North Jeolla

North Jeolla Province (; Jeollabuk-do), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea in the Honam region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. North Jeolla borders the provinces of South Chungcheong to the north, North Gyeongsang and South Gyeongsang to the east and South Jeolla to the south. North Jeolla was established in 1896 from the northern part of the old Jeolla province, one of the Eight Provinces of Korea. Jeonju is the capital and largest city of North Jeolla, with other major cities including Iksan, Gunsan and Jeongeup. History During the Proto-Three Kingdoms period, Jeolla region was the center of the Mahan confederacy among Samhan. There were 15 tribal countries out of 54 in the region. During the period of the Three States, this region came to belong to Baekje when it absorbed Mahan. Baekje was destroyed by the Silla and Chinese Tang dynasty allied force in 660 (20th year of King Uija) and ruled by Tang. It became a part of Silla when Tang was expelled in 676 (16th year of King Munmu). When there were nine states and five small capitals in Unified Silla in 685, there were Wansan-ju (present Jeonju) and Namwon-gyeong (present Namwon) in Jeollabuk-do in existence.