Gyeonggi Province - History

History

Gyeonggi Province has been a politically important area ever since 18 B.C., when Korea was divided into three nations during the Period of the Three Kingdoms. Ever since King Onjo, the founder of Baekje (one of the three kingdoms), founded the government in Wirye Castle of Hanam, the Han River valley was absorbed into Goguryeo in the mid-fifth century, and became Silla's territory in the year 553 (the 14th year of King Jinheung). Afterward, the current location of Gyeonggi Province, one of the nine states of Unified Silla (nation unifying the three kingdoms), was called Hansanju.

The Gyeonggi region started to rise as the central region of Goryeo Dynasty as the Emperor Taejo (dynasty following Unified Silla) set up the capital in Gaesong. Since 1018 (the 9th year of Goryeo’s King Hyeonjong), this area has been officially called "Gyeonggi."

During the Joseon Dynasty, which was founded after the Goryeo Dynasty, King Taejo set the capital in Hanyang, while restructuring Gyeonggi's area to include Gwangju, Suwon, Yeoju, and Anseong, along with the southeast region. Since the period of King Taejong and Sejong the Great, the Gyeonggi region has become very similar to the current administrative area of Gyeonggi Province.

In 1895, the 23-Bu system, which reorganized administrative areas at that time, was put in effect, and the Gyeonggi region was divided into Hanseong (Hanseong-Bu; 한성부; 漢城府), Incheon (Incheon-Bu; 인천부; 仁川府), Chungju (Chungju-Bu; 충주부; 忠州府), Gongju (Gongju-Bu; 공주부; 公州府), and Gaesong (Gaesong-Bu; 개성부; 開城府).

During the Japanese colonial period, Hanseong-bu was incorporated into Gyeonggi Province. On October 1, 1910, it was renamed Gyeongseong-bu and a provincial government was placed in Gyeongseong-bu according to the reorganization of administrative districts.

After liberation and the foundation of two Korean governments, Gyeonggi Province and its capital Seoul were separated, with partial regions of Gyeonggi Province being incorporated into Seoul thereafter. Additionally, Gaesong became North Korean territory, the only city to change control after the countries were divided at the 38th parallel, which is now part of North Korea's North Hwanghae province.

In 1967, the seat of the Gyeonggi provincial government was transferred from Seoul to Suwon. After Incheon separated from Gyeonggi Province in 1981, Gyeonggi regions such as Ongjin and Ganghwa were incorporated into Incheon in 1995.