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Urban Planning System of Seoul

Date 2017-01-12 Category Urban planning Updater 이혜인
Writer
Sun-Wung Kim
Affiliation
The Seoul Institute
Date
2017-01-12
Last Update
2017-10-10

Structure

The current Seoul urban planning system consists of three stages: urban master plan, living area plan, and urban management plan. Before introducing the living area plan as the second stage, urban planning had been divided into two stages, urban master plan and urban management plan. According to the “National Land Planning and Utilization Act,” the long-term urban master plan was implemented for twenty years and the urban management plan for the next ten years, respectively. However, Seoul had grown so rapidly that there were limits to the planning and management for a population of 10 million and 25 autonomous districts under a two-stage planning system. The urban master plan suggested the development direction of the sprawling megalopolis of Seoul from a long-term, abstract perspective, whereas the urban management plan focused on how to use individual lots of land. Therefore, the urban master plan failed to work as a guideline for the urban management plan because of weak connectivity between the plans. Indeed, there were big differences between the two plans in terms of target years, contents of planning, scale, legal grounds, etc.
 
<Figure 1> Structure of the Urban Planning System of Seoul
 
 
 
In order to compensate for these limitations, the SMG sought ways to strengthen the connectivity of the two plans, thereby increasing the possibility of realizing the urban master plan. Thus, the SMG introduced the living area plan as an intermediate stage in order to make the urban master plan more concrete and to suggest guidelines for the urban management plan. According to this policy, the SMG separately established the “Development Plan by Region in Seoul” to give a tangible shape to the plan by region, suggested in the existing urban master plan in 2007, and developed the plan to specifically establish the living area plan in spatial units (small living areas), which are smaller than regional units (large living areas) in 2009, thus reorganizing the existing urban planning system into three stages. However, the living area plan has been operated as a non-statutory plan until now. It is necessary to legalize the living area plan as soon as possible so as to establish a more stable urban planning system.

As a sub-plan of the urban master plan and the living area plan, the urban management plan is an implementation plan that aims to materialize and realize the long-term urban development direction suggested in the upper level plans in the relevant spaces. The urban management plan includes a land use zoning plan, an urban planning facility project plan, individual district unit plans, an urban development project plan, and various kinds of readjustment projects, etc. Each project plan is established and operated individually. The SMG is seeking ways to strengthen the functions of the urban management plan to operate it efficiently, and is preparing the integrated implementation of the current urban management plan.

In order to improve the establishment and operation of the urban planning system as well as accommodate the characteristics and changes of Seoul, the SMG has strived to prepare concrete and detailed plans through professional monitoring and an expanded citizen participation, and establish Seoul’s constant urban planning system.
 

Stage 1. Urban Master Plan

Definition

The urban master plan established according to the “National Land Planning and Utilization Act” is a general plan that proposes a basic spatial structure for Seoul and a long-term development direction. It also serves as a basis or a guideline for establishing the urban management plan. The divisional plans made for the environment, transportation, water supply, sewage systems, housing and other elements that are under its jurisdiction according to other acts or regulations should comply with the contents of the urban master plan.

 

Purposes and Background of Planning

The urban master plan was established to promote the rational use, sustainable development and preservation of affordable land. It is a comprehensive plan that presents a framework for the developed city after a period of twenty years. The urban master plan suggests the direction of policies for using limited resources efficiently and reasonably, improving the quality of life of Seoul’s inhabitants, and achieving environmentally sound and sustainable development.

The urban master plan is a comprehensive plan that encompasses diverse aspects of the entire city including society, economy, environment, energy, transportation, infrastructure, culture, and welfare. Therefore, it is necessary to collect the diverse and extensive opinions of citizens, experts, administrators, and others, and to adjust the plan in the planning process by securing procedural justification.

The urban master plan of Seoul was established by law for the first time in 1990 according to the amendment of the “Urban Planning Act” enacted in 1981. Thereafter, legal planning was conducted on four occasions, including adjustments made in 1997 (target year: 2000), 2006 (target year: 2020) and 2014 (target year: 2030). The “2030 Seoul Plan” is the fourth statutory plan formally established at the SMG-level. As the plan has the highest status in the planning system of Seoul, it serves as a guide on the directions of the relevant sub-plans, such as the urban management plan, and ensures that they are established in a consistent and unified manner.

The 2030 Seoul Master Plan (Seoul Plan) was made by reorganizing the previous content and formats according to the sign of the times in order to readjust the Seoul urban master plan in 2020. The right to set the urban master plan was transferred to the local government, thereby increasing the Seoul Mayor’s autonomy. This is because there is a pressing demand to realize new social values such as civil participation and a sharing society.
 

Scope of the Plan

Temporal Scope: The target year of the urban master plan was set 20 years into the future from the time of planning, according to the guideline for the establishment of the plan. The status of each sector—such as population, industry, economy, environment, transportation, housing, etc.—is documented as of the beginning year. Based on the investigated status, the goals and strategies for each sector were established and the planning indicators set.
Spatial Scope: The spatial scope of the plan is the entire urban planning area matching Seoul’s administrative districts, with a total area of 605.96 km2. However, the target areas were expanded to the Seoul metropolitan areas in the vicinity of Seoul when analyzing the status and conditions in order to decide the planning tasks and plan the spatial structure reorganization.

Status and Roles

1. The highest legal plan encompassing all areas of Seoul

The urban master plan is the highest level of spatial plan and takes a dominant position over the divisional plans and policies of each sector related to the use of spatial structures and land. It serves as the basis for integrating and adjusting all divisional plans and policies through the use of spatial structures and land. In addition, it acts as the guideline for the establishment of the urban management plan as its sub-plan.
 

2. Long-term plan to present the future image 20 years hence and development directions

The urban master plan is a long-term plan that presents the framework of the future vision embodying the values of Seoul and development directions projecting 20 years into the future. The future vision and development direction of Seoul are based on the basic status analysis of the main parts—including population structure, social and economic conditions, change of land utilization according to climate change, industrial structure, change of housing, and built-up areas, etc.—in consideration of changes to internal and external situations in the long-term perspective. In addition, the feasibility of the urban master plan will be reviewed every five years in consideration of changes in order to revise and compensate for such changes.
 

3. Spatial plan to reflect the future image and core issues in spatial structure and land utilization

The urban master plan is meant to materialize and accomplish the plans regarding the core issues strategically set to achieve the future vision of Seoul in the spatial dimension. Therefore, the plan is materialized and realized in the form of spatial planning for the urban spatial structure. It also reflects the future vision and plans regarding the core issues, proposes principles and directions of land use, and presents development directions and planning tasks by living area. The plan aims to regulate land use and ensure the efficient use of locations by integrating and adjusting the divisional policies and plans of each sector in the spatial dimension.
 

4. Strategic plan that emphasizes the efficiency of resources by establishing policy priorities

The demand for public policies is continuously increasing due to a stagnant economy for a long time, a growing need for financial commitment, and diverse demands of citizens among any other factors. In order to address such demands effectively, it is necessary to clarify the priorities of the policies and strategically implement the policies by using limited resources efficiently. The urban master plan combines multiple administrative areas to realize the future vision and sets the main strategies to be implemented in priority through a process of consultation and agreement with participating citizens and experts.
 

Contents of the Plan

The 2030 Seoul Urban Master Plan (Seoul Plan) presented the future image of Seoul as a “City of Happy Citizens Where Communication and Consideration Are Paramount” from the long-term point of view, drew five core issues to realize the vision of Seoul, and established seventeen divisional plans containing the goals and strategies for each of the five issues.

The plans regarding the core issues were designed to set administrative priorities while combining the entire administrative fields of Seoul and securing the consistency of the plans. They constitute the theme plan for Seoul. The specific theme-centric plans were reconstituted by considering the characteristics of Seoul based on the guidelines for the establishment of the urban master plan.
 
<Figure 2> Procedure for the Establishment of the Seoul Vision and the Selection of Five Core Issues
 
 

To facilitate the establishment of the 2030 Seoul Plan, the SMG formed a civil participation group to discuss the tasks to be solved issues that the SMG should address and selected planning tasks in seven areas: education, welfare, jobs, communication, historical culture & landscape, climate change & environment, and urban development & reorganization. These seven planning tasks formed the foundation of the divisions in the following five areas: (a) welfare/education/women, (b) industry/jobs, (c) history/culture, (d) environment/energy/safety, and (e) urban space/transportation/reorganization. There were then positively reflected in the process of establishing the goals and strategies of the plans regarding the core issues.

In addition, the SMG presented the regional conception of the living area plan while considering the regional characteristics in order to materialize the basic contents of the plan and facilitate balanced regional development. In order to accomplish the goals of the plans, the urban planning system of Seoul, a constant monitoring system, establishment of the civil participation and governance system, and the principles and directions of financial investment were included in the plan.
 
<Figure 3> Planning Tasks and Core Issues of the 2030 Seoul Urban Master Plan
 
 

 
In the 2030 Seoul Plan, the spatial structure of Seoul was planned to be transferred to the structure of multi-centers by setting it to be ‘3 city centers, 7 metropolitan centers and 12 regional centers.’ The multi-centered structure was designed to facilitate win-win development through cultivation of special content by the center and the functional links between centers. The Seoul Metropolitan Government manages the city centers, the metropolitan centers and the regional centers strategically in the perspectives of the metropolitan region of Seoul and the 5 macro living areas.

In the 2030 Seoul Plan, the spatial structure of Seoul was planned to be transferred to the structure of multi-centers by setting it to be ‘three city centers, seven metropolitan centers, and twelve regional centers.’ This multi-centered structure was designed to facilitate a win-win development through cultivation of special contents by the centers and functional links between the centers. The SMG manages all of these city, metropolitan, and regional centers strategically from the perspectives of the metropolitan region of Seoul and the five macro living areas.


Spatial Structure

Under the 2030 Seoul Plan, the transfer of the city’s spatial structure from the existing single-centered one to a multi-centered one was proposed to initiatively solve issues such as spatial structural problems, how to serve residents’ demands for a better quality of life, deepening regional discrepancies, expansion of the surrounding metropolitan regions, and intensifying competitions among major global cities.

The existing single-centered system consisting of “one city center, five sub-city centers and eleven regional centers” in a simple hierarchy had limits in resolving the issues raised at the upper levels. With the 2030 Seoul Plan, Seoul reorganized the single-centered system into “three city centers, seven metropolitan centers and twelve regional centers” to emphasize the functional system of multiple centers and to facilitate a win-win development through the cultivation of special contents by the centers and functional links between the centers.

The single-centered system was the basic element in forming the spatial structure of Seoul. The special structure was formed by designating the centers that the SMG had to manage directly. In other words, the SMG decided to provide a strategic management service to those city, metropolitan, and regional centers that played core roles in the Seoul metropolitan areas and the five regional living areas. The centers of the districts as the basis for daily life in each regional living area in the existing 2020 urban master plan were maintained, but they were allowed to be adjusted through consultation with the autonomous districts if necessary when establishing the living area plan as the follow-up to the urban master plan. In other words, the designation and management of the district centers could be negotiated and adjusted in consideration of the demands of the autonomous districts and their residents.
 
<Figure 4> Spatial Structure of Seoul
 

￮   City Centers: Strengthening of global competitiveness

-    Seoul would have a triple-city-center system in consideration of the development axes of Seoul so as to reflect the multi-centered spatial structure and strengthen its global competitiveness. Thus, the Fortress Wall of Seoul (situated in the downtown area within the existing four main gates) would be specialized as an International Cultural Center (ICC), Yeongdeungpo & Yeouido as an International Financial Center (IFC), and Gangnam as an International Business Center (IBC), with the corresponding global functions assigned to each of them.
 

￮   Metropolitan Centers: Facilitation of regionally balanced development by fostering functionally specialized centers

-    The metropolitan centers would play the roles of supporting the global functions of the city centers to create the metropolitan employment basis specialized in the areas of business, commerce, culture, tourism, R&D and high-tech industry, and of facilitating regionally balanced development through strengthened self-sufficient functions. The metropolitan centers are designated according to the intensity of newly growing industries, connectivity with the metropolitan railways, and the large scale of available development land and separate development plans in the central areas over the regional center level. Based on these criteria, the SMG selected Changdong and Sanggye, Magok, Gasan and Daerim, and Jamsil in addition to the sub-centers of Yongsan, Cheongnyangni, Wangsimni, Sangam and Susaek.
 

￮   Regional Centers: Preparation of employment basis by living area and strengthening of self-sufficiency

-    The main roles of the regional centers consist in strengthening self-sufficiency by living area and facilitating the improvement of the quality of life by activating commerce and business functions based on regional characteristics. Based on these criteria, the SMG selected twelve regional centers that would build up the regional employment basis, provide public services, and serve as centers of business and culture.
 

Establishment Procedure

To establish the urban master plan of Seoul, discussions were conducted about the layout of Seoul by considering the characteristics of Seoul, the nature and status of the strategic plans, and the future vision. The SMG formed a “Citizens Participation Group” composed of 100 people to select the vision of Seoul and plan the tasks the citizens wanted. In order to accomplish this vision and the related tasks, the SMG established a “Committee to Promote the Establishment of the 2030 Seoul Plan” consisting of civic groups, city council experts, and public officials separately.

The “Committee to Promote the Establishment of the 2030 Seoul Plan” drew up a draft urban master plan, including plans regarding the core issues, plans for spatial structure, land use, regional designs and methods, in order to realize the plans through a survey, a collection of opinions from each district, and an advisory conference by field. The draft was modified and supplemented to reflect the opinions of the related divisions of the SMG and the appropriate opinions of the citizens obtained at briefing sessions and public hearings in the districts. The urban master plan established by the citizens, experts and administrators together was finally confirmed after passing through the relevant legal administrative procedures, including deliberation by the urban planning committee. The feasibility of the urban master plan has to be reviewed and adjusted every five years by the special city mayor, the metropolitan city mayor, the special autonomous municipal mayor, and the governors or heads of counties.
 
<Figure 5> Establishment Procedure of the 2030 Participatory Urban Master Plan of Seoul
 

Stage 2. Living Area Plan

Definition

In the 2030 Seoul Urban Master Plan (Seoul Plan), the “living area” is set as the necessary range of activities required for full engagement in day-to-day life, and is defined as the spatial range encompassing commuting to work or school, shopping, leisure activities, and social activities. At present, the living area plan is not a statutory one. For the continuous establishment and operation of the living area plan, it will be necessary to legalize the plan according to the “National Land Planning and Utilization Act.”

Purposes of and Background to Establishment of the Plan

The living area plan is the intermediate stage of the planning system established at the level of Seoul’s regions and living areas. It is established not only to materialize the vision of Seoul and the long-term development directions regarding regional issues, but also to serve as a guide for the consistent and unified establishment of the urban management plan, the sub-plan of the urban master plan. The background to the living area plan is as follows.

○ Intermediate level of plan to improve realization of the urban master plan

  - Seoul, with its 10 million inhabitants, is not only the capital city of the Republic of Korea but also the center of a metropolitan economic bloc with a huge population of 25 million. Like many small- and medium-sized cities, Seoul used to be operated according to a two-layer plan consisting of an urban master plan and an urban management plan until relatively recently. But there were limits in connecting and realizing the long-term development directions presented in the urban master plan with the urban management plan in a large metropolitan city like Seoul. Therefore, the need for a living area plan emerged as an intermediate step to link the two plans, thereby improving the effectiveness of the urban plans. Based on the scheme, dual planning is now conducted for the five regions (large living areas) and the sub-divided zones (small living areas).

○ Establishment of area plans based on the lives of citizens

  - City development and management in the past were led by large-scale development and demolition, such as large-scale housing land development, reconstruction, and new town projects. Areas outside the plan suffered from continuing decline and the small units of plans were no longer a priority. In other words, the existing urban plans of Seoul had limits in systematically solving the inconveniences felt by citizens in their daily lives. In order to address such problems, the SMG initiated the living area plan, which was closer to the citizens’ daily life, in order to establish a regional vision and development directions together with the citizens and to implement various urban plans.

○ Bottom-up plan established with the participation of residents of the regions.

  - Most of the urban plans of Seoul were made using a top-down system established and operated mainly by officials and experts. The top-down plans had the advantage of managing all of the city in a comprehensive and consistent manner, but had limits in reflecting the regional characteristics and the diverse demands of residents. The “living area plan” was designed to switch the existing planning system to a bottom-up system, as in the 2030 Seoul Plan, and to actively support resident participation. With this plan, procedural measures for seeking solutions aimed at improving long-overdue regional issues and living conditions together with the SMG and local governments were prepared, making to possible to secure the requisite justification and procedural rationality.

○ The living area plan’s role as a “mediator” in integrating and coordinating the related plans by sector (bureau and division)

  - The SMG established and operated plans by sector (bureau and division), such as housing, transportation, parks and green areas, landscape and industry, in addition to the urban master plan. But the plans by sector (bureau and division) were found to be at odds with each other because they were established at different times. Thus, the living area plan plays an important role as a mediator when integrating and adjusting the plans by sector (bureau and division).

Scope of the Plan

Temporal Scope: The living area plan is the follow-up to the urban master plan. Its regional (large living areas) plan targets the next twenty years, like the urban master plan, while its area (small areas) plan targets the next ten years, as with the urban management plan. The first stage of the living area plan was established for the period from 2013-15 for four regions (northeast, northwest, southwest, and southeast) and one zone (small living area) of the autonomous districts in order to serve as an example. The second stage of the living area plan covered the period from 2015-16 for the downtown regions and the other zones (small living area), and entailed the implementation of the necessary administrative procedures.

Spatial Scope: The spatial scope of the living area was divided according to the urban scale, administrative economy, single-centered system, main terrains, and the purpose and nature of the activities and service zones by facility. In general, large cities are divided into three types of areas: small living areas, mid-sized living areas, and large living areas. In the case of Seoul, the living areas are divided into the two categories of “regional areas” (large living area) and “zones” (small living areas). Currently, there are five regional areas (large living areas) and around 140 zones (small living areas).

<Figure 6> Division according to the five Regional Living Areas        <Figure 7> Northeast Regional Area
  <Table 1> Comparison between Regional Living Areas and Living Zones           
 
Classification Regional Living Area Living Zone
Concept Regions including city center, sub-centers and adjacent areas Regions including district centers, main station influence areas, and adjacent residential areas
Criteria Hangang (River) and mountainous area running from north to south Consideration of topography, large constructions and population
Intention Point Spatial structure towards job-housing proximity in the regions
Balanced development based on self-sufficiency		 Suggestion of regional development direction
Establishment of tasks to improve residents/zone contacted living environment
Spatial Category Five Regional Areas
(When necessary, they can be supplemented by mid-sized living areas)		 Around 140 Zones
(around three administrative sections with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants)

 Status and Roles

1. Established as a follow-up plan to the urban master plan

 The living area plan was established as a follow-up plan to the urban master plan in order to materialize the regional core issues and spatial structures presented in the 2030 Seoul Urban Master Plan (Seoul Plan) at the level of five regional areas and 140 living zones.

 With the establishment of a planning system consisting of the urban master plan, living area plan and urban management plan, Seoul was equipped with a systematic planning framework containing plans not only at the level of the metropolitan city but also for the regional living zones for daily life.
 

 2. Basis for decisions on urban plans, project implementation and budget execution

 Established to materialize the urban master plan, the living area plan integrates and adjusts the related plans made in individual bureaus or divisions of the SMG in consideration of the residents’ opinions. It also serves as a platform or basis for decisions related to the urban management plan, project implementation, and execution of the relevant budgets.
 
<Figure 8> Status and Roles of the Living Area Plan
  

Contents of the Plan

The living area plan is a spatial plan that aims to materialize the urban master plan. It consists of five sections including centers & industry, dwelling areas, transportation, infrastructure, and regional specialization. Each of these sectors can be added, omitted or integrated according to the characteristics of the living area.

The five sections of the living area plan consist of the following:

1) The center & industry section produces and presents the developmental directions of the centers taking the roles of main business and commerce areas, and the main railway station areas, and the development methods and directions of the industrial resources needed to lead economic growth and to create jobs;
2) the dwelling areas section proposes readjustment, preservation and management directions according to the dwelling types and features;
3) the transportation section suggests improvement directions for public transportation and transportation infrastructure at the regional and zone levels;
4) the infrastructure for living section proposes methods of supplying infrastructure for living purposes and improving its utilization; and
5) the regional specialization section proposes how to develop and manage nature, history and culture to strengthen the local identity and features.

<Figure 9> Details of the Living Area Plan

 


Establishment Procedure

The living area plan is established through six steps ranging from preparation for planning to administrative procedures and plan confirmation. It is focused on the following establishment process: the SMG – autonomous districts – residents and experts. Thus, it is important to create conditions that attract the proactive participation of the various subjects at each stage.

In particular, the citizen/resident participation group is organized in Step 2. This group diagnoses the issues and problems associated with changes in the living areas and then facilitates the regional vision and spatial development plan. For issues that can be solved in cooperation with neighboring districts, the SMG helps the task force team in each living area to collaborate in preparing the necessary reaction plans. And, when necessary, district consultative groups in the region can be organized.

Lastly, the living area plan has to pass through the same administrative procedure as the urban master plan, an upper level one, in order to be confirmed. The regional area (large living area) plan is confirmed via a hearing of the opinions by the Seoul City Council and the deliberation of the Seoul City Planning Committee. The zone (small living area) plan is confirmed through a hearing of the opinions of the District Councils, the deliberation of the District City Planning Committee, and the approval of the SMG.

<Figure 10> Establishment Procedure of the Living Area Plan

 

Stage 3. Urban Management Plan

Definition

Established according to the “National Land Planning and Utilization Act” for the development, reorganization and preservation of cities, the urban management plan encompasses the following including land use, transportation, environment, landscape, safety, industry, information & communication, health, welfare, security and culture.
 
-Plans for designation of or changes to the use region and use district;
-Plans for designation of or changes to limited development zones, urban nature park zones, controlled urbanization zones and fishery resource protection zones;
-Plans for the installation, reorganization or improvement of infrastructure;
-Plans for urban development or reorganization projects;
-Plans for designation of or changes to the district unit planning areas and the district unit plans.
 
The urban management plan must be consistent with the metropolitan urban plan and the urban master plan. It has to be established with respect to the types of infrastructure decided at the level of detail and the urban management plan differentially, by taking into consideration the overall population, characteristics of land use, and the surrounding environment.

The urban management plan, designed to materialize and realize the long-term urban development directions presented in the urban master plan in specific spaces, is individually established according to the purposes of the plans in these areas, including the plans for use region, districts & areas, urban planning facilities, district unit plans, urban development projects, and reorganization plans.
 
<Figure 11> The Urban Management Plan and the related Laws and Regulations
 
 

 

Purposes of and Background to Establishment of the Plan

The purposes of the establishment of the 2020 Seoul urban management plan are to meet the necessity of the administrative procedure according to the regulation in the National Land Planning and Utilization Act, to review and renew the entire existing urban management plan every 5 years, and to present ways of realizing the plan after the renewal of the 2030 Seoul Urban Master Plan.

The purposes of establishing the Seoul urban management plan are to lay the groundwork for the urban management plan of Seoul, to suggest concrete methods of realizing the established 2030 urban master plan of Seoul, and to prepare the management standard for the use districts by integrating the adjustment standards for the use districts, which had previously been operated individually. The urban management plan manages and regulates the use and development of land designated directly for the development, reorganization, and preservation of the city, and has legal binding force.

Contents of the Plan

1. Plan for designation of or change to the use region, district or area.

 ￮   “Use Region” refers to land areas designated by the urban management plan to be used economically and efficiently, and without any overlapping, so as to facilitate the improvement of public welfare by limiting the use, building-to-land ratio, floor area ratio and height of construction projects. According to the National Land Planning and Utilization Act and the Ordinance on the Urban Planning of Seoul, the use region is divided into four use regions (urban, management, agriculture and forestry, and natural environment protection regions), and all parts of the land must be designated as one of them. As of 2013, the whole area of Seoul was classified into urban regions (605.96 km2), and then sub-divided into residential regions (51.6%), business regions (4.3%), industrial regions (4.5%) and green regions (39.6%).

￮   “Use District” refers to areas selected under the urban management plan to increase the functionality of the use regions and to enhance their beauty, landscape and safety by strengthening or relaxing the limits—in terms of use, building-to-land ratio, floor area ratio, and height of constructions—in vigor in those regions. The use district was introduced as a means of effecting planned management and easy change of institution because there were difficulties in managing the city only with rough regulations on use regions. Use districts are divided into landscape, fine view, height, prevention, preservation, facility protection, community, and development promotion districts. As of 2013 some 197.80 km2 of land, or 33% of Seoul, was designated as use districts.

￮   “Use Area” refers to areas selected by the urban management plan to prevent the disordered expansion of urban streets, to facilitate the planned and systematic use of land, and to perform the comprehensive adjustment and management of land use by strengthening or relaxing the limits on the use of land, building-to-land ratio, floor area ratio, and height of constructions in use regions and use districts. The use area acts as a means of controlling development activities or land uses in general through the execution of various kinds of regulated projects, unlike the use region or use district. It is divided into a limited development area, urban nature park area, urbanization control area, and fishery resources protection area. Limited development areas are designated by the urban management plan and when necessary to limit urban development, thereby preventing the disordered expansion of an urban area, protecting the natural environment, securing a sound living environment, and meeting the requests of national security. In the limited development area, all urban planning projects are prohibited, with the exception of activities or projects for which permission has been obtained on a case-by-case basis. Since 1972, the SMG had designated 166.82 km2 of land into limited development areas, but it has also lifted the restriction on 15.45 km2 for clustered settlement, national public housing, and Bogeumjari (nest) housing.

<Figure 12> Status of the Use Region of Seoul (As of 2012)



 

 

2. Plan for Installation, Renewal or Improvement of Urban Planning Facilities

 ￮   The term “urban planning facilities” refers to essential public facilities that form the framework of cities, ensure the smooth conduct of urban activities, and maintain a good urban environment.
￮   According to Article 2 of the “National Land Planning and Utilization Act,” infrastructural facilities are divided into 52 types falling within 7 classifications, which the urban management plan designates as ‘urban planning facilities’ so as to maintain their urban functions.
 
<Table 2> Types of Infrastructural Facilities
 
Classification No. of Facilities Type
Transportation Facilities 10 Roads, parking lots, railways, tracks, harbors, canals, airports, inspection facilities for vehicles and construction machinery, driving academies for vehicles and construction machinery, automobile stops.
Spatial Facilities 5 Plazas, parks, green areas, amusement parks, public open spaces.
Distribution & Supply Facilities 9 Water supply facilities, electric power supply facilities, gas supply facilities, oil storage and supply facilities, broadcasting & communication facilities, heat supply facilities, pipe utility conduits, markets, distributing facilities.
Public, Cultural and Physical Training Facilities 10 Schools, libraries, schoolyards, public offices, physical training facilities, cultural facilities, R&D facilities, social welfare facilities, youth training facilities, public vocational training facilities.
Disaster Prevention Facilities 8 Rivers, reservoirs, storage dams, fire prevention equipment, wind protection facilities, flood protection facilities, embankment facilities, erosion control facilities.
Sanitation Facilities 7 Cremation facilities, cemeteries, enshrined facilities, natural burial sites, funeral homes, slaughterhouses, general medical facilities.
Environmental Basic Facilities 4 Sewers, water pollution prevention facilities, waste treatment facilities, junkyards.
 

3. Plan in District Unit

￮ The district unit plan is a part of the urban management plan established to rationalize land use of the target regions under urban planning, enhance the functions, improve the appearance, secure a good environment, and manage the regions systematically and methodically.

￮ There are limits in solving the problems related to urban appearance and growth management using only the construction law, as it regulates use regions and districts in loose ways and proposes minimum construction standards because of the accelerated extensional growth and quantitative growth of Seoul since the 1970s. In order to address such problems, the SMG introduced the plan in district unit to allocate the functions and roles to cope with various urban problems. The plan in district unit has become established as an integrated and intensive urban management institution that considers the flat land use plan and the three-dimensional construction plan at the same time in the interest of harmony.
 
<Figure 13> Designation Status of Districts under the Plan in District Unit
 
 


 
￮ The plan in district unit includes subdivisions or changes of use region or use district, placement and scale of the infrastructure, land scale and development plan, use restrictions for buildings, building-to-land ratio, floor area ratio, minimum or maximum construction heights, plans for the arrangement, shape, colors or construction lines, environmental management plan, landscape plan and traffic management plan.

￮ The districts that the SMG designates as areas for the plan in district unit are the areas for strategic development and planned renewal, such as areas requiring public facility renewal, street environment renewal, premeditated management of use, building-to-land ratio, floor area ratio and height, local specialization and activation by attracting cultural facilities and venture industries, areas of mixed land use for residential and industrial use in semi-industrial regions, areas with a dense concentration of low-rise housing, areas requiring financial support for balanced local development, and areas for the development of private capital stations.
 

4. Planning for Urban Development Projects

￮ “Urban development project” refers to projects intended to create complexes or town areas with such functions as dwelling, business, industry, distribution, information & communication, ecology, culture, health and welfare in the urban development area.

￮ The main goals of urban development projects are to create a pleasant urban environment and to increase public welfare. They can be implemented only when decided and announced as an urban management plan according to the National Land Planning and Utilization Act. Such projects must be executed in compliance with the Urban Development Act.

￮ In order to designate a section for urban development, the designator must establish plans for the development project in the relevant area. The name, location, area, designation purposes of the urban development section, project period, contractor, method of implementation, population accommodation plan, land use plan, traffic processing plan, environmental preservation plan and financing plan must all be included in the development plan.
 

5. Plan for Renewal Projects

￮ Renewal projects are implemented to systematically reorganize areas requiring the recovery of urban functions, to develop poor residential environments, or to improve old and poor buildings efficiently. The goals of these projects are to improve the urban environment and increase the quality of residential life.

￮ Renewal projects can be implemented only when decided and announced as part of an urban management plan according to the National Land Planning and Utilization Act. Such projects must be executed in compliance with the Urban and Residential Environment Renewal Act.

￮ The term “renewal project” refers to the renewal of infrastructure and the improvement or construction of buildings including houses in renewal sections or town street sections (which are not renewal sections but are designated by Presidential Decree).
￮ In order to have an area designated as a renewal section, the head of a local government must establish the renewal plan, notify the residents of the plan in writing 30 days in advance for public inspection and opinion collection, and apply for designation as a renewal section to the SMG. The name of the renewal project, renewal section and area, urban planning facilities, joint use facilities, main use/building-to-land ratio/floor area ratio/height of the buildings, environment preservation and disaster prevention plans, educational environment protection plan, tenant housing measures and scheduled period of the renewal project should all be included in the renewal plan.

Implications

Seoul, as a city with 2,000 years of history and culture and the capital of the Republic of Korea, has undergone a period of turbulent development from the end of the Korean War to the present day. Especially since the 1960s, Seoul has undergone urbanization accompanied by rapid industrialization and quantitative growth, resulting in Seoul becoming one of the world’s largest metropolitan cities. The massive changes made in Seoul over the short period of 50 years were backed by an urban planning system such as the urban master plan.

The urban planning system works in three stages, urban master plan – living area plan– urban management plan, as shown above. For better and more desirable operation of the urban planning system, however, the following improvements and complements are required.
 

Substantiality of the Planning System

It is necessary to ensure that the planning system consists of an urban master plan, living area plan, and urban management plan. The vision of Seoul, its spatial structure, and the plans regarding the core issues presented in the urban master plan, as the highest level plan, will be realized by the living area plans and various urban management plans. In other words, all sub-plans must share the vision of Seoul as a “City of Happy Citizens Where Communication and Consideration” as presented in the 2030 Seoul Plan, and must be established in consideration of the need for consistency with the 2030 Seoul Plan. The living area plan, when established as a sub-plan, should reflect the spatial structure plans, the plans regarding core issues, and the regional plans presented in the 2030 Seoul Plan in its own plan in consideration of the regional characteristics, and draw living-connected issues concretely. It should also serve as the guideline for various urban management plans, and as an intermediate plan connecting the urban master plan and the urban management plans. In other words, the living area plan should suggest the planning direction and operating principles for the urban management plans that are individually established and operated for use regions, use districts, use sections, plan in district unit, renewal plans and urban planning facilities. In this way, the living area plan, through a process of continuous renewal, will provide the integrated framework for urban management.
 

Establishment of Urban Plan Monitoring System

The 2030 Seoul Plan was established as the urban master plan. Above all else, it is important to monitor the realization process of the Seoul Plan continuously and to propose supplemental points and developmental directions which can be considered in establishing the next urban master plan and securing the realization of plans. The desirable policy execution and realization of plans on the issues in the urban planning area, such as population, housing, industrial economy, land use, transportation and climate change, presented in the urban master plan and the living area plan should be monitored and reflected in subsequent plans by a well-established monitoring system.
 
<Figure 14> How to Establish the Urban Monitoring System
 
 
The monitoring system of the SMG can work at multiple levels to 1) change the status of the urban environment in terms of population, industry, land use and housing; 2) achieve the degree of the policy goals set in the urban master plan; and 3) conduct a comparative analysis with other global metropolitan cities. The monitored results are reflected in the subsequent planning through the feedback process. By diagnosis and evaluation of changes in the condition of Seoul, the existing planning tasks can be adjusted, new planning tasks can be presented, and the priority of tasks and the main progress direction can be reset. However, it is necessary to prepare concrete action plans and procedures to reflect such results.
 

Civil Participation and Strengthened Communication System

The 2030 plan was the first urban master plan to be established in which diverse parties participated. The Citizens Participation Group drew the vision of Seoul directly; while the Committee on the Establishment of the Seoul Plan composed of citizens, experts, city council members and the Seoul Institute led the establishment of specific and concrete plans. The living area plan established following the urban master plan was drawn up in cooperation with the residents of even small living areas using the bottom-up method. Seoul released the information related to the planning processes and prepared various programs, such as the Urban Planning School, to facilitate participation by citizens and to seek a form of governance that allows citizens to exercise their abilities.

References

Jae-seop Yang, Nam-jong Jang and In-hee Kim, 2011, Study on the Methods to Implement the Seoul Type of Urban Planning System, Seoul Development Institute
Jae-seop Yang, Sang-il Kim, Jae-su Lee, Seon-woong Kim, et al., 2010, Direction of Establishment of Seoul Type of Urban Planning System for the Preemptive Urban Management, Seoul Development Institute
Korea Planners Association, 2009, Theory on Urban Planning, Boseonggak
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2014, Main Report on the “2030 Urban Master Plan of Seoul”, the Seoul Metropolitan Government
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2013, Establishment and Implementation of Living Area Plans of Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2012, Readjustment of Urban Management Plan of Seoul, the Seoul Metropolitan Government                                   
The Seoul Metropolitan Government, 2010, Study on the Efficient Operating Methods of the Overlapped and Complexed Urban Planning Facilities, the Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seon-woong Kim, Jun-ho Gho and In-su Song, 2011, Reality Evaluation and Complementary Direction of Urban Management on the Limited Development Districts of Seoul, Seoul Development Institute
Hyeun-su Kim, 2014, “Issues and Tasks of Deregulation of the Limited Development Districts” in the Issue Report of the Seoul Institute, the Seoul Institute
Hui-ji Lim, et al., 2007, Urban Planning and Design of Seoul, the Seoul Institute

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