Ri (administrative division)

In South Korea, two different levels of ri exist: "legal ri" (법정리) and "administrative ri" (행정리). One legal ri may be divided into multiple administrative ri; this may occur due to the original legal ri being inconveniently large for purposes of local administration.^[5] Alternatively, multiple legal ri may be administered under a single administrative ri.^[6] Legal ri are used in assigning land-lot numbers, which were also a key part of addresses prior to the adoption of road name addresses.^[7]

Legal ri are comparatively static, while administrative ri may be modified to suit local administrative convenience based on changes in population.^[5] Although administrative ri are often named simply by adding a number to the name of the corresponding legal ri, under the Local Autonomy Act a local government can give an administrative ri a completely different name from the corresponding legal ri.^[8]

In principle, the divisions among administrative ri are intended to reflect organic distinctions between settlements. However, because they are defined for the purpose of administering those settlements rather than a specific geographic area, the boundaries between administrative ri in uninhabited areas are often not precisely defined.^[5]

The distinction between legal and administrative ri in rural areas is analogous to the distinction between legal and administrative dong in urban areas. However, ri are a lower administrative level than dong, occupying the level corresponding to an urban tong.^[7] As such, administrative ri are the lowest administrative level in Korean local government.^[9]

The representative of the residents of an administrative ri is known as the ijang (이장).^[10]

• Administrative divisions of North Korea
• Administrative divisions of South Korea