Spatio-temporal Patterns of Urbanization Stages: Focusing on City-Regions in South Korea (1990-2020)

doi:10.25202/JAKG.14.4.5

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2025 Vol.14, Issue 4 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

Spatio-temporal Patterns of Urbanization Stages: Focusing on City-Regions in South Korea (1990-2020) 도시화 단계 변화의 시공간 패턴 분석: 한국의 개별 도시권을 중심으로(1990-2020): 조대헌^1† · 박은수² · 유예원³
Daeheon Cho^1† · Eunsoo Park² · Yewon Yoo³; ¹경북대학교 지리교육과 부교수
²가톨릭관동대학교 지리교육과 학사과정
³경북대학교 지리교육과 학사과정

¹Associate Professor, Department of Geography Education, Kyungpook National University
²Undergraduate Student, Department of Geography Education, Catholic Kwandong University
³Undergraduate Student, Department of Geography Education, Kyungpook National University

31 December 2025. pp. 483~499

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Abstract

The primary aim of this study is to examine the urbanization stages of individual South Korean cities by introducing a new core–ring spatial framework and applying it to empirical analysis. An analysis of 71 city-regions at ten-year intervals from 1990 to 2020 reveals a shift from simultaneous growth in cores and rings to a post-2010 trend of core decline with continued ring growth. Within this trend, the Seoul Metropolitan Area tends to maintain core growth, while non-metropolitan regions increasingly show concurrent decline in both cores and rings. An analysis of the temporal trajectories of individual city-regions indicates that, while some follow the theoretical sequence of stages, many show nonlinear paths–such as stage lock in, reversal, or skipping stages–revealing limits in applying existing models. Nationwide, and especially in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, certain ring areas adjacent to established cores showed particularly strong growth that in some cases outpaced the cores; however, this expansion was driven more by residential development than by economic activity. In some population-declining cities, signs of core recovery appeared, suggesting a potential trend toward reurbanization or compact shrinkage. This study demonstrates the heterogeneity and dynamcs of South Korea’s urbanization process and provides new perspectives on theories of urbanization-stage transitions.

Keywords

Urbanization

City-region

Stages of urban development model

Spatial cycle model

DEGURBA

본 연구는 한국의 도시화 단계를 개별 도시 수준에서 분석하기 위해 새로운 방식으로 공간 단위(중심과 주변)를 설정하고, 실증 분석을 실행하여 그 결과를 해석하는 것을 주된 목적으로 한다. 1990~2020년간 10년 간격으로 71개 시에 해당하는 도시권을 분석한 결과, 한국의 도시화는 중심과 주변이 동반 성장하는 단계에서 2010년 이후 중심은 쇠퇴하지만 주변은 성장하는 단계로 이행하는 경향이 뚜렷하였다. 그 추세 속에서도 수도권은 중심 성장의 유지 성향이, 비수도권에서는 중심과 주변이 동반 쇠퇴 경향이 나타났다. 분석 기간 중 개별 도시권의 변화 경로를 살펴본 결과 이론적 모델의 단계를 따라 순차적으로 변화하는 경우도 있지만 특정 단계에의 고착, 역행, 건너뛰기 등 비선형적 패턴이 다수 관찰되어 이론 적용 상의 한계를 파악하였다. 전국적으로, 특히 수도권에서 기존의 중심에 인접한 주변에서의 성장이 두드러져 중심을 능가하는 증가세를 보였지만 경제 활동보다는 주거 기능이 강화된 특성을 보였다. 반면, 일부 인구 감소 도시권을 중심으로 중심이 회복되는 사례도 나타나 재도시화 혹은 컴팩트한 도시 축소로의 진전 가능성도 확인되었다. 본 연구는 한국 도시화 과정의 이질성과 역동성을 규명했다는 점에 의의가 있으며 도시화 단계의 변화에 대한 이론에 새로운 관점을 제시할 것으로 기대된다.

키워드

도시화

도시권

도시화 단계 모델

공간 순환 모델

DEGURBA

References

구동회, 2018, “도시발전단계에 관한 이론적 검토,” 국토지리학회지, 52(4), 481-497.
남상민, 2024, 「통계적 지역 분류체계 활용방안 연구」, 통계청 통계개발원.
남진·윤병훈·박관우, 2015, “도시성장단계평가를 통한 도시재생의 타당성 분석: 차별적 도시화 모델과 순환적 도시화 모델 적용,” 국토계획, 50(3), 153-177.
임재현, 1999, “우리나라의 도시별 도시화 단계,” 주택연구, 7(2), 139-164. 10.1097/00010694-199902000-00009
조해송·정광진, 2022, “도시성장단계 분석을 통한 1기 신도시 지역의 특성 분석: 1기 신도시가 속한 모도시의 인구, 가구, 주택 지표를 중심으로,” 국토계획, 57(4), 48-62. 10.17208/jkpa.2022.08.57.4.48
통계청, 2024, 민관 데이터 가명결합 기반 「2024년 통근 근로자 이동 특성」 분석 결과.
한국도시지리학회(편), 2020, 「도시지리학개론」, 법문사.
金昶基, 大西隆, 菅正史, 2007, 人口減少と都市構造の変容に関する研究(Study on Depopulation and Transformation of Urban Structure), 都市計画論文集, 2007, 42(3), 835-840.
神田兵庫, 磯田弦, 中谷友樹, 2020, 人口減少局面における日本の都市構造の変遷 (The Transition of Urban Structure in Japan in the Phase of Decreasing Population), 季刊地理学, 72, 91-106.
Airgood-Obrycki, W., Hanlon, B., and Rieger, S., 2021, Delineate the U.S. suburb: An examination of how different definitions of the suburbs matter, Journal of Urban Affairs, 43(9), 1263-1284. 10.1080/07352166.2020.1727294
Dembski, S., Sykes, O., Couch, C., Desjardins, X., David, E., Osterhage, F., Siedentop, S., and Zimmermann, K., 2021, Reurbanisation and suburbia in Northwest Europe: A comparative perspective on spatial trends and policy approaches, Progress in Planning, 150, 100462. 10.1016/j.progress.2019.100462
Dijkstra, L., Poelman, H., and Veneri, P., 2019, The EU-OECD definition of a functional urban area, OECD.
European Commission, 2024, GHSL Data Package 2023, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
European Union, FAO, UN-Habitat, OECD, and The World Bank, 2021, Applying the Degree of Urbanisation: A Methodological Manual to Define Cites, Towns and Rural Areas for International Comparisons.
Forsyth, A., 2012, Defining Suburbs, Journal of Planning Literature, 27(3), 270-281. 10.1177/0885412212448101
Geyer, H. and Kontuly, T., 1993, A theoretical foundation for the concept of differential urbanization, International Regional Science Review, 15(2), 157-177.10.1177/016001769301500202
Gil-Alonso, F., López-Villanueva, C., Bayona-i-Carrasco, J., and Pujadas, I., 2021, Towards an even more Spatially Diversified city? New Metropolitan population trends in the Post-economic crisis Period, Urban Science, 5(2), 41. 10.3390/urbansci5020041
Gu, H. and Sun, B., 2025, The urban spatial change hypothesis revisited: A case study of Shanghai, Cities, 158, 105694. 10.1016/j.cities.2024.105694
Humer, A., Cardoso, R.V., and Meijers, E., 2022, Breaking with the spatial-cycle model: the shift towards ‘syncurbanization’ in polycentric urban regions, Regional Studies, 56(1), 21-35. 10.1080/00343404.2021.1969008
Kawabe, A. and Watanabe, S., 2021, An analysis on urban shrinkage trends of all Japanese cities by detecting relative densely inhabited districts – Changes in urban form of Japanese cities in an era of shrinking population, part 2, Japan Architectural Review, 4, 482-494. 10.1002/2475-8876.12227
Nyström, J., 1992, The cyclical urbanization model: A critical analysis, Geografiska Annaler, Series B, Human Geography, 74(2), 133-144. 10.1080/04353684.1992.11879637
Pacione, M., 2009, Urban Geography: A Global Perspective, Routledge.10.4324/9780203881927
Parr, J.B., 2012, The spatial-cycle model(SCM) revisited, Regional Studies, 46, 217-228. 10.1080/00343404.2011.558895
van den Berg, L., Drewett, R., and Klaassen, L. H., Rossi, A., Vijverberg, C.H.T., 1982, Urban Europe: A Study of Growth and Decline (Vol. 1), Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Wolff, M., 2018, Understanding the role of centralization processes for cities – Evidence from a spatial perspective of urban Europe 1990–2010, Cities, 75, 20-29. 10.1016/j.cities.2017.01.009
통계청, 국가통계포털, https://kosis.kr
통계청, 통계지리정보서비스(SGIS), https://sgis.mods.go.kr
GHSL - Global Human Settlement Layer, https://human-settlement.emergency.copernicus.eu

Information

Publisher :The Association of Korean Geographers
Publisher(Ko) :한국지리학회
Journal Title :Journal of the Association of Korean Geographers
Journal Title(Ko) :한국지리학회지
Volume : 14
No :4
Pages :483~499
DOI :https://doi.org/10.25202/JAKG.14.4.5

[1] 구동회, 2018, “도시발전단계에 관한 이론적 검토,” 국토지리학회지, 52(4), 481-497.

[2] 남상민, 2024, 「통계적 지역 분류체계 활용방안 연구」, 통계청 통계개발원.

[3] 남진·윤병훈·박관우, 2015, “도시성장단계평가를 통한 도시재생의 타당성 분석: 차별적 도시화 모델과 순환적 도시화 모델 적용,” 국토계획, 50(3), 153-177.

[4] 임재현, 1999, “우리나라의 도시별 도시화 단계,” 주택연구, 7(2), 139-164. 10.1097/00010694-199902000-00009

[5] 조해송·정광진, 2022, “도시성장단계 분석을 통한 1기 신도시 지역의 특성 분석: 1기 신도시가 속한 모도시의 인구, 가구, 주택 지표를 중심으로,” 국토계획, 57(4), 48-62. 10.17208/jkpa.2022.08.57.4.48

[6] 통계청, 2024, 민관 데이터 가명결합 기반 「2024년 통근 근로자 이동 특성」 분석 결과.

[7] 한국도시지리학회(편), 2020, 「도시지리학개론」, 법문사.

[8] 金昶基, 大西隆, 菅正史, 2007, 人口減少と都市構造の変容に関する研究(Study on Depopulation and Transformation of Urban Structure), 都市計画論文集, 2007, 42(3), 835-840.

[9] 神田兵庫, 磯田弦, 中谷友樹, 2020, 人口減少局面における日本の都市構造の変遷 (The Transition of Urban Structure in Japan in the Phase of Decreasing Population), 季刊地理学, 72, 91-106.

[10] Airgood-Obrycki, W., Hanlon, B., and Rieger, S., 2021, Delineate the U.S. suburb: An examination of how different definitions of the suburbs matter, Journal of Urban Affairs, 43(9), 1263-1284. 10.1080/07352166.2020.1727294

[11] Dembski, S., Sykes, O., Couch, C., Desjardins, X., David, E., Osterhage, F., Siedentop, S., and Zimmermann, K., 2021, Reurbanisation and suburbia in Northwest Europe: A comparative perspective on spatial trends and policy approaches, Progress in Planning, 150, 100462. 10.1016/j.progress.2019.100462

[12] Dijkstra, L., Poelman, H., and Veneri, P., 2019, The EU-OECD definition of a functional urban area, OECD.

[13] European Commission, 2024, GHSL Data Package 2023, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.

[14] European Union, FAO, UN-Habitat, OECD, and The World Bank, 2021, Applying the Degree of Urbanisation: A Methodological Manual to Define Cites, Towns and Rural Areas for International Comparisons.

[15] Forsyth, A., 2012, Defining Suburbs, Journal of Planning Literature, 27(3), 270-281. 10.1177/0885412212448101

[16] Geyer, H. and Kontuly, T., 1993, A theoretical foundation for the concept of differential urbanization, International Regional Science Review, 15(2), 157-177.10.1177/016001769301500202

[17] Gil-Alonso, F., López-Villanueva, C., Bayona-i-Carrasco, J., and Pujadas, I., 2021, Towards an even more Spatially Diversified city? New Metropolitan population trends in the Post-economic crisis Period, Urban Science, 5(2), 41. 10.3390/urbansci5020041

[18] Gu, H. and Sun, B., 2025, The urban spatial change hypothesis revisited: A case study of Shanghai, Cities, 158, 105694. 10.1016/j.cities.2024.105694

[19] Humer, A., Cardoso, R.V., and Meijers, E., 2022, Breaking with the spatial-cycle model: the shift towards ‘syncurbanization’ in polycentric urban regions, Regional Studies, 56(1), 21-35. 10.1080/00343404.2021.1969008

[20] Kawabe, A. and Watanabe, S., 2021, An analysis on urban shrinkage trends of all Japanese cities by detecting relative densely inhabited districts – Changes in urban form of Japanese cities in an era of shrinking population, part 2, Japan Architectural Review, 4, 482-494. 10.1002/2475-8876.12227

[21] Nyström, J., 1992, The cyclical urbanization model: A critical analysis, Geografiska Annaler, Series B, Human Geography, 74(2), 133-144. 10.1080/04353684.1992.11879637

[22] Pacione, M., 2009, Urban Geography: A Global Perspective, Routledge.10.4324/9780203881927

[23] Parr, J.B., 2012, The spatial-cycle model(SCM) revisited, Regional Studies, 46, 217-228. 10.1080/00343404.2011.558895

[24] van den Berg, L., Drewett, R., and Klaassen, L. H., Rossi, A., Vijverberg, C.H.T., 1982, Urban Europe: A Study of Growth and Decline (Vol. 1), Oxford: Pergamon Press.

[25] Wolff, M., 2018, Understanding the role of centralization processes for cities – Evidence from a spatial perspective of urban Europe 1990–2010, Cities, 75, 20-29. 10.1016/j.cities.2017.01.009

[26] 통계청, 국가통계포털, https://kosis.kr

[27] 통계청, 통계지리정보서비스(SGIS), https://sgis.mods.go.kr

[28] GHSL - Global Human Settlement Layer, https://human-settlement.emergency.copernicus.eu

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