The urban population in South Korea exceeds 92.1% (Statistics on Urban Planning Facilities, 2023), with the majority of the population residing in urban areas. Particularly, the population in the Seoul metropolitan area accounts for 50.69% (Ministry o...
The urban population in South Korea exceeds 92.1% (Statistics on Urban Planning Facilities, 2023), with the majority of the population residing in urban areas. Particularly, the population in the Seoul metropolitan area accounts for 50.69% (Ministry of the Interior and Safety, 2023), indicating a high concentration of residents in the capital region. The high density and ongoing urbanization of Seoul metropolitan cities, despite their limited spatial scale, continue to progress. As a result, the importance of natural spaces such as parks and green areas within the city has become increasingly prominent.
Green spaces such as parks and natural environments within urban areas play a crucial role beyond their environmental functions, such as addressing climate change, carbon absorption, and fine dust reduction. They also serve as key spaces for relieving fatigue and contributing to emotional stability, making the development of natural environments within the city an essential element. Existing policies by local governments have primarily relied on quantitative indicators, such as the per capita park area, to evaluate the supply and status of urban parks. Accordingly, efforts have been made to expand and maintain urban parks and green spaces within limited policy scopes. but, in metropolitan areas, while new parks and green spaces are being added through urban development projects to meet quantitative targets, the process of securing land in traditional downtown districts and densely populated areas faces challenges such as land compensation and resident agreement issues. As a result, shortages of park services and inequalities in green space distribution within cities have become more severe.
However, recently, the emphasis has shifted from quantitative expansion of urban green spaces to qualitative improvements that ensure organic connectivity by considering ecological and environmental corridors within the city. Consequently, there is a growing trend to focus on enhancing the quality aspects of green spaces to allow citizens to better perceive and experience the natural environment.
The spatial scope of this study was limited to Bucheon. Geographically, Bucheon is situated between Seoul and Incheon metropolitan City, serving as a major transportation and residential link between the two cities. It boasts significant advantages in this regard. Bucheon has one of the highest population densities in Gyeonggi Province, comparable to that of Seoul. Additionally, it is the city with the sixth-largest population among all cities nationwide with over 500,000 residents, despite being the smallest in land area.
Additionally, the city has aging facilities such as the Gyeongin Railroad and Gyeongin Expressway, which have been in operation for over 120 years. Since Bucheon was promoted to city status in 1973, it has experienced population growth primarily driven by its designation as a bedroom town, alongside the development of first- and second-generation new towns, as well as ongoing projects such as the Bucheon Daejang public housing district.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the distribution and usage of perceptual green spaces within Bucheon through citizen interviews. The perceptual green spaces referred to in this context are the nearby green areas that citizens actually experience and have easy access to. These spaces are regarded as important elements that can positively impact the enhancement of quality of life.
Citizen perception survey on perceptual green spaces was conducted with a total of 46 Bucheon citizens, collecting 375 opinions and in-depth interview data over a period of two months. The analysis of perceptual green space perception categorized the responses into four groups: artificial/natural spaces and visual/auditory perceptions, and was conducted through qualitative analysis. The results showed that Bucheon citizens mainly recognize accessible apartment complexes, neighborhood parks, trees, rivers, street spaces, and street trees as key perceptual green spaces. In terms of usage, people primarily utilize these spaces for walking, relaxation, and community activities. Furthermore, citizens emphasized that maintenance, quantitative expansion, equity of green spaces, improved accessibility, and increased biodiversity are critical areas for improvement in park and green space management.
The results of this citizen perception survey will serve as valuable data for reflecting citizens' opinions when establishing future perceptual green space policies and management strategies in Bucheon. Moreover, by analyzing the distinctions among urban spaces such as detached houses, low-rise houses, high-rise apartments, commercial areas, and green spaces within Bucheon, and by visualizing the distribution and usage of existing green infrastructure and perceptual green spaces, the study aims to produce detailed maps. These maps, along with proposed strategies to activate perceptual green spaces, will contribute to policies that enhance citizen-centered green environments, ultimately reflecting the voices of Bucheon residents and fostering the development of citizen-perceived green spaces.