North Jeolla Province, officially Jeonbuk State (), is a Special Self-governing Province of South Korea in the Honam region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. Jeonbuk borders the provinces of South Chungcheong to the north, North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang to the east and South Jeolla to the south.

Jeonbuk State emerged in 1896 from the northern part of the old Jeolla province, one of the Eight Provinces of Korea. Originally North Jeolla Province, it was renamed Jeonbuk (a shortening of North Jeolla) on January 18, 2024 concurrent with the territory gaining more autonomy and being classified as self-governing rather than as a regular province. The special bill on the creation of the special autonomous province of North Jeolla is a project put forward by the People Power Party in August 2022 in accordance with Article 6 of the special law on the establishment of special autonomous provinces.

It is the 3rd province after the provinces of Jeju and Gangwon to obtain this status.

Jeonju is the capital and largest city of Jeonbuk, with other major cities including Iksan, Gunsan and Jeongeup.

Jeolla Province, including North Jeolla, was the first province/state out of the Eight Provinces system to have its 1000th year anniversary in 2018, as the name 'Jeolla-do' was established in 1018, during Hyeonjong of Goryeo's 9th year in power.

History

Proto–Three Kingdoms period

North Jeolla served as the central region of Mahan among the Samhan, housing 15 of Mahan's total 54 tribal states.

Three Kingdoms period

During the Three Kingdom Period, this region came to belong to Baekje when it absorbed Mahan.When Baekje established the Jeongbang administrative system () to govern the local area, the central region (Goseopseong–Gobu area) acted as the core of the province.

On September 30, 2024, North Jeolla Province, alongside the Korean Heritage Service (), announced that they will be opening a multi-use cultural space institution, "Godo-Hannune Iksan Sagyeyousan center/고도 한눈애(愛) 익산 세계유산센터", or the "Iksan ancient city world heritage center", on October 1, 2024.

Geography

thumb|Snow-covered [[Sobaeksan]]

Jeonbuk State is in the south-western part of Korea, bordered on the south-eastern by Hadong, Hamyang, and Geochang in South Gyeongsang Province, and Gimcheon in North Gyeongsang Province, Bangyabong Peak of Sobaeksan (), Toggibong Peak (), Myeongseungbong Peak (), Baegunsan (), Namdeokyusan Mountain (), and Muryongsan Mountain (), on the south by Yeonggwang, Jangseong, Damyang, Gokseong, and Gurye, on the north by Geumsan, Nonsan, Buyeo, and Seocheon in South Chungcheong Province, and Yeongdong in North Chungcheong Province and on the west by China over the Yellow Sea.

The total area of Jeonbuk State is , which accounts for 8.1% of the total area of South Korea.

Demographics

Festivals

Source:

Jeonju International Sori Festival

Jeonju International Sori Festival is a high-quality worldwide music art festival based on Pansori, Korea's Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is designed to promote Korean music to the world and exchange diverse musical heritages of many nations though sounds as meditation. The festival was selected as one of the "Best 25 International Festivals" by the UK music magazine Songlines in 2012 and 2013.

Jeollabuk-do World Calligraphy Biennale

The Jeollabuk-do World Calligraphy Biennale was launched in favor of popularizing and globalizing Korean calligraphy in 1997. Since then, the art of calligraphy, the quintessence of Chinese character culture in East Asia, has gained global interest among calligraphers and the public over the years.

  • Festivals of Jeollabuk

Transportation and industry

In the 1960s the Honam highway (which has been upgraded to the Honam Expressway) was built. This created an industrial belt, connecting the cities of Iri (now called Iksan) and Gunsan (a port city) with the provincial capital of Jeonju.

Public transportation networks serve Jeonju and other cities in Jeollabuk-do including Gunsan Airport.

  • Jeju International Airport → Gunsan Airport: twice a day / 50-minute flight
  • Gunsan Airport → Jeonju: Airport shuttle service / 1 hour running
  • Gunsan intercity bus service for other cities and counties

Education

National Universities with Graduate Schools

  • Chonbuk National University - Jeonju
  • Kunsan National University - Gunsan
  • Jeonju National University of Education - Jeonju

Private Universities with Graduate Schools

  • Howon University – Gunsan
  • Jeonju University – Jeonju
  • Woosuk University – Wanju County, Jeonju Campus
  • Wonkwang University – Iksan
  • Won Buddhism Graduate School – Iksan
  • Yewon Arts University – Imsil County Campus

National Institutes of Higher Education

  • Korea National College of Agriculture and Fisheries - Jeonju

Private Institutes of Higher Education

  • Jeonju Kijeon College – Jeonju
  • Jeonju Technical College - Jeonju
  • Kunsan College of Nursing - Gunsan
  • Kunjang College – Gunsan
  • Paekche Institute of the Arts – Wanju County
  • Wonkwang Health Science College – Iksan

Religion

According to the census of 2005 of the people of Jeonbuk 37.7% follow Christianity (26.3% Protestantism and 11.4% Catholicism) and 12.8% follow Buddhism. 49.5% of the population is mostly not religious or follow Muism and other indigenous religions.

Economy

Based on the provisional figures for 2019, GRDP is KRW 495.9 billion and per capita GRDP is KRW 28.7 million.

The main industry is the service industry, with 68.3% in the service industry, 21.2% in the mining industry, 9.7% in the construction industry, and 0.8% in agriculture and fishing. Rice, barley, peaches, ginseng, peppers, ginger, walnuts, and dried persimmons are mainly produced.

Government

International sisterhood relationships and partnerships

  • Sisterhood relationship
  • Jiangsu, People's Republic of China (27 October 1994)
  • Washington, United States (17 May 1996)
  • New Jersey, United States (19 May 2000)
  • Partnership
  • Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan (30 October 1989)
  • Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan (10 September 2001)
  • Shanghai, People's Republic of China (17 April 2003)
  • Shandong, People's Republic of China (2 November 2006)

Administrative divisions

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" align=center

|-

! Map

! #

! Name

! Hangul

! Hanja

! Population (2016.12)

! Subdivisions

|-

|rowspan=18|350px

|----------bgcolor=lightblue

|Colspan=6 align=center|— Specific City —

|----------

|1

|Jeonju

|<span style="font-size:125%;">전주시</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">全州市</span>

|651,744

|2 ilban-gu — 33 haengjeong-dong

|----------bgcolor=lightblue

|Colspan=6 align=center|— City —

|----------

|2

|Iksan

|<span style="font-size:125%;">익산시</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">益山市</span>

|300,479

|1 eup, 14 myeon, 14 haengjeong-dong

|----------

|3

|Gunsan

|<span style="font-size:125%;">군산시</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">群山市</span>

|277,551

|1 eup, 10 myeon, 16 haengjeong-dong

|----------

|4

|Jeongeup

|<span style="font-size:125%;">정읍시</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">井邑市</span>

|115,173

|1 eup, 14 myeon, 8 haengjeong-dong

|----------

|5

|Gimje

|<span style="font-size:125%;">김제시</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">金堤市</span>

|87,782

|1 eup, 14 myeon, 4 haengjeong-dong

|----------

|6

|Namwon

|<span style="font-size:125%;">남원시</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">南原市</span>

|84,188

|1 eup, 15 myeon, 7 haengjeong-dong

|----------bgcolor=lightblue

|Colspan=6 align=center|— County —

|----------

|7

|Wanju County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">완주군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">完州郡</span>

|95,480

|3 eup, 10 myeon

|----------

|8

|Gochang County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">고창군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">高敞郡</span>

|60,597

|1 eup, 13 myeon

|----------

|9

|Buan County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">부안군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">扶安郡</span>

|57,005

|1 eup, 12 myeon

|----------

|10

|Sunchang County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">순창군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">淳昌郡</span>

|29,949

|1 eup, 10 myeon

|----------

|11

|Imsil County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">임실군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">任實郡</span>

|30,197

|1 eup, 11 myeon

|----------

|12

|Muju County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">무주군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">茂朱郡</span>

|24,949

|1 eup, 5 myeon

|----------

|13

|Jinan County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">진안군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">鎭安郡</span>

|26,069

|1 eup, 10 myeon

|----------

|14

|Jangsu County

|<span style="font-size:125%;">장수군</span>

|<span style="font-size:125%;">長水郡</span>

|23,628

|1 eup, 6 myeon

|}

Tourism

thumb|[[Jeonju Hanok Village|Hanok Village in Jeonju]]

thumb|[[Mireuksa|Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan]]

  • Jeonju — Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeondong Catholic Church, Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Jeonju Hanji Museum, Royal Portrait Museum, Jeonju Gaeksa, Jeonjuhyanggyo Confucian School, Ajung Lake, Deokjin Park,
  • Namwon — Gwanghallu Pavilion, Chunhyang Theme Park, Manin Cemetery of Righteous Fighters, Silsangsa Temple, Gyoryong Sanseong Fortress
  • Gochang — Gochangeupseong Fortress, Seonunsa Temple, Pansori Museum
  • Iksan — Mireuksaji Pagoda, Wanggungri Five-story Stone Pagoda
  • Gimje — Geumsansa Temple
  • Gunsan — Hirotsu House, Dongguksa Temple, Modern History Museum
  • Buan — Tapsa Temple, Byeonsanbando National Park
  • Imsil — Imsil Cheese Village

See also

  • Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC

References

  • North Jeolla Province news
  • Travel Information
  • SPECIAL ACT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF JEONBUK SPECIAL SELF-GOVERNING PROVINCE Act No. 19214, Jan. 17, 2023, Amended by Act No. 19430, jun. 9, 2023