Within the 5 decades from the late 1950s to 2000, Seoul as South Korea’s largest city showed rapid development trend, with the explosive population growth from 2.445 million in 1960 soared to 10.612 million in 1992.
The over-concentration of the population is accompanied by the outflow of young people, the aging of the rural populations and the increase of traffic congestion, housing tensions, property speculations and environmental pollution in the Seoul metropolitan area. In response to these problems, Seoul implemented a series of strategies to ease the functions of the city. First among these strategies is institutional relocation, construction of industrial and higher education institutions and facilities, as well as restrictions on expansions.
Secondly, there is the imposition of the relocation of polluting industries and factories that are in conflict with the zoning rules, restrictions on the construction and expansion of universities, restrictions on the transfer of local students to Seoul, and the relocation of public administration departments. Next, the metropolitan Seoul was divided into areas, and the conditions for the decentralizations and diversifications were specified in details. There are three main types of decentralization policies: public institutions, factories and universities. The greenbelt system and the metropolitan area‘s readjustment strategy are the most typical planning and control strategies.
Thirdly, new cities are constructed. During the 1970s, new cities like Changwon, Yeocheon, Gumi and Ansan. In the late 1980s, five new cities were built in the metropolitan area of Seoul, 20 kilometers away from the center of Seoul. However, due to the lack of planning for self-fulfillment of employment and senior service, functional imbalance has caused the new cities to become commuter cities. Entering the 21st century, the second phase of the new city is located within 20 to 40 km range of the Seoul city center; these new cities focus on self-reliance, which can improve the people’s quality of life.
Fourthly, capital relocation policy is introduced. In 2012, Sejong City, Korea’s de facto administrative capital city was born. On the basis of administrative center, Sejong City also carries the complex functions of education, health care, culture and international exchange. South Korean government plans to divide the city’s development into three phases, making Sejong City an administrative center complex with a population of 500,000 by 2030. By then, Sejong City will become Korea’s harmonious and livable administrative center city, undertaking the new capital’s self-development, green, innovative functions, achieving balance between the land and the development.
Fifthly, traffic policy has been introduced. A metropolitan area wide-area transportation system is established, with the improvement of the transport system from a road-dependent type to a low-cost and high-efficient rail transport, as well as making Incheon International Airport the a global airport center and strengthening the complex port functions of Incheon Port. Through comprehensive innovation to make the public take the initiative to choose buses and trains as modes of transportation and thus reducing car utilization, Seoul also actively promotes green walking and bicycle usage. The well-connected traffic system has expanded population distribution and commuting range, making important contribution to ease the city functions.
