Seoul - 4.4 Differentiation of the Urban Space, the Way to a Polycentric City
| Understanding Korea Series No.4 | ||
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| 3) New Development of Gangnam | 4) Differentiation of the Urban Space, the Way to a Polycentric City | 5) Megalopolitanization of Seoul Metropolitan Area: Megacity Seoul |
Until the 1960s Seoul had a core city structure in which the Gangbuk urban center performed stately, financial and administrative functions, and the Yeongdeungpo area carried out the industrial function. However, Seoul’s rapid population increase and industrialization after the 1960s forced Seoul’s spatial structure to differentiate into a polycentric city. Yeongdeungpo District that used to support the function of existing central business district as an industrial center grew into a sub core as Yeouido was developed and hosted an array of major institutions such as the National Assembly, the stock market, news and media. The core of Gangnam’s newly developed area (Yeongdong) also grew into a sub core with financial and administrative functions, which used to be the main cause of congestion in the existing urban center of Gangbuk.
Seoul’s subway line No. 2, which was designed to help achieve the tri-core urban structure, opened and paved the way for Yeongdong sub core to further develop beyond the shores of the Han River. Subsequent series of developments in Gangnam helped Teheran Road, which stretches from Samseong subway station to Gangnam subway station, rise rapidly as the economic center of the Republic of Korea boasting an array of headquarters and offices of major corporations and ventures. For instance Jamsil and Songpa Area (Jamsil Multi-sports Complex, Asian Game Athletes’ Village, Olympic Athletes’ Village, Olympic Park, etc.) was developed in preparation of the Seoul Olympic in 1988 and the Asian Games; Asem Tower and Coex Mall were built in Samseong-dong and the Department of Justice relocated to Seocho subway station area.
Currently, the 3 core areas (the urban core, Yeongdeungpo and Yeongdong) have not changed much; partial changes have been observed in sub cores and area centers resulting from situational factors of specific time periods. Cheongnyangni/ Wangsimni and Sangam/Susaek were added to the existing sub core list of Yeongdong and Yeongdeungpo, and the 11 area centers included Yeonsinnae, Sinchon, Gongdeok, Sanggye, Mia, Mok-dong, Daerim, Sadang/Namhyeon, Jamsil and Cheonho. The imbalance between the areas north and south of the Han River became prominent. More specifically the Yeongdong sub core’s major business functions have flourished vastly around Teheran Road, but the sub core function of Cheongnyangni/ Wangsimni and Sangam/Susaek have weakened. Furthermore the functions of area centers south of the Han River, namely Mok-dong, Daerim, Sadang/Namhyeon, Jamsil, have strengthened while the functions of area centers of Gangbuk, Yongsan, Mia and Mangu, have deteriorated.
