List of provincial-level cities of South Korea

Special metropolitan city
Hangul	특별시
Hanja	特別市
Revised Romanization	teukbyeolsi
McCune–Reischauer	t'ŭkpyŏlsi
Metropolitan city
Hangul	광역시
Hanja	廣域市
Revised Romanization	gwangyeoksi
McCune–Reischauer	kwangyŏksi
Special self-governing city
Hangul	특별자치시
Hanja	特別自治市
Revised Romanization	teukbyeol-jachisi
McCune–Reischauer	t'ŭkpyŏl-chach'isi

Province-level cities are one of the first-level administrative divisions within South Korea. There are three types: special, metropolitan, and special self-governing.

Position in hierarchy and types

Province-level cities have equal status to provinces in the South Korean administrative scheme, and are among the highest-ranked administrative divisions of South Korea. There are three kinds of first-level city in South Korea.

Type	Hangul	Hanja	RR	City names	No. of cities
Special Metropolitan City	특별시	特別市	teukbyeolsi	Seoul	1
Metropolitan City	광역시	廣域市	gwangyeoksi	Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju, Daejeon, Ulsan	6
Special Self-Governing City	특별자치시	特別自治市	teukbyeol-jachisi	Sejong	1

Seoul was designated a "special free city" (teukbyeol jayusi; 특별자유시; 特別自由市) separate from Gyeonggi Province on August 15, 1946; it became a "special metropolitan city" on August 15, 1949.^[1]
Metropolitan cities were called "direct control (meaning directly-administered) city" (jikhalsi; 직할시; 直轄市) before 1995.

Administration

In South Korean special metropolitan city and metropolitan cities, the mayor is the highest-ranking official in charge. The mayor is directly elected by the people registered in the city for a duration of four years (e.g., the mayor of Seoul).

Metropolitan functions such as water supply and public transport are integrated into the sole prefecture other than scattered to each municipality.