Special cities of North Korea
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Special city | |
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Category | Unitary state |
Location | Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
Number | 4 Special Cities |
Populations | 205,000 (Rason) – 3,255,388 (Pyongyang) |
Areas | 710 square miles (1,800 km2) (Rason) – 400 square miles (1,000 km2) (Pyongyang) |
Government |
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Subdivisions |
This article is part of a series on the |
Administrative divisions of North Korea |
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Provincial level |
Province (도 道 to) |
Special municipality (특별시 特別市 t'ŭkpyŏlsi) |
Municipal level |
City (시 市 si) |
County (군 郡 kun) |
District (구역 區域 kuyŏk) |
Submunicipal level |
Town (읍 邑 ŭp) |
Neighbourhood (동 洞 tong) |
Village (리 里 ri) |
(로동자구 勞動者區 rodongjagu) |
Special cities are one of the first-level administrative divisions within North Korea.
Position in hierarchy and types[]
Special cities are the higher-ranked administrative divisions in North Korea. There are three kinds of special cities in North Korea.
Type | Chosŏn'gŭl | Hancha | McCune–Reischauer | City names | Amount of cities |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Direct-administered city | 직할시 | 直轄市 | Chikhalsi | Pyongyang | 1 |
Special city | 특별시 | 特別市 | T'ŭkpyŏlsi | Rason, Nampo, Kaesong | 3 |
Special-level city | 특급시 | 特級市 | T'ŭkkŭpsi | None | 0 |
The first level cities have equal status to the provinces.
List of special cities[]
Name | Chosŏn'gŭl | Hancha | Type | ISO | Population | Area (km2) |
Density (/km2) |
Capital | Region | Province related |
Year of assignment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pyongyang | 평양직할시 | 平壤直轄市 | Directly administered city | KP-01 | 3,255,388 | 3,194 | 1,019 | Chung-guyok | Kwanso | South Pyongan | 1946 |
Rason | 라선특별시 | 羅先特別市 | Special city | KP-13 | 205,000 | 746 | 275 | Rajin-guyok | Kwanbuk | North Hamgyong | 2010 |
Nampo | 남포특별시 | 南浦特別市 | Special city | KP-?? | 366,815 | 829 | 442 | Waudo-guyok | Kwanso | South Pyongan | 2011 |
Kaesong | 개성특별시 | 開城特別市 | Special-level city | none | 308,440 | 1,309 | 235 | Haeso | North Hwanghae | 2019 |
Note: Pyongyang is classified as a capital city (chikhalsi), not a special city as Seoul in South Korea. In fact, the North Korean national newspaper and broadcasting say "Pyongyang Chikhalsi". Some sources, most of them coming from South Korea, refer the city as a special city; however, these are old sources. Moreover, South Korea has corrected the city as a directly governed city, according to a South Korean newspaper in 1994. The official name of Pyongyang would be "Pyongyang-si" in the Republic of Korea, which officially claims to represent the entire peninsula.
List of defunct special cities[]
Division name | Chosŏn'gŭl | Hancha | Province absorb into | Administered Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chongjin | 청진시 | 淸津市 | North Hamgyong | 1960–1967, 1977–1985 |
Hamhung | 함흥시 | 咸興市 | South Hamgyong | 1960–1967 |
See also[]
- Administrative divisions of North Korea
- List of cities in North Korea
- Special cities of South Korea
References[]
- 행정구역 현황 [Haengjeong Guyeok Hyeonhwang]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-01-09.
- 행정구역 개편 일지 [Haengjeong Guyeok Gaepyeon Ilji]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2004. Archived from the original on 2006-11-02.
Further reading[]
- Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014. ISBN 978-89-6297-167-5
- ^ Abolished
- Cities in North Korea
- Directly Governed Cities and Special Administrative Regions of North Korea
- Korea geography-related lists