History of Kaesong

Kaesŏng remained a part of Gyonggi Province until the Korean War. In 1951, the city (which had been part of South Korea) came under North Korean control, and the part of Kyonggi Province that came to be occupied was organized into "Kaesŏng Region" In 1955, Kaesŏng became a "Directly Governed City". In 2002, Kaesŏng Industrial Region was formed from part of Kaesŏng. In 2003, the remaining part of Kaesŏng (excluding the Industrial Region) became part of North Hwanghae Province. The city is close to the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea. When Korea was partitioned at the 38th parallel after World War Two, Kaesong was on the southern side of the line (within the Republic of Korea). Thus Kaesong was