The largest cities of South Korea have an autonomous status equivalent to that of provinces. Seoul, the largest city and capital, is classified as a teukbyeolsi (special city), while the next six-largest cities are classified as gwangyeoksi (metropolitan cities). Smaller cities are classified as si ("cities") and are under provincial jurisdiction, at the same level as counties.

City status Article 10 of the Local Autonomy Act defines the standards under which a populated area may become a city: an area which is predominantly urbanised and has a population of at least 50,000; a which has an urbanised area with a population of at least 50,000; or a which has a total population of at least 150,000 and multiple urbanised areas each with a population of at least 20,000. An English translation is available from the Korea Legislative Research Institute, but is out of date: Article 7 of the 2018 version of the law is similar in content to Article 10 of the 2021 version of the law, aside from cross-references to other articles.

Under Article 3 of the Local Autonomy Act, a city with a population of less than 500,000 may create administrative subdivisions in the form of in its urbanised area and or in its rural area, while a city with a population of more than 500,000 may create administrative subdivisions in the form of non-autonomous .Article 3, Local Autonomy Act (2021). Article 3 of the 2018 version of the law has similar provisions.

Classifications for large municipal cities The national government can designate cities of at least 500,000 inhabitants as special status cities. This status expands the scope of administrative authority delegated from the provincial government to the city government.Article 198, Local Autonomy Act (2021). Article 175 of the 2018 version of the law has similar provisions but is less detailed.

Big city A big city is a city (other than a special city or a metropolitan city) that has a population greater than 500,000, and has been designated by an order of the national government under Article 198 of the Local Autonomy Act. Big municipal cities are given the power to subdivide themselves into non-autonomous districts ().

Due its legal status as an administrative city, Jeju City cannot be designated as a "big city" under the Local Autonomy Law, despite having an estimated population exceeding 500,000 as of 2022. The designation of "administrative city" was created by the law which granted special self-governing status to Jeju Province; that law specifically states that the Local Autonomy Act would not apply to administrative cities. As such, Jeju City does not enjoy special autonomy and only has the same legal powers as the much smaller Seogwipo. The administrative authority of Jeju City is trying to expand the scope of administrative authority delegated from the provincial government to the city government. See also

Special-status city

A special-status city is a subclass of big municipal city that has a population greater than 1,500,000.

List Notes Seoul was designated a "Special Independent City" () separate from Gyeonggi Province on August 16, 1946; it became a "Special City" on August 15, 1949.

NameKoreanNo.HangulHanja   Special City1   Special Self-Governing City1   Metropolitan City6   Big Municipal city17   Administrative City2   City60

rank CityHangulHanjaProvincePopulationAreaDensityFounded1 Andong North Gyeongsang 168,226 1521.26 110.6 1963-01-012 Ansan Gyeonggi 689,326 149.06 4624.5 1986-01-013 Anseong Gyeonggi 182,784 553.47 330.3 1998-04-014 Anyang Gyeonggi 598,392 58.46 10235.9 1973-07-015 Asan South Chungcheong 303,043 542.15 559.0 1986-01-016 Boryeong South Chungcheong 103,620 569.01 182.1 1986-01-017 Bucheon Gyeonggi 851,245 53.40 15940.9 1973-07-018 Busan City-c 3,496,779 765.94 4565.3 1963-01-019 Changwon South Gyeongsang 1,063,116 736.34 1443.8 1980-04-0110 Cheonan South Chungcheong 619,286 636.22 973.4 1963-01-0111 Cheongju North Chungcheong 835,802 153.45 5446.7 1949-08-1512 Chuncheon Gangwon 280,565 1116.35 251.3 1949-08-1513 Chungju North Chungcheong 208,288 983.70 211.7 1956-07-0814 Daegu City-c 2,484,688 885.60 2805.7 1981-07-0115 Daejeon City-c 1,514,354 539.86 2805.1 1989-01-0116 Dangjin South Chungcheong 166,782 694.08 240.3 2012-01-0117 Dongducheon Gyeonggi 98,062 95.66 1025.1 1981-07-0118 Donghae Gangwon 93,289 180.17 517.8 1980-04-0119 Gangneung Gangwon 213,747 1040.07 205.5 1955-09-0120 Geoje South Gyeongsang 256,979 401.61 639.9 1989-01-0121 Gimcheon North Gyeongsang 142,277 1009.50 140.9 1949-08-1422 Gimhae South Gyeongsang 529,577 463.28 1143.1 1981-07-0123 Gimje North Jeolla 87,658 544.99 160.8 1989-01-0124 Gimpo Gyeonggi 364,808 276.64 1318.7 1998-04-0125 Gongju South Chungcheong 109,750 940.36 116.7 1986-01-0126 Goyang Gyeonggi 1,040,648 267.31 3893.0 1992-02-0127 Gumi North Gyeongsang 420,048 615.52 682.4 1978-02-1528 Gunpo Gyeonggi 284,735 36.36 7831.0 1989-01-0129 Gunsan North Jeolla 277,328 675.38 410.6 1949-08-1530 Guri Gyeonggi 194,298 33.30 5834.8 1986-01-0131 Gwacheon Gyeonggi 62,929 35.86 1754.9 1986-01-01 32 Gwangju 광주 光州 Jeonnam–Gwangju 1,469,583 501.26 2931.8 1986-11-0133 Gwangju Gyeonggi 328,940 430.96 763.3 2001-03-2134 Gwangmyeong Gyeonggi 339,071 38.50 8807.0 1981-07-0135 Gwangyang South Jeolla 154,164 453.84 339.7 1989-01-0136 Gyeongju North Gyeongsang 259,228 1324.39 195.7 1955-09-0137 Gyeongsan North Gyeongsang 257,902 411.70 626.4 1989-01-0138 Gyeryong South Chungcheong 42,737 60.74 703.6 2003-09-1939 Hanam Gyeonggi 213,028 93.07 2288.9 1989-01-0140 Hwaseong Gyeonggi 644,498 687.54 937.4 2001-03-2141 Icheon Gyeonggi 210,565 531.09 396.5 1996-03-0142 Iksan North Jeolla 301,061 506.70 594.2 1949-08-1543 Incheon City-c 2,944,009 1032.41 2851.6 1981-07-0144 Jecheon North Chungcheong 136,389 883.09 154.4 1980-04-0145 Jeongeup North Jeolla 115,083 692.93 166.1 1981-07-0146 Jeonju North Jeolla 652,234 206.22 3162.8 1949-08-1547 Jeju Jeju 470,957 977.80 481.6 1955-09-0148 Jinju South Gyeongsang 347,056 712.62 487.0 1949-08-1549 Naju South Jeolla 105,080 172.8 608.15 1981-07-0150 Namyangju Gyeonggi 662,183 458.54 1444.1 1989-01-0151 Namwon North Jeolla 84,140 752.50 111.8 1981-07-0152 Nonsan South Chungcheong 123,094 554.85 221.9 1996-03-0153 Miryang South Gyeongsang 108,322 799.01 135.6 1989-01-0154 Mokpo South Jeolla 237,464 50.08 4741.7 1949-08-1555 Mungyeong North Gyeongsang 74,555 911.17 81.8 1986-01-0156 Osan Gyeonggi 208,873 42.76 4884.8 1989-01-0157 Paju Gyeonggi 431,035 672.57 640.9 1996-03-0158 Pocheon Gyeonggi 154,381 826.50 186.8 2003-10-1959 Pohang North Gyeongsang 516,497 1128.76 457.6 1949-08-1460 Pyeongtaek Gyeonggi 472,141 454.62 1038.5 1986-01-0161 Sacheon South Gyeongsang 114,854 398.25 288.4 1956-07-0862 Sangju North Gyeongsang 101,729 1254.83 81.1 1986-01-0163 Samcheok Gangwon 70,120 1185.86 59.1 1986-01-0164 Sejong City-b 244,939 465.23 526.5 2012-07-0165 Seogwipo Jeju 171,431 870.87 196.9 1981-07-0166 Seongnam Gyeonggi 974,755 141.82 6873.2 1973-07-0167 Seosan South Chungcheong 170,810 740.66 230.6 1989-01-0168 Seoul City-a 9,930,478 605.27 16406.7 1946-08-1669 Siheung Gyeonggi 403,398 135.02 2987.7 1989-01-0170 Sokcho Gangwon 81,797 105.00 779.0 1963-01-0171 Suncheon South Jeolla 279,540 907.41 308.1 1949-08-1472 Suwon Gyeonggi 1,194,276 121.09 9862.7 1949-08-1473 Taebaek Gangwon 46,892 303.57 154.5 1981-07-0174 Tongyeong South Gyeongsang 138,001 238.85 577.8 1955-09-0175 Uijeongbu Gyeonggi 438,753 81.59 5377.5 1963-01-0176 Uiwang Gyeonggi 156,410 54.00 2896.5 1989-01-0177 Ulsan City-c 1,117,656 1057.50 1056.9 1997-07-1578 Wonju Gangwon 338,374 872.56 387.8 1955-09-0179 Yangju Gyeonggi 205,977 309.77 664.9 2003-10-1980 Yangsan South Gyeongsang 318,836 485.18 657.1 1996-03-0181 Yeoju Gyeonggi 111,558 608.64 183.3 2013-09-2382 Yeongcheon North Gyeongsang 100,384 920.29 109.1 1981-07-0183 Yeongju North Gyeongsang 109,281 669.05 163.3 1980-04-0184 Yeosu South Jeolla 288,818 501.27 576.2 1949-08-1485 Yongin Gyeonggi 991,622 591.36 1676.8 1996-03-01

Cities by population This is a list cities of South Korea by population including provincial-level divisions: special city (특별시/特別市) and metropolitan cities (광역시/廣域市), and municipal-level division: cities (시/市). Other municipal-level divisions: counties (군/郡 which have populations under 50K) and districts (구/區) are not included. All population data are based on the South Korean population and housing census 2000–2020.Population Census, Korean Statistical Information Service, 2000–2020, Statistics Korea