Flexible Zoning and Mixed Use in Seoul, Korea Planning Implications of Seoul's Zoning Model

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