Policy Sharing

The world is experiencing urbanization at an extremely rapid pace. From 1950 to 2010 the global urban population has grown from 751 million to 3.6 billion (UN, 2012). Currently, the global urban population reached to 4.2 billion accounting 55% of the world’s population (UN, 2018). This translates into an urban population increase of 6 million every month.

By 2050 another 2.5 billion is projected to be added, with almost 90% of this growth happening in emerging countries of Asia and Africa. Just three countries – India, China and Nigeria – together are expected to account for 35% of the growth in the world’s urban population between 2018 and 2050 (UN, 2018).

Amid such urbanization on a global scale, Seoul's experience of handling rapid urbanization has more implications compared to the experiences and urban planning strategies of the more advanced cities in the western countries.

Seoul’s urban development model is more appropriate for solving problem caused by rapid urbanization than an western urban development model. There is three reasons, below.

First, if cities in emerging countries emulate the development model of the western countries focused on low-density,

automobile-based urban development, the world would not be sustainable due to environment problems and lack of resources. So emerging cities must become eco-friendly and sustainable, unlike the already advanced western cities. Seoul city is an efficient and eco-friendly city in terms of carbon emission and energy consumption.

Second, in retrospect, western societies went through urbanization through industrialization, as the cities developed into manufacturing based cities.

However, in the case of Seoul as well as many emerging country cities, people first moved to the city without industrialization setting in. As the city expands rapidly, it is faced with a complex set of issues such as securing a strong economic foundation for the urban dwellers as well as sound living environment amidst unstable socio-economic conditions. Seoul is the only city that achieved sustainable growth in the economic, social, and environmental field despite the lack of resources and funding.

Third, in terms of methodology, western cities seek to understand the interested parties and analyze their needs to build a city together.

However, with the rapid expansion of urban population in which hundreds of thousands of people each year flock to cities each year, it is difficult to categorize the interested parties, and in many cases it is close to impossible to fully determine those working in the informal sector. Instead of spending years on research for planning, it is important to take prompt action to prevent the deterioration of quality of life of the urban dwellers. In contrast, Seoul has realized its urban vision through future-oriented, preemptive urban planning thanks to the devotion of leaders, experts, and public officials.

The 'urbanization' planning strategy to respond to the rapid urbanization needs of today must be different from the 'urban' planning of the western societies. It is important to devise a forward-thinking and preemptive urbanization strategy and promptly implement the plan. An urbanization planning strategy distinct from urban planning will be instrumental for the cities in emerging countries in tackling various issues that arise from rapid urbanization. Also, in the coming years, such strategy will have much implications for other cities around the world seeking to build more sustainable cities.

Seoul stands ready to cooperate with global cities to enhance the quality of life for all the citizens and build an economically prosperous and environmentally sustainable city. Going forward, Seoul city government will give higher priority to projects in partnership with emerging cities undergoing rapid urbanization in order to share Seoul's experiences and know-how.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has been contributing to solving global urban issues by sharing its excellent policies for urban issues.

The SMG has executed 97 collaborative projects with 65 cities in 38 countries. Through systematizing its experience and technology as business models since 2012, a total of 55 projects, accounting for 76% of the total overseas projects, have been conducted under the Seoul Policy Sharing Initiative.