꿈보다꿈보다 해몽이해몽이 좋다좋다

The interpretation of the dream is better than the dream.

Chung-guyok, Pyongyang, March 28th, 1954

With the spell of the end of the war in Korea lifted, a flurry of activity surrounded the administrative updates that would more formally incorporate the liberated territories into the Democratic People’s Republic. While a small air of consternation and regret surrounded the large amount of territory that had been held, then lost, especially in Chungcheong, Gyeongsang and Jeolla, the fact that Seoul had been held onto more than made up for it.

Kim Il-Sung was happy to announce the plan from the Minister of City Management, Yi Yong, for creating a three-tier hierarchical system of administrative division within the country. This was considered a point of great pride and improvement over the old system still used in the south, which, while hierarchical, consisted of myriad types and exceptions.

Provinces and Directly-Administered Cities

The first-level division of the Democratic People’s Republic were the Provinces and Directly-Administered Cities. Provinces overwhelmingly followed the lines established in 1896 by the old Korean Empire, though Kyonggi and Kangwon had their territory reduced by the DMZ line. Of course, the entirety of these provinces and the ones in the south continued to be claimed, though their governments elected in 1951 remained in a state of flux.

The two Directly-Administered Cities, the most important in Korea, were Seoul, the Capital, and Pyongyang. Seoul had come off much the worse for wear in the war, seeing continuous air attack, which meant government functions remained in the temporary capital of Pyongyang for the time being - but Seoul, which had been proclaimed as the capital of the Democratic People’s Republic in 1948, would soon become the seat of government and the most important city in the country. Pyongyang would remain as an important industrial center, a center of trade schools, industry, and transportation, while Seoul would become the bustling heart and soul of the nation, the center of commerce, trade, culture, and government.

Cities, Counties, Districts; Villages, Neighborhoods, Towns, Worker’s Districts, and Wards

The second-level divisions divided the Directly-Administered Cities into their own districts, allowed the administration of cities within the provinces, and the coverage of less-urbanized areas within Counties. Minister Yi Yong was particularly proud of these divisions, which he spent many hours personally mapping and crafting.

Third level divisions included smaller settlements in the countryside, as well as neighborhoods and wards within the larger cities. The Worker’s District was Minister Yi’s particular innovation, which allowed special administrative treatment of areas where large amounts of workers for a specific industry lived - such as in mining towns and around steel plants.

Islands

With regards to the numerous islands dotting the Korean coast, the fate of which has been left up to interpretation between the states as exact language in the armistice agreement was lacking upon them, the Democratic People's Republic affirmed its control over every island in the Incheon Sound, including those off the coast of Dongjin and Seosan. Though these are sparsely inhabited, Worker's Councils for those areas were set up and elected to represent them. In addition, Ulleungdo Worker's Council was elected and dispatched to the island to take up its governance.

To be continued...