Recently, the number of shrinking cities has been rapidly increasing in East Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan, and China. This trend is expected to spread to various parts of the world, such as Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. The challenges faced by shrinking cities are diverse. These include the maintenance of overbuilt infrastructure, housing, and commercial buildings; a reduced supply of public and private services; weakened capacity to respond to crime and disasters; and a decline in regional economic activity. Therefore, it is necessary to establish plans and policies to mitigate these issues, supported by research.

The recent trend of shrinking cities is primarily driven by aging populations and declining birth rates, making the process more gradual and predictable compared to past cases of urban shrinkage caused by wars or rapid industrial decline. This presents an opportunity to develop more proactive plans and policies than those used in past shrinking cities. Conventional urban planning systems were developed during times of growth and built on the assumption of continuous expansion. Therefore, existing urban planning systems are not suitable for the era of shrinking cities and require adjustments. Additionally, a deeper understanding of the changes and challenges occurring in shrinking cities is essential. In his talk, Prof. Hong will provide an overview of urban planning and shrinking cities and will explore the future direction of urban planning in the context of shrinking cities

Sponsor(s): Center for Korean Studies