Daejeon, metropolitan city, west-central South Korea. Daejeon has the status of a metropolitan city under the direct control of the central government, with administrative status equal to that of a province. It is bordered to the east by North Chungcheong do (province), to the west by South Chungcheong province, and to the north by Sejong City.
Until the end of the Joseon (Yi) dynasty (1392–1910) Daejeon was a poor village located on the Daejeon River. The modern city has grown to encompass the area around the Gap and Yudeung rivers as well. Development began after the juncture of rail lines in 1905 and 1914. It is connected with Seoul (about 100 miles [160 km] to the north-northeast), Busan, and Mokpo by highway and by regular and high-speed rail lines. During the Korean War (1950–53) it was a temporary capital of the Republic of Korea. About 70 percent of the city was destroyed in the war, but it was rebuilt in the postwar years. The central location of Daejeon, coupled with a national policy designed to balance the concentration of population and activity in Seoul, led to the construction of a Central Administrative Complex in the Dunsan district of the city. The establishment of the complex also reflected the need for a more effective administrative system.
Industries include the manufacture of cotton textiles, machinery, and chemicals and the processing of hides. In 1993 Daejeon was the site of an international exposition whose facilities were afterward turned into a recreational area (Expo Park), which now features a science museum and an amusement park. Chungnam National University and several other institutions of higher education are located in Daejeon. The Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute are in Daedeok Innopolis (formerly Daedeok Science Town), a center for universities, scientific research institutes, and high-technology businesses in the northern part of the city. Daejeon was a South Korean host city for some of the 2002 World Cup football (soccer) championship games. Yuseong, about 7 miles (11 km) northwest, is a hot springs resort. Pop. (2020) 1,488,435.