Gangwon-do was one of the Eight Provinces of Korea
during the Joseon Dynasty. The province was formed in 1395, and
derived its name from the names of the principal cities of
Gangneung and the provincial capital Wonju. In 1895, Gangwon-do
was replaced by the Districts of Chuncheon in the west and
Gangneung in the east. In 1896, Korea was redivided into thirteen
provinces, and the two districts were merged to re-form
Gangwon-do Province. Although Wonju rejoined Gangwon-do province,
the provincial capital was moved to Chuncheon, where it remains
today.
In 1945, Gangwon-do was divided by the 38th
parallel north in 1945 into U.S. American and Soviet zones of
occupation in the south and north respectively, which led to
Wonsan joining the province's northern half in 1946 to serve as
its administrative center. In 1948, the southern half of the
province became part of the new Republic of Korea. As a result of
the Korean War Armistice Agreement of 1953, the boundary between
the South and North Korean portions of the province was shifted
northward to the Military Demarcation Line. The province's
boundaries have remained the same since 1953.
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