannot be designated as a "big city" under the Local Autonomy Law, despite having an estimated population exceeding 500,000 as of 2022. The designation of "administrative city" was created by the law which granted special self-governing status to Jeju Province; that law specifically states that the Local Autonomy Act would not apply to administrative cities. As such, Jeju City does not enjoy special autonomy and only has the same legal powers as the much smaller Seogwipo City. The administrative authority of Jeju City is trying to expand the scope of administrative authority delegated from the provincial government to the city government.^[4]

Special-status city

A special-status city is a subclass of big municipal city that has a population greater than 1,500,000.

List

Notes

• The name "Seoul" does not originate from hanja. The official Chinese translation is written as Chinese: 首爾/Chinese: 首尔, which is a transcription based on the pronunciation of "Seoul", but Chinese: 漢城/Chinese: 汉城 remains frequently used. As an affix or abbreviation, the character gyeong (Korean: {{linktext|京), which means "capital", is used.
• Seoul was designated a "Special Independent City" (Teukbyeol-jayusi;) separate from Gyeonggi Province on August 16, 1946; it became a "Special City" on August 15, 1949.

Name	Korean		No.
Hangul	Hanja
	Special City			1
	Special Self-Governing City			1
	Metropolitan City			6
	Big Municipal city			17
	Administrative City			2
	City			60

City	Hangul	Hanja	Province	Population	Area	Density	Founded
Andong			North Gyeongsang	168,226	1521.26	110.6	1963-01-01
Ansan			Gyeonggi	689,326	149.06	4624.5	1986-01-01
Anseong			Gyeonggi	182,784	553.47	330.3	1998-04-01
Anyang			Gyeonggi	598,392	58.46	10235.9	1973-07-01
Asan			South Chungcheong	303,043	542.15	559.0	1986-01-01
Boryeong			South Chungcheong	103,620	569.01	182.1	1986-01-01
Bucheon			Gyeonggi	851,245	53.40	15940.9	1973-07-01
Busan			City-c	3,496,779	765.94	4565.3	1963-01-01
Changwon			South Gyeongsang	1,063,116	736.34	1443.8	1980-04-01
Cheonan			South Chungcheong	619,286	636.22	973.4	1963-01-01
Cheongju			North Chungcheong	835,802	153.45	5446.7	1949-08-15
Chuncheon			Gangwon	280,565	1116.35	251.3	1949-08-15
Chungju			North Chungcheong	208,288	983.70	211.7	1956-07-08
Daegu			City-c	2,484,688	885.60	2805.7	1981-07-01
Daejeon			City-c	1,514,354	539.86	2805.1	1989-01-01
Dangjin			South Chungcheong	166,782	694.08	240.3	2012-01-01
Dongducheon			Gyeonggi	98,062	95.66	1025.1	1981-07-01
Donghae			Gangwon	93,289	180.17	517.8	1980-04-01
Gangneung			Gangwon	213,747	1040.07	205.5	1955-09-01
Geoje			South Gyeongsang	256,979	401.61	639.9	1989-01-01
Gimcheon			North Gyeongsang	142,277	1009.50	140.9	1949-08-14
Gimhae			South Gyeongsang	529,577	463.28	1143.1	1981-07-01
Gimje			North Jeolla	87,658	544.99	160.8	1989-01-01
Gimpo			Gyeonggi	364,808	276.64	1318.7	1998-04-01
Gongju			South Chungcheong	109,750	940.36	116.7	1986-01-01
Goyang			Gyeonggi	1,040,648	267.31	3893.0	1992-02-01
Gumi			North Gyeongsang	420,048	615.52	682.4	1978-02-15
Gunpo			Gyeonggi	284,735	36.36	7831.0	1989-01-01
Gunsan			North Jeolla	277,328	675.38	410.6	1949-08-15
Guri			Gyeonggi	194,298	33.30	5834.8	1986-01-01
Gwacheon			Gyeonggi	62,929	35.86	1754.9	1986-01-01
Gwangju			City-c	1,469,583	501.26	2931.8	1986-11-01
Gwangju			Gyeonggi	328,940	430.96	763.3	2001-03-21
Gwangmyeong			Gyeonggi	339,071	38.50	8807.0	1981-07-01
Gwangyang			South Jeolla	154,164	453.84	339.7	1989-01-01
Gyeongju			North Gyeongsang	259,228	1324.39	195.7	1955-09-01
Gyeongsan			North Gyeongsang	257,902	411.70	626.4	1989-01-01
Gyeryong			South Chungcheong	42,737	60.74	703.6	2003-09-19
Hanam			Gyeonggi	213,028	93.07	2288.9	1989-01-01
Hwaseong			Gyeonggi	644,498	687.54	937.4	2001-03-21
Icheon			Gyeonggi	210,565	531.09	396.5	1996-03-01
Iksan			North Jeolla	301,061	506.70	594.2	1949-08-15
Incheon			City-c	2,944,009	1032.41	2851.6	1981-07-01
Jecheon			North Chungcheong	136,389	883.09	154.4	1980-04-01
Jeongeup			North Jeolla	115,083	692.93	166.1	1981-07-01
Jeonju			North Jeolla	652,234	206.22	3162.8	1949-08-15
Jeju			Jeju	470,957	977.80	481.6	1955-09-01
Jinju			South Gyeongsang	347,056	712.62	487.0	1949-08-15
Naju			South Jeolla	105,080	172.8	608.15	1981-07-01
Namyangju			Gyeonggi	662,183	458.54	1444.1	1989-01-01
Namwon			North Jeolla	84,140	752.50	111.8	1981-07-01
Nonsan			South Chungcheong	123,094	554.85	221.9	1996-03-01
Miryang			South Gyeongsang	108,322	799.01	135.6	1989-01-01
Mokpo			South Jeolla	237,464	50.08	4741.7	1949-08-15
Mungyeong			North Gyeongsang	74,555	911.17	81.8	1986-01-01
Osan			Gyeonggi	208,873	42.76	4884.8	1989-01-01
Paju			Gyeonggi	431,035	672.57	640.9	1996-03-01
Pocheon			Gyeonggi	154,381	826.50	186.8	2003-10-19
Pohang			North Gyeongsang	516,497	1128.76	457.6	1949-08-14
Pyeongtaek			Gyeonggi	472,141	454.62	1038.5	1986-01-01
Sacheon			South Gyeongsang	114,854	398.25	288.4	1956-07-08
Sangju			North Gyeongsang	101,729	1254.83	81.1	1986-01-01
Samcheok			Gangwon	70,120	1185.86	59.1	1986-01-01
Sejong			City-b	244,939	465.23	526.5	2012-07-01
Seogwipo			Jeju	171,431	870.87	196.9	1981-07-01
Seongnam			Gyeonggi	974,755	141.82	6873.2	1973-07-01
Seosan			South Chungcheong	170,810	740.66	230.6	1989-01-01
Seoul			City-a	9,930,478	605.27	16406.7	1946-08-16
Siheung			Gyeonggi	403,398	135.02	2987.7	1989-01-01
Sokcho			Gangwon	81,797	105.00	779.0	1963-01-01
Suncheon			South Jeolla	279,540	907.41	308.1	1949-08-14
Suwon			Gyeonggi	1,194,276	121.09	9862.7	1949-08-14
Taebaek			Gangwon	46,892	303.57	154.5	1981-07-01
Tongyeong			South Gyeongsang	138,001	238.85	577.8	1955-09-01
Uijeongbu			Gyeonggi	438,753	81.59	5377.5	1963-01-01
Uiwang			Gyeonggi	156,410	54.00	2896.5	1989-01-01
Ulsan			City-c	1,117,656	1057.50	1056.9	1997-07-15
Wonju			Gangwon	338,374	872.56	387.8	1955-09-01
Yangju			Gyeonggi	205,977	309.77	664.9	2003-10-19
Yangsan			South Gyeongsang	318,836	485.18	657.1	1996-03-01
Yeoju			Gyeonggi	111,558	608.64	183.3	2013-09-23
Yeongcheon			North Gyeongsang	100,384	920.29	109.1	1981-07-01
Yeongju			North Gyeongsang	109,281	669.05	163.3	1980-04-01
Yeosu			South Jeolla	288,818	501.27	576.2	1949-08-14
Yongin			Gyeonggi	991,622	591.36	1676.8	1996-03-01

Cities by population

This is a list cities of South Korea by population including provincial-level divisions: special city (특별시/特別市) and metropolitan cities (광역시/廣域市), and municipal-level division: cities (시/市). Other municipal-level divisions: counties (군/郡 which have populations under 50K) and districts (구/區) are not included. All population data are based on the South Korean population and housing census 2000–2020.^[5]

Rank	Division		2020	2015	2010	2005	2000
1		(Special city)	9,586,195	9,904,312	9,631,482	9,762,546	9,853,972
2		(Metropolitan city)	3,349,016	3,448,737	3,393,191	3,512,547	3,655,437
3		(Metropolitan city)	2,945,454	2,890,451	2,632,035	2,517,680	2,466,338
4		(Metropolitan city)	2,410,700	2,466,052	2,431,774	2,456,016	2,473,990
5		(Metropolitan city)	1,488,435	1,538,394	1,490,158	1,438,551	1,365,961
6		(Metropolitan city)	1,477,573	1,502,881	1,466,143	1,413,644	1,350,948
7			1,210,150	1,194,313	1,054,053	1,039,233	944,239
8		(Metropolitan city)	1,135,423	1,166,615	1,071,673	1,044,934	1,012,110
9			1,066,975	971,327	847,138	686,842	384,741
10			1,045,497	990,073	897,222	864,402	762,598
11	Changwon^[6]		1,029,389	1,059,241	1,047,488	1,075,326	1,076,448
12			922,025	948,757	936,267	931,019	912,222
13	Hwaseong^[7]		880,859	608,725	474,160	282,124	185,979
14	Cheongju^[8]		855,326	833,276	804,119	752,768	701,256
15			833,148	843,794	842,482	833,931	757,832
16			717,345	747,035	699,063	669,839	554,998
17			696,033	629,061	526,639	424,446	339,545
18			682,199	629,062	565,201	518,171	415,818
19			666,517	658,172	646,512	622,092	615,804
20			552,427	534,124	484,244	428,893	330,829
21			542,522	457,873	381,731	374,262	342,806
22	Anyang	Gyeonggi	542,336	585,177	596,772	609,886	578,845
23			535,147	425,184	393,293	384,304	304,260
24			501,109	511,804	508,736	488,433	515,187
25	Jeju (City)^[9]		492,306	451,758	398,677	391,132	366,809
26			449,572	421,579	415,170	397,694	354,422
27	Gimpo	Gyeonggi	474,546	352,683	217,280	192,716	148,576
28			460,541	415,345	323,955	239,823	177,128
29	Gumi	North Gyeongsang	416,603	421,075	399,019	381,583	339,457
30	Gwangju^[10]	Gyeonggi	385,141	310,278	224,269	204,266	124,789
31	Sejong^[11]	(Special autonomous city)	353,933	204,088	80,542	80,389	79,745
32			352,429	330,854	309,803	283,583	267,849
33	Jinju	South Gyeongsang	352,403	349,788	335,297	336,355	339,413
34	Yangsan	South Gyeongsang	351,206	297,532	249,529	215,845	191,147
35	Asan	South Chungcheong	340,518	319,929	272,282	206,851	179,900
36	Gwangmyeong	Gyeonggi	298,116	338,509	326,418	319,452	333,596
37	Iksan	North Jeolla	285,312	301,723	294,479	306,974	322,636
38			284,645	281,596	274,220	260,234	252,177
39			283,733	278,500	260,643	240,371	226,713
40	Hanam	Gyeonggi	279,795	154,838	137,569	121,646	120,149
41	Gunpo	Gyeonggi	275,571	285,721	274,198	268,917	262,593
42			272,449	265,390	257,800	261,519	265,724
43	Yeosu	South Jeolla	271,505	273,761	268,727	277,420	303,115
44	Gunsan	North Jeolla	269,023	275,155	258,845	249,212	272,129
45	Gyeongju	North Gyeongsang	261,778	262,310	252,750	266,131	275,132
46	Geoje	South Gyeongsang	246,965	261,371	225,014	193,398	167,231
47			240,645	213,840	180,996	131,792	102,287
48	Yangju^[12]	Gyeonggi	233,286	205,988	183,673	149,931	107,440
49			226,212	209,003	192,918	187,514	179,081
50	Mokpo	South Jeolla	224,509	239,524	248,694	244,543	250,336
51	Chungju	North Chungcheong	218,412	211,005	201,361	204,248	217,510
52	Gangneung	Gangwon	216,542	215,677	217,481	220,706	227,856
53	Anseong	Gyeonggi	203,030	194,765	175,824	157,632	132,906
54	Guri	Gyeonggi	192,051	180,063	184,503	186,954	160,485
55	Seogwipo^[13]	Jeju (Prov.)	178,552	153,861	129,734	139,554	145,732
56	Seosan	South Chungcheong	176,379	169,221	155,082	143,692	142,972
57	Dangjin^[14]	South Chungcheong	168,955	163,762	135,106	112,267	117,447
58			160,230	154,879	143,378	143,568	117,594
59	Andong	North Gyeongsang	159,412	168,581	165,399	169,436	181,974
60	Pocheon^[15]	Gyeonggi	157,939	163,388	136,580	139,472	135,758
61			143,928	144,414	137,100	135,583	132,568
62			139,145	137,540	126,823	135,166	147,269
63	Jecheon	North Chungcheong	134,768	136,350	133,626	132,483	143,537
64	Tongyeong	South Gyeongsang	127,984	137,208	127,896	121,115	123,747
65			119,707	124,246	117,686	124,779	137,452
66	Yeoju^[16]	Gyeonggi	113,352	109,937	100,052	98,441	97,412
67	Naju	South Jeolla	113,293	92,582	77,825	86,823	99,233
68	Sacheon	South Gyeongsang	111,184	113,335	106,175	106,532	110,912
69	Gongju^[17]	South Chungcheong	108,333	113,542	120,660	126,484	130,223
70	Jeongeup	North Jeolla	106,706	110,627	109,458	115,416	128,892
71	Yeongju	North Gyeongsang	103,818	109,266	108,268	113,670	126,415
72	Miryang	South Gyeongsang	103,228	103,069	98,564	105,651	115,787
73	Yeongcheon	North Gyeongsang	100,353	97,669	94,350	103,289	110,918
74	Boryeong	South Chungcheong	99,088	101,852	97,091	96,992	109,423
75	Sangju	North Gyeongsang	95,473	98,760	97,559	105,600	116,365
76	Dongducheon	Gyeonggi	95,239	97,424	90,433	78,897	72,366
77			87,801	90,255	90,321	93,018	96,280
78	Sokcho	Gangwon	80,054	79,846	80,505	84,706	87,880
79	Gimje	North Jeolla	79,733	84,269	82,739	90,376	102,428
80	Namwon	North Jeolla	78,097	80,499	78,425	85,828	94,810
81			68,212	71,863	68,692	70,813	90,778
82			65,939	69,509	67,131	67,957	75,592
83			58,018	64,817	66,319	56,587	66,592
84			41,494	46,715	51,400	55,241	54,164
85	Gyeryong^[18]		40,854	39,243	41,395	31,646	27,104

Renamed cities

Before	Hangul	Hanja	After	Hangul	Hanja	Renamed date
Chungmu	Korean: 충무시	Korean: 忠武市		Korean: 통영시	Korean: 統營市	1995-01-01
Daecheon	Korean: 대천시	Korean: 大川市		Korean: 보령시	Korean: 保寧市	1995-01-01
Donggwangyang	Korean: 동광양시	Korean: 東光陽市		Korean: 광양시	Korean: 光陽市	1995-01-01
Geumseong	Korean: 금성시	Korean: 錦城市		Korean: 나주시	Korean: 羅州市	1986-01-01
Gyeongseong	Korean: 경성부	Korean: 京城府		Korean: 서울특별시	Korean: 서울特別市	1949-08-15
Iri	Korean: 이리시	Korean: 裡里市		Korean: 익산시	Korean: 益山市	1995-05-10
Jangseungpo	Korean: 장승포시	Korean: 長承浦市		Korean: 거제시	Korean: 巨濟市	1995-01-01
Jeomchon	Korean: 점촌시	Korean: 店村市		Korean: 문경시	Korean: 聞慶市	1995-01-01
Jeongju	Korean: 정주시	Korean: 井州市		Korean: 정읍시	Korean: 井邑市	1995-01-01
Migeum	Korean: 미금시	Korean: 渼金市		Korean: 남양주시	Korean: 南楊州市	1995-01-01
Onyang	Korean: 온양시	Korean: 溫陽市		Korean: 아산시	Korean: 牙山市	1995-01-01
Samcheonpo	Korean: 삼천포시	Korean: 三千浦市		Korean: 사천시	Korean: 泗川市	1995-05-10

Dissolved cities

City	Hangul	Hanja	Founded	Dissolved	Merged division
	Korean: 부산부	Korean: 釜山府	1914-03-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 부산시	Korean: 釜山市	1949-08-15	1963-01-01	upgraded into a Directly administered city and changed into a Metropolitan city in 1995-01-01
	Korean: 청주부	Korean: 淸州府	1946-06-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 춘천부	Korean: 春川府	1946-06-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 대구부	Korean: 大邱府	1914-03-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 대구시	Korean: 大邱市	1949-08-15	1981-07-01	upgraded into a Directly administered city and changed into a Metropolitan city in 1995-01-01
	Korean: 대전부	Korean: 大田府	1935-10-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 대전시	Korean: 大田市	1949-08-15	1989-01-01	upgraded into a Directly administered city and changed into a Metropolitan city in 1995-01-01
	Korean: 군산부	Korean: 群山府	1914-03-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 광주부	Korean: 光州府	1935-10-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 광주시	Korean: 光州市	1949-08-15	1986-11-01	upgraded into a Directly administered city and changed into a Metropolitan city in 1995-01-01
	Korean: 경성부	Korean: 京城府	1914-03-01	1946-08-16	upgraded into a Special independent city and changed into a Special city in 1949-08-15
	Korean: 인천부	Korean: 仁川府	1914-03-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 인천시	Korean: 仁川市	1949-08-15	1981-07-01	upgraded into a Directly administered city and changed into a Metropolitan city in 1995-01-01
	Korean: 이리부	Korean: 裡里府	1947-02-23	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 전주부	Korean: 全州府	1935-10-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 진해시	Korean: 鎭海市	1955-09-01	2010-07-01	merged into Changwon
	Korean: 진주부	Korean: 晋州府	1939-10-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 마산부	Korean: 馬山府	1914-03-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 마산시	Korean: 馬山市	1949-08-15	2010-07-01	merged into Changwon
	Korean: 목포부	Korean: 木浦府	1914-03-01	1949-08-15	upgraded into a city
	Korean: 송정시	Korean: 松汀市	1986-11-01	1988-01-01	merged into Gwangju
	Korean: 송탄시	Korean: 松炭市	1981-07-01	1995-05-10	merged into Pyeongtaek
	Korean: 울산시	Korean: 蔚山市	1962-06-01	1997-07-15	upgraded into a Metropolitan city
	Korean: 여천시	Korean: 麗川市	1986-01-01	1998-04-01	merged into Yeosu

Claimed cities

See main article: Committee for the Five Northern Korean Provinces.

City	Hangul	Hanja	Province	Founded
Cheongjin	Korean: 청진시	Korean: 淸津市	North Hamgyeong	1949-05-23
Gaeseong	Korean: 개성시	Korean: 開城市	Gyeonggi	1949-05-23
Haeju	Korean: 해주시	Korean: 海州市	Hwanghae	1949-05-23
Hamheung	Korean: 함흥시	Korean: 咸興市	South Hamgyeong	1949-05-23
Heungnam	Korean: 흥남시	Korean: 興南市	South Hamgyeong	1949-05-23
Jinnampo	Korean: 진남포시	Korean: 鎭南浦市	South Pyeongan	1949-05-23
Najin	Korean: 나진시	Korean: 羅津市	North Hamgyeong	1949-05-23
Pyeongyang	Korean: 평양시	Korean: 平壤市	South Pyeongan	1949-05-23
Sariwon	Korean: 사리원시	Korean: 沙里院市	Hwanghae	1949-05-23
Seongjin	Korean: 성진시	Korean: 城津市	North Hamgyeong	1949-05-23
Sinuiju	Korean: 신의주시	Korean: 新義州市	North Pyeongan	1949-05-23
Songnim	Korean: 송림시	Korean: 松林市	Hwanghae	1949-05-23
Wonsan	Korean: 원산시	Korean: 元山市	South Hamgyeong	1949-05-23

See also

• Administrative divisions of South Korea
• List of largest cities
• List of South Korean regions by GDP

Sources

• The Principal Cities of South Korea
• Korea.net-Facts about Korea
• Korea.net-Facts about Korea

External links

• Largest cities in South Korea
• Korean Statistical Information Service

Notes and References

1. 지방자치법 . Local Autonomy Act . As Amended by Law . 18661 . 28 December 2021. An English translation is available from the Korea Legislative Research Institute, but is out of date: Local Autonomy Act . As Amended by Law . 16057 . 24 December 2018. Article 7 of the 2018 version of the law is similar in content to Article 10 of the 2021 version of the law, aside from cross-references to other articles.
2. Article 3, Local Autonomy Act (2021). Article 3 of the 2018 version of the law has similar provisions.
3. Article 198, Local Autonomy Act (2021). Article 175 of the 2018 version of the law has similar provisions but is less detailed.
4. News: 제주시 1월부터 법률상 자격없는 인구 50만 대도시 . Jeju Sori . 23 December 2021 . 7 February 2022. See also Special Act on the Establishment of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and the Development of Free International City . As Amended by Law . 17883 . 5 January 2021.
5. Population Census, Korean Statistical Information Service, 2000–2020, Statistics Korea
6. Includes former city Masan and Jinhae.
7. Includes former county Hwaseong.
8. Includes former county Cheongwon. Some villages of Cheongwon are out to merge with Sejong. Numbers before 2010 contain populations of those villages.
9. Includes former county Bukjeju (North Jeju).
10. Includes former county Gwangju.
11. Includes former county Yeongi; Current Sejong city contains some villages from Gongju and former county Cheongwon, North Chungcheong, and the population statistics of Yeongi county did not contain populations of those villages.
12. Includes former county Yangju.
13. Includes former county Namjeju (South Jeju).
14. Includes former county Dangjin.
15. Includes former county Pocheon.
16. Includes former county Yeoju.
17. Some villages are out to merge with Sejong. Numbers before 2010 contain populations of those villages.
18. Includes former Gyeryong branch office of Nonsan city.