Korea Real Estate Board president proposes 15-minute connectivity for livable cities

Korea Real Estate Board President Lee Heon-uk suggested that ideal hub cities should accommodate 1.5 million people within 100㎢, provided central hubs are reachable within 15 minutes to mitigate spatial risk.

Approximately 90% of the population in South Korea resides in cities. In terms of population density, 87% of the total population is concentrated in urban areas where more than 3,000 people live per 1㎢. The issue is that most of this population is concentrated in a narrow area that accounts for only 2.6% of the total land area. Lee Heon-uk, President of the Korea Real Estate Board, defines the essence of a city as "a place where people and jobs gather," and has presented specific conditions to create cities people want to stay in, moving beyond the phenomenon of concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area.

Conditions for a 'City Ecosystem' combining jobs, consumption, and transportation

President Lee identified "jobs" and "a good environment for families to live" as the primary factors people consider when contemplating moving to a new city. He explained that beyond simply providing residential space, an industrial ecosystem must be established to nurture talent and attract global professionals. His analysis suggests that alongside talent development, industries and jobs must be supported to provide the momentum for people to consume within the city.

Regarding the consumption ecosystem in particular, he emphasized that a city's functions are only complete when various layers coexist, ranging from premium consumption to mass-market options and budget-friendly choices. He noted that such a multi-layered consumption ecosystem, combined with diverse daily life services, is what ultimately makes a city a place where people want to remain.

"Connectivity" emerged as a key variable determining a city's sustainability. President Lee analyzed that narrowing the physical distance to neighboring cities is the decisive key to reducing spatial risk. "A local transportation network must be established that allows travel to surrounding cities within a 50km radius in 15 to 20 minutes," he said. "If a structure is created where central hubs can be reached within 15 minutes, the phenomenon of excessive preference for specific areas can be mitigated." He explained that if commuting to a central hub is possible within 15 minutes, preference for specific spaces decreases, which can significantly lower spatial risk.

100㎢ scale to accommodate 1.5 million people, with '15-minute connectivity' as the core

He also provided specific figures regarding the scale of an ideal hub city. He posited an appropriate city size of approximately 100㎢ that allows for movement to hubs within 15 minutes. The plan involves accommodating a population of about 1.5 million people within this area, while securing 40% of the total city area as green spaces, waterfront areas, or open spaces. He explained that by developing the remaining 60% of the space at high density, the quality of the city can be improved by creating an environment where citizens can access nature at any time.

This design is a strategy to manage the stress felt by citizens while increasing urban density. The intent is that it is not about simply gathering as many people as possible, but rather maintaining comfort by appropriately distributing high-density development zones and green or waterfront spaces.

Urban design in the AI era: The role of a 'Real Estate Data Hub'

He also addressed the direction cities should take in the rapidly changing AI era. Mentioning that the Korea Real Estate Board currently holds the largest amount of real estate data in South Korea, President Lee revealed plans to utilize this as a "Real Estate Data Hub." The logic is that precise data is crucial in the AI era, and by utilizing the Korea Real Estate Board's data, the organization can suggest directions for future cities and provide guidelines to offer a better living environment to citizens.

Urban design based on data aims not only to increase efficiency but also to create a virtuous cycle where the benefits of urban development are returned to the citizens. "It is important to create a sustainable structure where the benefits of urban development are not concentrated in a specific class but are returned to all citizens so that no one is marginalized," Lee added, noting that innovation and the improvement of quality of life must be achieved simultaneously.

Ultimately, the future of cities depends on the combination of jobs, housing, transportation, and the precise data that supports them. President Lee presented a blueprint centered on data and connectivity regarding how cities—the everyday spaces where we breathe, eat, and work—must evolve.

Source: original video (YouTube)