Residential segregation refers to the phenomenon where people of different socioeconomic backgrounds live in spatially separated areas. It is essential to ensure equitable access to urban amenities for all residents in pursuit of the normative values in urban planning. To achieve this planning goal, the disparity in accessibility to urban amenities needs to be appropriately diagnosed. Private apartments and public rental apartments are representative types of residences where residential segregation is likely to occur in the context of South Korea, since these two types show considerable differences in education, income, and occupations. The objective of this study is to develop an analysis framework for diagnosing the difference in accessibility to urban amenities between the two residential types, and to empirically demonstrate their utility in the planning process. The most highlighted methodological novelty of the proposed analysis framework is that it includes not only global indicators for diagnosing the overall level of accessibility in the entire study area and assessing its statistical significance but also local indicators that represent local variations in accessibility. The empirical analysis conducted on Seoul revealed that not only were there significant local variations in accessibility between the two segregated residential areas, but the overall differences across the entire area were also pronounced. The proposed framework is useful in supporting decision-making processes for locating new public facilities or identifying regional priorities for guiding the placement of private amenities, with the aim of mitigating differences between segregated residential areas.

Residential segregation refers to the phenomenon where people of different socioeconomic backgrounds live in spatially separated areas. It is essential to ensure equitable access to urban amenities for all residents in pursuit of the normative values in urban planning. To achieve this planning goal, the disparity in accessibility to urban amenities needs to be appropriately diagnosed. Private apartments and public rental apartments are representative types of residences where residential segregation is likely to occur in the context of South Korea, since these two types show considerable differences in the education, income, and occupations. The objective of this study is to develop an analysis framework for diagnosing the difference in accessibility to urban amenities between the two residential types, and to empirically demonstrate their utility in the planning process. The empirical analysis conducted on Seoul revealed that not only were there significant local variations in accessibility between the two segregated residential areas, but the overall differences across the entire area were also pronounced. The proposed framework is useful in supporting decision-making processes for locating new public facilities or identifying regional priorities for guiding the placement of private amenities, with the aim of mitigating differences between segregated residential areas.

Despite evidence of the growing importance of shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) in addressing climate change globally, there is a gap in research concerning the prediction of regional SSP populations. This study aims to project Seoul’s population from 2020 to 2100 under various SSPs and to interpolate this population through a spatiotemporal approach. Utilizing data from the Korea National Statistical Office and international socioeconomic scenario data, we applied a regression model for predicting population growth. This was supplemented with population projections derived from cohort modeling to enhance accuracy. Population allocation within each grid was determined based on the total floor area of residential buildings. To reflect shifting population demands, we adjusted long-term population trends using observed building completion dates from 2010 to 2020. By 2100, SSP3 is projected to have Seoul’s lowest population at 2,344,075, while SSP5 is expected to have the highest at 5,683,042. We conducted an analysis of grid population characteristics based on SSPs and verified the accuracy of our findings. Our results underscore the importance of refined population estimates for sustainable urban planning, indicating the potential for extending grid population estimates to other regions.

Density and diversity are fundamental attributes of urban environments, shaped by complex land use patterns that evolve over time. This study conducted a comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of urban growth in two adjacent mid-sized cities, Cheonan and Asan, Korea, employing a spatial statistical framework designed to capture the intricate interplay between building density and diversity. Unlike traditional approaches that analyzed these factors independently, this study integrated both measures into a unified analytical model, identifying zones where high density and high diversity co-clustered over the past two decades. The empirical findings show a consistent monocentric growth pattern across both cities, while also uncovering emergent areas of strong co-clustering, indicating a shift towards more integrated land use practices. This spatial overlap points to a synchronized development trajectory and suggests the potential conurbation of the two cities. By examining the co-clustering dynamics of density and diversity, this study provides new insights into urban development processes, offering valuable guidance for planners and policymakers in shaping future growth strategies.

This study proposes a novel method to assess urban park accessibility by incorporating perceived utility based on both park area and distance. Departing from conventional models that treat accessibility as a function of geometric proximity alone, we define park utility as a distance-discounted benefit of park area, thereby allowing for a more behaviorally grounded measure. A customized discounting function is introduced, where larger park sizes proportionally reduce perceived travel cost, and walking speed adjustments are applied based on demographic user profiles (children, adults, and older adults). The methodology was implemented using a Python-based v.3.12.9 geospatial workflow with network-based distance calculations between 18,614 census block groups and all urban parks in Seoul. Population-weighted utility scores were computed by integrating park size, distance, and age-specific mobility adjustments. The results reveal significant intra-urban disparities, with a citywide deficit of 4,066,046 m in population-weighted distance, particularly in areas with large populations but insufficient proximity to high-utility parks. Simulation analyses of 30 candidate sites demonstrate that strategic park placement can yield substantial utility improvements (maximum gain: 493,436 m), while indiscriminate expansion may not. These findings offer spatial decision support for optimizing limited public resources in urban green infrastructure planning and underscore the need to consider both park scale and user-specific walking behavior in evaluating accessibility.