The original plan for constructing the New Cities in the Seoul Metropolitan area had the prospect to build self-sufficient cities. However, most of the New cities could not develop as self-sustainable cities since they had their economic bases in Seou...
The original plan for constructing the New Cities in the Seoul Metropolitan area had the prospect to build self-sufficient cities. However, most of the New cities could not develop as self-sustainable cities since they had their economic bases in Seoul. Most of these cities play the role of bed cities supporting the functions of Seoul, the center of metropolitan area. Particularly, Ilsan New City and Bundang New City does not have enough space to accommodate industrial facilities that can promote the self-sufficiency by creating jobs in these cities. This weakness in self-sufficiency is further exacerbated in the other New cities such as Pyungchon, Jungdong and Sanbon Consequently, metropolitan traffic problems gets worsening everyday and the social cost caused by environmental degradation is increasing seriously.
Songdo International City which has been designated as the Free Economic Zone in 2003 is also aiming to develop as a self-sustainable city. But, it is still uncertain whether it is in the process of becoming a self-sustainable city since it means a city that has the continuing growth potential and vitality by securing proper economic activities and urban infra-structures. As a whole, self-sustainability can be accessed in the aspect of economic activities, infra-structures and the environment and enough employment, convenient life and pleasurable environment are needed to suffice it.
Nevertheless, Songdo International City has not been built to meet these needs since it lacks seriously the urban infra-structures and convenient facilities to become a self-sufficient city. Furthermore, the most badly needed foreign investment is not going well as was scheduled.
The cases of the New Cities in the foreign countries demonstrate that they are built to suffice the need to meet the demand of housing, economic activities and culture in the same place. After 1970's they also introduced the concept of urban regeneration and developed multiple complex residential areas which are integrated with business activities. As such, the concept and approaches to developing new cities is changing nowadays. La Defence, Dockland, Milton, Queens, and Leston are examples of these new cities that reflect this changing new concept.
Thus, this study aims to propose some advices for the Songdo New City to develop as a self-sufficient international city drawing good references from the foreign cases.
At first, the self-sufficiency of the new city should be enhanced by specializing in developing a new and advanced industry and also building urban infra-structures. To acquire the self-sufficiency as an international city, high-tech industries, commerce and residential areas should be well mixed to provide jobs in the city area by minimizing the number of commuters to seek job in the other cities.
Secondly, to become a self-sufficient city, Songdo New City has to be equipped with enough convenient facilities. To become a genuine self-sufficient city, education, culture, medical facilities, and shopping centers such as department stores should be provided in the proper level to meet the need of the city. Accordingly, active investment inducement is needed to create such an environment. Up to this time, Sondo new city does not have even the basic infrastructures such as general hospitals, big-scale shopping malls and educational facilities. The major reason of this delay in the provision of these basic facilities lies in the lack of money to be invested in this project. To improve this situation, it is recommendable to allow higher floor-area ratio for the developers to get more incentive and the developers to pay some of the benefit for building public facilities.
At third, highly esteemed domestic and foreign educational facilities should be invited in the Songdo new city to enhance the educational competitiveness that are essential to advance as a new city. To advance as a knowledge-based city, education and training in the city area, formation of information networks, technical development which connects the industry, universities, research center and the governments and the enhancement of learning in the business are very important tasks for the city development. Hence, the attraction of educational facilities is a very essential task and also is very attractive incentive to induce more population as a new city.
At last, active support of the central government in the aspect of national strategy is required. To advance as an international city, the national government should be fully involved to cover up the much needed financial support which the Incheon city alone cannot suffice. After all, the Songdo New City should be exempt from the application of the much debated Metropolitan Regulation Act. Like Singapore and Shanghai, China, various acts and regulations should be relaxed in this area to attract the much needed foreign investment.