• Journal of the Korean association of regional geographers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.599-614
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• 2016

Urban centers have been recognized as problem regions so far. However, urban centers of metropolises take a new aspect in recent years as much as the negative influence of gentrification becomes a social issue. This paper analyzes the declining trend of urban centers in six metropolises - Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gwangju and Daejun from 1995 to 2010. As results of analysis, it is identified that the urban centers' shrinkage got moderated recently in the metropolises, even though their resurgence is not evident. Especially it is difficult to say longer that Jongro-Gu and Jung-Gu of Seoul are declining urban centers. Easing shrinkage is most outstanding in Jung-Gu, Daegu among local metropolises. Nevertheless, a serious obstacle such as high price of housing is in the process of obvious resurgence of urban center differently from the United States, Europe and Japan.