The urban evolution process in Seoul

Abstract

The capital city of South Korea, Seoul, is the financial and political center of the nation, where the biggest population of the country is concentrated. The Metropolitan area of Seoul, which includes the city or district of Incheon, where the airport is located (one of the best in the world), and the province of Gyonggi, stands out as a symbol of profound social, economic and political change that has taken place in a short period of time. This change is reflected in the urban evolution of a city with more than 600 years of history that has achieved innovation, high technology and a competitiveness that nowadays seeks urban development without sacrificing the environ-mental sustainability of the city.

This article is a review of the urban process Seoul City has gone through, and takes into consideration the different conditions thar determined the city’s evolution. Finally, the author reflects on the city’s urban development achievements and whether they can be explained by the direct intervention of the national government.