Kangwon - Definition and Overview

Kangwŏn Province
Korean Name
McCune-Reischauer	Kangwŏn-do
Revised Romanization	Gangwon-do
Hangul	강원도
Hanja	江原道
Short Name	Kangwŏn (Gangwon; 강원; 江原)
Statistics
Population	?
Area	? km²
Capital	Wŏnsan
Administrative Divisions	2 cities ("Shi"); 15 counties ("Kun")
Region	Gwandong (Yeongseo = western Kangwŏn; Yeongdong = eastern Kangwŏn)
Dialect	Gangwon; Hamgyŏng
Location Map

Kangwon (Kangwon-do) is a province in North Korea, with its capital at Wŏnsan. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Kangwŏn and its South Korean neighbour Gangwon formed a single province, one of the former eight provinces of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty.

History

Along with the rest of Korea, Kangwŏn Province was divided by the 38th parallel north in 1945 into Soviet and American zones of occupation in the north and south respectively. In 1946, the northern province was expanded to include the North Korean portion of Gyeonggi Province, and the area around Wŏnsan in South Hamgyŏng Province. In 1948, the province became part of the new nation of North Korea. As a result of the Korean War ceasefire of 1953, the boundary between the North and South Korean portions of the province was shifted northward to the Military Demarcation Line. The province's boundaries have remained the same since 1953.

Geography

The province is bordered by South Hamgyŏng to the north, South P'yŏngan and North Hwanghae to the west, and Kaesŏng to the south. Additionally, the province is across the Korean Demilitarized Zone from its South Korean counterpart Gangwon. To the east is the East Sea (Sea of Japan).

Administrative Divisions

Kangwŏn Province is divided into 2 cities (Shi) and 15 counties (Kun).

• Munchŏn-shi (문천시; 文川市)
• Wŏnsan-shi (원산시; 元山市)
• Anpyŏn-gun (안변군; 安邊郡)
• Ch'angdo-gun (창도군; 昌道郡)
• Ch'ŏlwŏn-gun (철원군; 鐵原郡)
• Ch'ŏnnae-gun (천내군; 川內郡)
• Hoeyang-gun (회양군; 淮陽郡)
• Ichŏn-gun (이천군; 伊川郡)
• Kimhwa-gun (김화군; 金化郡)
• Kosan-gun (고산군; 高山郡)
• Kosŏng-gun (고성군; 高城郡)
• Kŭmkang-gun (금강군; 金剛郡)
• P'ankyo-gun (판교군; 板橋郡)
• Pŏptong-gun (법동군; 法洞郡)
• P'yeŏngkang-gun (평강군; 平康郡)
• Sep'o-gun (세포군; 洗浦郡)
• Tongch'ŏn-gun (통천군; 通川郡)

See also

• List of Korea-related topics

Administrative divisions of North Korea
Directly Governed Cities P'yŏngyang | Rasŏn
Former Directly Governed Cities Ch'ŏngjin | Hamhŭng | Kaesŏng | Namp'o
Special Administrative Regions Kaesŏng Industrial Region | Kŭmgang-san Tourist Region | Shinŭiju Special Administrative Region
Provinces Chagang | North Hamgyŏng | South Hamgyŏng | North Hwanghae | South Hwanghae | Kangwŏn | North P'yŏngan | South P'yŏngan | Ryanggang