This comprehensive book covers spatial policy and planning issues in both North and South Korea in a nonpolitical way. It is about the unequal economic development of the two Koreas after the Korean War and their problems and prospects of reunification and the creation of an environment favorable to economic cooperation. It consists of sixteen articles by eight authors, representing a range of disciplines, including urban and regional planning, policy, and development. Most of the contributors are based in the region and the United States and provide diverse insights into social, political, and economic development in North and South Korea. The theme of the book is that eventually reunification between North and South Korea will occur and that it will be in the interest of all parties. It is written to assist policy makers and planners in improving the long-term relations between North and South Korea. The contributions are organized in four parts: “Issues and Trends” (six chapters), “Regional Policies in South Korea” (three chapters), “North Korea” (four chapters), and “Reunification” (three chapters).
Part 1 is comprised of six contributions that present the results of the current analysis of the inventory of Korea from the perspective of economy and society, population growth and urban characteristics, and planning strategy. The six chapters provide backdrop analysis of the reunification of North and South Korea. The chapters are well written and original. Chapter 1 by Chang-Hee Christine Bae and Harry Richardson serves as an effective introduction to the book. Chapter 2, “Re-inventing Korea” by Eric Heikkila, examines the larger forces bearing on the future development of the Korean Peninsula under the framework of modernity and tradition. Four development-shaping forces influence the contemporary Korean society, which emphasizes cultural values and spatial identity: market, cultural, historical, and geographical. In chapter 3, Bae and Richardson stress the fertility decline in South Korea, which is experiencing the most rapid aging in the world. The implications of population decline are parallel to the decline in the savings rate, pensions and health care systems, regional and urban policy, and planning and development. Chapter 4, “Urban Issues in the Capital Region and South Korea” by Myung-Jin Jun, focuses on three major issues: spatial transformation and regional disparity, housing issues, and transportation. The results of spatial transformations show three trends: urbanization, dominance of the capital region, and decentralization within the capital region. Chapter 5 by Richardson and Bae, on Seoul, addresses urban primacy issues and draws out its characteristics. The chapter brings up issues of unplanned growth leading to serious congestion, significant housing market disparities, demand for energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and more air pollution. Chapter 6, “Quality of Life and Livable Cities” by Bae and Richardson, discusses improving quality of life in Korean cities by citing two case studies.
Part 2 of the book evaluates urban and regional development policy attempting parallel development in rural areas. Chapter 7, “Greenbelt Policy” by Bae, Jun, and Richardson, examines the recent impact of greenbelt strategy on urban development in South Korea, especially applying a brake to Seoul's physical growth. The authors conclude that the net benefits of the greenbelts are unclear, and there are major conflicts between the greenbelt regulations and individual property rights. Chapter 8, “Balanced National Development” by Richardson, follows Britain's long regional and urban policy experiences as a backdrop to discussion of the case for and against balanced national development in South Korea. Chapter 9, also by Richardson, titled “PCRD (Presidential Committee on Regional Development) and the New Regional Policy,” is devoted to the new regional policy and its implementation. Central to Richardson's argument is an extensive and careful critique of the Grand Canal Waterway and the Four Rivers Restoration Project and the rationale for the creation of the PCRD and ecological preservation, or the managed nature of the landscape. While the chapter is intended to provide a broad understanding of the new regional policy in South Korea, the reader does not get enough of an idea about the restoration project in the absence of a river map.
Part 3 of the book, including chapters 10 through 13, delves into aspects of development in North Korea, such as the limitations of national statistics, the marketization of the economy, interaction with the rest of Northeast Asia, and the need for a spatial infrastructure strategy. Chapter 10, “DPRK Statistics: Availability and Reliability” by Suk Lee, barely touches on regional issues but addresses the controversy of whether North Korean statistics are reliable; the answer to this question is mixed but nevertheless valuable. Chapter 11, “The Role of Markets in North Korea” by Curtis Melvin, provides a geographical account of markets that began to grow outside the state infrastructure. The author also stresses that the North Korean economy has been dependent on Soviet subsidies and has recently been dependent on Chinese and South Korean trade and aid. Chapter 12, “Lifting the North Korean Economy” by Won Bae Kim, proposes a mixed public-private approach to building the basic architecture of infrastructure in North Korea. The author rightly points out in this chapter that an international or multilateral approach is necessary because integrating North Korea into the regional economy is not just South Korea's concern but also that of neighboring countries such as China, Japan, and Russia (p. 175). Chapter 13, “A Global Business Strategy for North Korea” by Richardson and Bae, deals with the challenges and future of North Korea. Their contribution to this effort is a comprehensive introduction to such challenges as denuclearization, terrorism, trade restrictions, deterioration of North Korea's economy, Russia's withdrawal from aid, infrastructure gaps, underinvestment in industry, insufficient arable land, fuel scarcities, inefficiencies of collective farming, flooding and famines, and negative growth. The scale of the problem is so big that a multilateral approach is needed.
Part 4 of the book examines the case of reunification in the interest of both the South and the North. Chapter 14, “Economic Integration Strategies for Korean Reunification: Lessons from Recent History” by Jiyoung Park, builds on the historical lessons learned from the experiences of Germany, Yemen, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and the European Union. Perhaps one of Park's most valuable contributions is his three-phase model of a National Community Unification Formula: reconciliation and cooperation, confederation, and unification. Herein the author also focuses on the costs and benefits, as well as the economic impacts of integration. Chapter 15, “A Spatial Strategy for Korean Re-unification” by Kim and Richardson, argues that a transitional approach would be less expensive and less risky than sudden reunification. In chapter 16, “Options for the Capital of a Reunified Korea,” Richardson and Bae examine whether the capital should remain in Seoul or be relocated elsewhere should reunification occur. In engaging with the issue of relocation of the capital, the authors suggest the significance of location, politics, economics, and social and cultural factors. A location-allocation analysis of the capital city is missing from this chapter.
A broad overview of Korean physical and human geography, which is essential to comprehend the complexity of nature-society interaction, is absent in the scheme of this book. Also, this reviewer felt that a concluding chapter would create a synergy between the issues and trends discussed in the beginning, the regional policies elaborated later, and the potential for reunification discussed in the end. For some this might be a shortcoming. Overall, the contributors and editors have woven a thoroughly engaging book because of its unique perspective, implicit prescriptions, and accessible style. The book is sure to generate plenty of discussion and debate. Intended for academics, planners, and policy makers, this book is thought provoking.
