Structural-Functional Change and Developmental Dimension of Small-Towns in Korea : The Case Study of Five Lower-Order Centers

Abstract

Generally, spatial hierarchy can be classified into three levels; city, town and rural area. In Korea, city and town are defined as a urbanized area with population over than 50,000 and 20,000, respectively. Among rural areas, there exist weakly urbanized centers where administrative and/or industrial functions are relatively concentrated. Town and township where county office is located are called together SMALL-TOWN(小都芭) in Korea. A small-town is a nodal point in a sense of relationships with city and rural areas, and with other small-towns. It also functions as a growth pole in its influential hinterland. Vigorous role of small-town contributes to not only rural development, but normal growth of cities. This study aims at finding of characteristics and problems of small-towns in social and economic aspects through an analysis of their structures and changes. Those findings could be basic information for further development planning of small-towns. Main fields of analysis are demographic structure and its change, land use pattern, economic structure, and its change, situation of facilities and utilities, and relations with other regions.