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This article seeks to estimate various centrality indices based on spatial big data in terms of urban form, function, and location potential within a metropolitan area; it also comparatively analyzes the morphological differences in urban spatial structure between the centrality indices. As a result of estimating the centrality index for each dimension related to the urban spatial structure of the Seoul metropolitan region based on big data, the differentiated distribution patterns of urban centers were confirmed according to the characteristics of available big data by a quantitative and three-dimension morphological comparison methodology. The Mantel tests showed statistically significant mutual correlations between all centrality indices; however, the Passing–Bablok regressions revealed that the location potential centrality defined as Hansen-type accessibility was significantly different from the two centrality indices of the as urban form and function dimensions. The centrality of various dimensions in this paper includes not only the spatial characteristics of detailed spatial units but also the temporal characteristics theoretically. These results imply the need for comprehensive research to be carried out on urban spatial structure and centrality in accordance with the polycentric pattern of spatial structure in metropolitan areas. • Centralities in various dimensions were estimated based on spatial big data. • Centrality estimation methods are spatial convolution and accessibility calculation. • Distribution of city centers was different by urban form, function, and potential. • Pattern of location potential centrality was differentiated from other centralities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an ethnographic study of the Changsin-dong neighbourhood in Seoul, specifically focusing on urban development issues in the area, in which small-scale sewing workshops are agglomerated in the heart of the city. Under the names 'community alive' and 'existing urban manufacturing area,' Changsin-dong was designated as a leading area for urban regeneration in Seoul, and urban regeneration was implemented in 2014. Consequently, urban regeneration has now become an indispensable moniker for Changsin-dong, and conflicts related to various interests and political interference have arisen. Despite urban regeneration's emphasis on bottom-up approaches to overcome the limitations of developmentalism, hierarchical power relationships between governmental administrations and local cooperatives still persist over the entire course of the project. In this research, I critically examine the background surrounding how urban regeneration was fuelled and what consequences have been identified to date, and ultimately look at the subtle complexities and practical constraints of urban regeneration. Through macroscopic review of urban regeneration as well as microscopic anthropological observations, I seek to reveal the multi-layered socio-political contexts surrounding urban regeneration in Changsin-dong and unpack the nature of inevitable conflicts and contrasting interests among residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although the causes of asthma are inconclusive, it is fairly known that exposure to outdoor air pollutants can cause asthma, especially children's asthma morbidity. Whereas transportation is one of the major sectors that generate air pollutants, previous research that investigates the correlation between transportation and asthma narrowly focuses on the contribution of automobile traffic to children's asthma. Developing three spatial regression models (a spatial lag (SL) model, a spatial error (SE) model, and a general spatial (SAC) model), this paper investigates the roles of a variety of transportation factors in two distinct stages of children's asthma morbidity; asthma and severe asthma. With consideration to asthma-related socio-economic factors in the City of Seoul, the SE (R2 = 0.31) and SAC (R2 = 0.34) models consistently indicate that three out of four transportation factors associate with children's severe asthma at statistically significant level. They include the negative influence of bus transit and dense intersections, and the positive influence of active transportation activities on children's asthma severity. Interestingly, however, no significant contribution of transportation factors to children's asthma morbidity was identified by the SE (R2 = 0.29) and SAC (R2 = 0.28) models. Shedding more light on the complexity of children's asthma morbidity and severity, this paper proposes collaborative partnerships not only among multi- dimensional agencies, but also among multi-level government organizations. Highlights • Transportation factors become a significant contributing factor to children's severe asthma rather than asthma morbidity. • The transportation factors include bus transit, dense intersections, and active transportation activities. • The strong public health insurance program reduces the influence of socio-economic characteristics on children's asthma. • It is important to consider children asthma when planning transportation strategies such as Complete Streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I argue that intersectionality can benefit the study of migrant urban citizenship and that migrants' legal status affects their potential for urban citizenships. These arguments are based on life story interviews I conducted with Mongolian labour migrant women (both documented and undocumented) living and working in Seoul during the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing from this data, I first discuss the mutual relationship between COVID-19 regulations and the specific urban spaces they affected, and second, how migrant women navigated this relationship. In practice, I categorise these pandemic-driven experiences into three specific types of spaces – spaces of escape , spaces of fear , and spaces of (potential) discrimination – which I analyse through the lenses of gender, class, and racialisation. In conclusion, I call for future research on migrant urban citizenship to critically consider the role of legal status in migrants' embodied processes of urban citizenship-making and investigate how underlying structural social and power relations shape these embodied processes. Reformulating the concept of urban citizenship in a way that explicitly informs policy making and fosters migrants' embodied experiences of urban citizenship is also needed. • Intersectionality can benefit the study of migrant urban citizenship. • Migrants' legal status affects their potential for urban citizenship. • COVID-19 regulations transformed urban spaces in Seoul into spaces of escape, fear, or discrimination. • Migrant urban citizenship needs to be reconceptualised into a policy-oriented approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines a neighborhood regeneration effort in Jangsu Village, Seoul, through which residents strived to continue living in the area on the verge of wholesale renewal. In Seoul, a large-scale urban development and/or regeneration has shaped urban fabric since the 1960s, while the recent phenomenon of rapid aging has led to a sudden demographic shift. Jangsu is a low-income, dilapidated neighborhood in the center of Seoul where many inhabitants are aging long-term squatters. Therefore, this research provides a glimpse into how older inhabitants with fewer resources are able to continue living in their neighborhood in a gentrifying city undergoing rapid spatial, socio-economic and population changes. The paper demonstrates how neighborhood social capital has fostered multi-stakeholder collaboration and the participation of older residents in the area's regeneration, enabling residents to continue living there and improving living conditions by repairing and reusing existing buildings. Thereby, this paper highlights: (1) neighborliness as a significant dimension in making age-friendly cities and, (2) the notion that age-friendliness might serve as an urban regeneration framework, emphasizing stable and affordable residency as well as progressive transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sejong Si (Sejong City), the second capital city of South Korea, is a new city initiated to achieve the national policy agenda of balanced territorial development by mitigating the excessive concentration of public and private facilities in the Seoul metropolitan area (SMA). The master plan for Sejong City was formulated in 2005 through a project initiated by the Korean government and is noteworthy in that it presents a new urban design paradigm of construction reflecting the Korean experience. This paper explores the characteristics of Sejong City’s urban structure and neighborhood design. One major characteristic is Sejong City’s ring-shaped design (decentralized and empty in the central area), which makes the city structurally distinct from other modern cities with hierarchical and symbolic structures. Another major characteristic is the presence of approximately 20 neighborhood units located in accordance with the ring-shaped structure. This is consistent with the transit-oriented development (TOD) and traditional neighborhood development (TND) systems. The urban design method based on TOD and TND models has been effective in terms of Sejong City’s decentralized urban structure. These results are expected to provide a better understanding of urban design for future development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign housing investment is an outcome of increased mobility in the era of globalisation. The literature has acknowledged the impacts of global migration and capital flows on space. However, an understanding of foreign home ownership is scarce in spite of its growing volume and influence. This study explores who the foreign buyers of housing in Seoul are and where the houses owned by foreigners locate. By analysing housing transaction data and the location of ethnic communities, this paper shows that foreign housing investment in Seoul is closely associated with overseas Koreans rather than any average global talent or immigrant. The location of foreign owned houses is linked to the geography of ethnic clusters as well as areas where high potential investment returns are perceived. Foreign housing investment has the potential to strengthen long-term settlements of foreigners, and to encourage the emergence of “global villages”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a substantial body of research regarding the relationship between the built environment and travel behavior. Most literature focus on the direct relationship between the spatial characteristics and travel behavior and the results show mixed outcome. We argue that a utility- and activity-based approach is required to better understand the relationship between built environment and travel behavior. In addition, people make multiple non-work activities everyday including shopping, entertainment, food, and other services. Therefore, we hypothesize that people chose their travels to reduce the aggregated travel time for all their activities instead of counting each travel separately. We conducted a Time Use Survey (TUS) at a mixed-use building, called 'Central City Complex (CCC),' and compared the results with National TUS data about Seoul citizens. The analysis confirms that CCC users spend 17.9% less travel time per shopping activity and 46.1% less travel time per meeting. CCC users spend 38.7% less time in travel per 10 min of shopping, 37.4% less per 10 min of art and education activities, and 15.7% less per 10 min of food activity. This study calls attention to utility perspective of people's travel choice, beyond physical aspects of built environment such as distance or density. • This paper draws our attention to the temporal dimension of travel behavior and utility maximization principle. • People conduct multiple activities every day and try to minimize the aggregated travel time for their multiple activities. • A mixed-use high-density complex can save up to 46% of the travel time for a non-work activity. • This case study gives an insider's view which allows us to find issues that are often missed by positivistic inquiries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]