Korean Distance Converter
Convert Korean traditional distance units to km, meters, and miles in one place.
Conversion
Korean traditional
- Ri (里)
- 10
- Bo (步)
- 2,160
- Ja (尺)
- 12,960
Metric
- Kilometer (km)
- 3.9273
- Meter (m)
- 3,927.2727
Imperial
- Mile
- 2.4403
- Yard
- 4,294.9177
- Feet
- 12,884.753
- Inch
- 154,617.0365
1 ja = 10/33 m ≈ 0.303 m, 1 ri = 1,296 ja ≈ 392.7 m (10 ri ≈ 3.93 km). Ri varied by era/region; the most common value is used.
Ri ↔ km Conversion Table
The most-searched values in one place. Left converts traditional distances to modern units; right does the reverse.
Ri → meters, km, miles
| ri | m | km | mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ri | 393 | 0.39 | 0.24 |
| 2 ri | 785 | 0.79 | 0.49 |
| 3 ri | 1,178 | 1.18 | 0.73 |
| 5 ri | 1,964 | 1.96 | 1.22 |
| 10 ri | 3,927 | 3.93 | 2.44 |
| 20 ri | 7,855 | 7.85 | 4.88 |
| 30 ri | 11,782 | 11.78 | 7.32 |
| 50 ri | 19,636 | 19.64 | 12.20 |
| 100 ri | 39,273 | 39.27 | 24.40 |
km → ri, miles
| km | ri | mi |
|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 2.5 | 0.62 |
| 2 km | 5.1 | 1.24 |
| 5 km | 12.7 | 3.11 |
| 10 km | 25.5 | 6.21 |
| 20 km | 50.9 | 12.43 |
| 42.195 km | 107.4 | 26.22 |
| 50 km | 127.3 | 31.07 |
| 100 km | 254.6 | 62.14 |
Based on 1 ja = 0.303 m, 1 bo (6 ja) = 1.82 m, 1 ri (1,296 ja) = 392.7 m. The length of a ri varied by era and region (some late-Joseon sources put it near 420 m); this table uses the value most widely cited today. A marathon (42.195 km) is about 107 ri.
Basis: 1 ja = 10/33 m (fixed at metrication) · 1 ri = 1,296 ja ≈ 392.727 m · 1 mile = 1,609.344 m
What this tool does
This distance converter translates between metric (m, km), imperial/US units (mile, yard, ft, inch), and traditional Korean units (ja, ri, bo) at once. 1 ja (尺) = 10/33 m (about 30.3 cm), 1 ri (里) = 1296 ja ≈ 392.7 m, and 1 bo (步) = 6 ja. It is handy for running distances (mile↔km), imported furniture sizes (inch→cm), and reading the 'ri' found in old Korean texts.
Who uses this
- Convert running/marathon distances between miles and kilometers
- Turn imported furniture inch/ft into cm/m
- Interpret the 'ri' (里) in old Korean documents and place names
- Convert traditional Hanok blueprint 'ja' (尺) units to meters
- Convert golf/sports yards to meters
How to use
- 1Choose the base unit you want to enter (e.g. meter, mile, ja).
- 2Type a number and all 9 units (ri, ja, bo, m, km, mile, yard, ft, inch) convert instantly.
- 3Korean, metric, and imperial units are grouped together, so find the one you need at a glance.
Conversion basis
Korean traditional units (weights-and-measures law): 1 ja (尺) = 10/33 m ≈ 0.30303 m 1 bo (步) = 6 ja ≈ 1.818 m 1 ri (里) = 1296 ja ≈ 392.727 m Imperial/US units (international): 1 mile = 1609.344 m 1 yard = 0.9144 m 1 ft = 0.3048 m 1 inch = 0.0254 m All conversions use the meter (m) as the base value.
Worked examples
Example 1: 5 mile → km
5 mile × 1609.344 = 8046.72 m ≈ 8.05 km. Useful when comparing a 5-mile run to a 5K.
Example 2: How far is 10 ri?
10 ri × 392.727 m = 3927.27 m ≈ 3.93 km. Confirms the Korean saying 'sip-ri' (ten ri) is roughly 4 km.
Example 3: A 6-ja pillar → m
6 ja × 0.30303 = 1.818 m. For converting Hanok pillar and door-frame dimensions to meters.
Frequently asked questions
Exactly how many cm is 1 ja (尺)?
Under Korean weights-and-measures law, 1 ja = 10/33 m ≈ 30.303 cm. It matches the Japanese carpenter's shaku and is often rounded to 30.3 cm.
Why does 1 ri (里) differ between sources?
The 'ri' was defined differently across eras and countries. The current Korean standard is 1296 ja (≈392.7 m), but the Joseon era used about 420 m and the Japanese ri is about 3927 m — roughly 10× larger. This tool uses the Korean standard of 1296 ja.
Which 'mile' does this use?
The international mile = 1609.344 m. It differs from the nautical mile (1852 m) used at sea.
What is 'bo' (步) used for?
A bo is 6 ja (about 1.82 m) and was traditionally the base length for land area (pyeong, danbo). It helps interpret old distance expressions and land-survey records.
How accurate is it?
Metric and imperial units use exact international definitions, and the Korean units apply the legal definition (10/33 m) directly. Note that ri and bo in old texts may have meant different real distances by era, so treat those as references.
Cautions
- •Korean units (ja, ri, bo) follow the legal definition; old texts may vary by era.
- •'Mile' here is the international mile (1609.344 m), not the nautical mile (1852 m).
- •Ri uses the Korean 1296-ja basis — 10× smaller than the Japanese ri (~3.9 km).
- •For legal/survey drawings, re-verify with official units (m).
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-06