Geography & Map Of South Korea
What Provinces And Cities Make Up South Korea? Where Are They Located? Ideas For New Places To Explore In South Korea!
How familiar are you with the different regions of South Korea?
Perhaps you have heard of the names of many regions but don’t know where they are located. Or maybe you only know of Seoul and Busan?
In either case, this article might be just what you are looking for. We will guide you through the different regions of South Korea, local specialties. famous tourist spots, and more!
Basic Geography Of South Korea
The total area of South Korea is roughly 100,000 square kilometers.
The country has only one time zone, Korea Standard Time (UTC +9) and does not observe daylight saving time.
The time zone was at first standardized at 8 ½ hours ahead of GMT in 1908. However, this was changed to UTC +9 in 1912, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, to align with Japan Standard Time. Both North and South Korea have since kept this time zone.
South Korea has four distinct seasons. Receiving cold air from Siberia, winters are cold and dry, whereas summers are hot and humid as a result of winds blowing in from the Pacific Ocean.
Administrative Divisions
Source: Orange Smile
South Korea is divided into eight provinces, six metropolitan cities, one special city (Seoul), one special self-governing city (Sejong) and one special self-governing province (Jeju).
Starting off with Seoul, we are going to take a look at each and every one of these regions!
Special City (Seoul)
서울특별시
Seoul, officially Seoul Special City, is as you all know the capital of South Korea.
The city is located in the northwest of South Korea.
The big Han river runs through the heart of the city. Did you know that the famous Gangnam area got is name because of its location south of the river? Gang (강) means river and nam (남) means south!
Seoul is a major tourist destination and welcomes tourists from all around the world. It has been the capital of Korea since the Joseon dynasty, and several royal palaces with long history can be found here.
The Six Metropolitan Cities
광역시
South Korea is divided into eight provinces, or nine if we include the special self-governing province of Jeju.
In addition to the provinces, as cities in South Korea grow in importance economically, they have been designated as metropolitan cities. This means that they are given administrative autonomy equal to that of a province. Let’s take a look at the current metropolitan cities!
1. Busan
Busan is the second biggest city in South Korea.
A coastal city, Busan is famous for its beaches, in particular the popular Haeundae Beach where people gather during the summer to swim and have fun.
A local specialty is dwaeji gukbap, or pork and rice soup, which is a dish you should definitely try if you visit Busan!
2. Incheon
Located just west of Seoul, Incheon is a great place to check out even if it is your first trip to South Korea. It takes only around an hour to get here by subway from the center of Seoul.
In addition to Incheon International Airport, Incheon offers a lot to explore.
The island Wolmido is the location for many Korean drama series, and it is also a popular dating spot. There is a small amusement park on the island as well as great views of the sea.
Another island in Incheon, Ganghwado, has played an important role in South Korean history. If you visit Ganghwado, we can recommend checking out the café Joyang Bangjik (조양방직) where you can find plenty of retro items.
You can also check out Songdo, a newly developed district in Incheon full of smart and beautiful buildings. Here you can also find a large outlet and enjoy several alternatives for shopping.
3. Daegu
Daegu metropolitan city is surrounded by North Gyeongsang Province.
The city is famous for its climate, with summers being known to be especially hot. Daegu frequently records the hottest temperatures in South Korea in the summer.
The amusement part E-World is located in Daegu, famous for both its rides and for being one of the best cherry blossom spots in South Korea.
For more things to do in Daegu, check out this article!
4. Gwangju
Gwangju is known for playing an important role for the democratization movement in South Korea in the past.
The movie A Taxi Driver is depicting the May 18 democratization movement that took place in Gwangju. There are many places in the city that remembers this movement and the Gwangju Uprising. We highly recommend that you visit this historically important city!
5. Daejeon
Just like the neighboring city of Sejong, Daejeon is located between North and South Chungcheong province.
Located in the middle of South Korea, it is known as a tech and science city, earning its nickname as “Asia’s Silicon Valley”.
6. Ulsan
Located north of Busan we find Ulsan.
Ulsan is the largest industrial city in South Korea. In particular, it is a center for heavy industries such as petrochemical industry, shipbuilding and automobile industry.
Special Self-Governing City (Sejong)
특별자치시
Sejong is the only ”special self-governing city” in South Korea. It is different from the other cities on the list in how it was newly constructed in order to reduce the overpopulation of Seoul.
Many South Korean government ministries and agencies have already moved or are slated to move to Sejong.
Located in the center of South Korea, it is situated between North and South Chungcheong Province just like neighboring Daejeon.
The Eight Provinces
The eight provinces of South Korea account for most of the country’s land mass. Indeed, South Korea is sometimes referred to by Koreans as “the eight provinces”.
The company Paldo (팔도) also takes its name from this fact (pal /팔 = eight + do/도 = province).
1. Gyeonggi Province
As you can see from the map, Gyeonggi Province is a fairly large province, surrounding Seoul and Incheon.
A popular tourist destination is Nami Island in Gapyeong County, where several memorable scenes of the popular K-drama Winter Sonata were shot.
Gapyeong is known for its beautiful nature, and there are many pensions throughout the county.
Another place to check out is Suwon, home of the World Heritage site Hwaseong Fortress.
The cities Goyang and Paju are also popular day trip destinations for people residing in Seoul.
2. Gangwon Province
Gangwon Province occupies the northeast part of South Korea.
Koreans living in the Seoul metropolitan area often travel to the province to get a view of the East Sea.
Jeongdongjin in Gangneung is a popular spot to watch the sunrise, and many people travel here to catch the first sunrise of the new year.
The city Chuncheon, known for the spicy stir-fried chicken dish dak-galbi, is also located in Gangwon Province.
3. North Chungcheong Province
North Chungcheong Province sits between South Chungcheong Province and North Gyeongsang Province, in the heart of South Korea.
Danyang has plenty of beautiful nature, and many TV programs and K-dramas have been recorded here. Offering plenty of options for activities and sights, Danyang was picked by SRT Magazine as the top place to visit in Korea last year.
4. South Chungcheong Province
South Chungcheong Province is located south of Gyeonggi Province.
Buyeo was the site of the capital of Baekje kingdom, and you can feel the history and culture of the past if you pay a visit.
Not far from Buyeo is Gongju, famous for its chestnuts and the interesting fusion dish Kim-Pi-Tang (Kimchi Pizza Tangsuyuk!).
5. North Jeolla Province
North Jeolla Province is located south of South Chungcheong Province.
The hanok village in Jeonju is famous for its many traditional hanok houses.
Koreans all know that if you go to Jeonju, you have to try out their Choko pies and yukhoe bibimbap.
Gunsan is another interesting place. During the Japanese occupation of Korea, many Japanese resided in Gunsan, and as a result there are many Japanese-style houses remaining here.
Iseongdang (이성당) is the name of a famous bakery with a long history that you should also check out if you go to Gunsan!
6. South Jeolla Province
South Jeolla Province is located in the southwest of South Korea. The province is characterized by its many islands.
The port city Yeosu is known for the beauty of its night sea and is the theme of the band Busker Busker’s hit song Yeosu Night Sea (여수 밤바다).
Visit Boseong to see its famous green tea fields.
Also check out Damyang, known for its bamboo forest and metasequoia-lined road!
7. North Gyeongsang Province
North Gyeongsang Province is located north of Busan and South Gyeongsang Province.
There are many historical places located in the province, one of which is Gyeongju, the capital of the old Silla kingdom.
In Gyeongju you can find Cheomseongdae, an astronomical observatory constructed in the 7th century that was also used for religious services in the past.
Another place to visit is Hahoe Folk Village in Andong. Here traditional Korean hanok houses have been preserved remarkably well.
Many still live in the village’s old hanok houses.
You will find examples of traditional houses that were built by the upper class, but also houses that the commoners lived in. It is one of the few places in South Korea where you find so many well preserved hanok houses, and we highly recommend that you check it out!
8. South Gyeongsang Province
Located in the southeast of South Korea, to the west of Busan, we find South Gyeongsang Province.
Jinhae is a very famous place in the province for viewing cherry blossom in the spring.
Special Self-Governing Province (Jeju)
특별자치도
The big island, Jeju!
With it’s clear water and many beaches, it is a popular tourist destination.
Hallasan, the highest mountain in South Korea, sits in the middle of the island. The mountain is popular among hikers, and covered in snow in the winter it looks majestic.
Local food includes tangerines (try the popular hallabong variety), sea food, Jeju black pork and gogi-guksu (pork noodles).
We have looked at all regions and major cities in South Korea, and hopefully you have now mastered the geography of the country!
South Korea is so much more than just Seoul and Busan, and we hope that this article have inspired you to explore some new places.