A Territorial Division of Labor in the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Abstract

Over the past two decades, newly industrializing countries as well as most developing countries have experienced rapid economic growth. Such growth is typically accompanied by decentralization of population and economic activities from its primate city. Further, from spillover of agglomeration, substantial suburbanization has occurred in metropolitan areas in these countries. Finally, the largest cities of newly industrializing countries economically evolve from an industrial structure into a postindustrial one. With Seoul City leading the way, Korea closely follows the above patterns. Along with its economic development, improvements in transportation and communication technologies have accelerated decentralization of population and industries, and have widened the daily urban system of this large primate city. As a result, a territorial division of labor as well as a separation of work place from home has occurred. In spite of the early stage of suburbanization, the central city of the Seoul Metropolitan Area is proceeding from a goods-processing center to an information processing one.