Flexible Zoning and Mixed Use in Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Zoning has long been criticized for its negative effects and has been taken for granted that zoning works as ahurdle to urban diversity. Responses in the US have emphasized more fine-grained zoning approaches that plan mixeduse. This paper introduces and evaluates Seoul’s zoning system as a possible alternative. While US zoning regulationshave relied on distinguishing ever larger numbers of land use zoning categories, Seoul has opted to integrate new landuses into existing classifications, allowing for greater flexibility of use in each zone. Using municipal building records toevaluate land use in three mid-density residential districts, this paper demonstrates that Seoul’s flexible zoning is capableof producing diverse mixed use neighborhoods. It then highlights the potential downside of this approach, showing thatflexibility allows for the commercialization and sectoral gentrification of residential districts. It concludes by suggestingthat a combination of flexible zones and more fine-grained plans would capture the advantages of both US and Koreanplanning.