Special cities of North Korea
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Special cities (Korean: 특별시) are one of the first-level administrative divisions within North Korea. There are four special cities in North Korea.
| |
| Category | Unitary state |
|---|---|
| Territory | Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
| Current number | 4 Special Cities |
| Population range | 205,000 (Rason) to 3,255,388 (Pyongyang) |
| Area range | 710 square miles (1,800 km2) (Rason) to 400 square miles (1,000 km2) (Pyongyang) |
| Government | Single-Party Government |
| Subdivision | District, County |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 특별시 |
| Hanja | 特別市 |
| RR | teukbyeolsi |
| MR | t'ŭkpyŏlsi |
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.
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 | 3,255,288 | 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".[further explanation needed] 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 absorbed 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
References
- 행정구역 현황 [Haengjeong Guyeok Hyeonhwang]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2004. Archived from the original on 9 January 2006.
- 행정구역 개편 일지 [Haengjeong Guyeok Gaepyeon Ilji]. Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 2004. Archived from the original on 2 November 2006.
Further reading
- Dormels, Rainer. North Korea's Cities: Industrial facilities, internal structures and typification. Jimoondang, 2014. ISBN 978-89-6297-167-5