• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.413-424
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• 2003

This study aims to interpret the location of 4 traditional settlements in the Youngnam district of Korea in view of geomorphology. For this study, GIS techniques were used to analyse quantitatively the degree of slope, slope aspect and the relation with river/stream of these regions. Yugok is located on pediment in the valley basin. Cheonjeon is located in the end part of the hill. Hahoe is located on the convex natural levee of the flood plain. Yangdong is located on a hillside. Houses are mostly distributed with south, southeast, and southwest aspect, but in Hahoe face all sides. Also, the settlements are located on average $10{\sim}20m$ above river bed. This indicates a safe height above river bed for avoiding an flood damage. These results imply that the location of the traditional settlement is based on a scientific logic and rationale. It is thus argued that the settlements satisfy exellent geomorphic conditions from the perspective of modern theories of residential location.