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Originally, South Korea had five main provinces (도), before the administrative divisions evolved into the modern provinces we see today.
These five original provinces are:
- 경기도 (Gyeonggi-do)
- 강원도 (Gangwon-do)
- 경상도 (Gyeongsang-do)
- 충청도 (Chungcheong-do)
- 전라도 (Jeolla-do)
| Province Name | Romanization | Historical Capital |
|---|---|---|
| 경기도 | Gyeonggi-do | 한성(Hanseong) / 한양 (Hanyang) |
| 강원도 | Gangwon-do | 원주 (Wonju) |
| 충청도 | Chungcheong-do | 공주 (Gongju) |
| 전라도 | Jeolla-do | 전주 (Jeonju) |
| 경상도 | Gyeongsang-do | 경주 (Gyeongju) |
