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Chungcheong (Chungcheong-do) was one of the eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The province was formed in 1413 and was divided into modern-day North and South Chungcheong in 1896.
The province was formed form the southern portion of the former Goryeo-era province of Yanggwang. It took its name from the cities of Chungju (충주; 忠州) and Cheongju (청주; 淸州), both of which are located today in North Chungcheong (Cheongju is the capital of North Chungcheong). The provincial capital of Chungcheong was located at Gongju, which had been the capital of the kingdom of Baekje from 475 to 538. The regional name for Chungcheong is "Hoseo," although this name is almost never used today.
Chungcheong was bordered on the north by Gyeonggi Province, on the east by Gangweon and Gyeongsang Provinces, on the south by Jeolla Province, and on the west by the Yellow Sea. The region is mountainous in the east (the North province) and somewhat lower and flatter in the west (the South province). Historically, almost all transportation and communication routes between Seoul and the southern Honam (Jeolla) and Yeongnam (Gyeongsang) regions have gone through the Chungcheong region, and today Daejeon—the region's largest city—is a major railway and freeway junction. Apart from Daejeon, Cheongju, Chungju, and Gongju, other large or notable cities include Cheonan and Janghang.
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