The most striking aspect of the Third Capital Region Development Plan announced by the government is the transformation of Seoul-centric capital region spatial structure into a self-reliant polycentric structure through the development of 10 central cities.
To achieve this, the government plans to pursue balanced development within the capital region through cluster-type industrial arrangement and promote network-type spatial structure formation in transportation networks, shifting away from the ring-and-grid format.
◇Spatial Structure = The self-reliant polycentric structure is divided considering commute zones, daily life zones, and historical factors.
These include the Incheon-Bucheon-Gimpo zone, Suwon-Hwaseong zone, Seongnam-Yongin zone, Anyang-Gunpo-Uiwang zone, Namyangju-Guri zone, Pyeongtaek-Anseong zone, Uijeongbu-Yangju-Dongducheon zone, Ansan-Siheung zone, Paju-Goyang zone, and Icheon-Gwangju-Yeoju zone.
The government has decided to enhance self-sufficiency in various sectors including business, commerce, education, culture, and entertainment by intensively developing and reorganizing central cities within each urban zone.
In addition, taking into account regional location characteristics and existing industrial nature, the government plans to induce five specialized industrial belts in the capital region and establish innovation clusters centered on them to enhance competitiveness.
Seoul and surrounding areas will specialize in Northeast Asian financial and business functions and develop a 'business and urban-type industry belt' centered on knowledge-based industries and urban-oriented manufacturing.
The Suwon and Incheon regions will be developed as an 'international logistics and advanced industry belt' centered on Suwon's semiconductor industry, components and materials in Ansan and Siheung, and Incheon's free economic zone and Incheon International Airport and ports as hubs.
Gyeonggi North region will form a display industry cluster centered on the Paju LCD complex and establish a linkage system with the Gaeseong Industrial Complex to create a 'north-south exchange-centered industry belt'.
Gyeonggi East region will develop a 'rural leisure belt' that combines leisure tourism utilizing natural environment and ceramic businesses in Icheon, Yeoju, and Gwangju with cultural tourism products. Gyeonggi South will be developed as a 'maritime logistics and complex industry belt' by integrating pharmaceutical industries in Hwaseong and Anseong, automotive parts industries in Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek, display industries in Pyeongtaek and Asan Bay, and logistics industries centered on Pyeongtaek Port.
◇Expansion of Transportation Infrastructure and Logistics Facilities = Transportation and logistics policy focuses on securing international competitiveness of the capital region through expansion of transportation and logistics infrastructure and establishing a network-type transportation and logistics system to expand intra-regional exchange.
The government plans to increase the transit mode share of subways to 40% by 2020 and enhance efficiency of railroad networks by operating both regular and express trains on metropolitan railways.
The government also decided to proceed without delays on the construction of trunk road networks (7×4+3R), consisting of seven north-south axes, four east-west axes, and three ring roads, which are being promoted to alleviate traffic congestion in densely trafficked areas and promote the multi-hub linked spatial structure of the capital region.
In particular, the government plans to actively pursue the construction of the Second Outer Ring Highway to disperse traffic on the Seoul Outer Ring Highway, which is approaching capacity limits, and strengthen inter-city connectivity.
Furthermore, to enable Incheon International Airport to function as a Northeast Asian hub airport, the government plans to expand the cargo terminal site from 148,000 square meters to 251,000 square meters by 2008 and add runways to handle 44 million passengers and 4.5 million tons of cargo annually.
In addition, the government plans to expand Gunpo Comprehensive Cargo Terminal, a logistics hub of the capital region, from 110,000 pyeong to 215,000 pyeong, construct additional Uiwang ICD facilities, build a 120,000 pyeong-scale northern inland cargo base in Bongseo-ri, Paju, and review the construction of a southern capital region inland cargo base.
The capital region will be divided into six zones—Uijeongbu, Bucheon, Incheon, Yeoju, Suwon, and Ansan—based on the transportation system, and distribution centers will be established in each zone.
In addition, shared collection and delivery centers will be placed in Capital Region District 1, Gyeonggi District, and Sihwa Industrial Complex, and a comprehensive railway logistics center including logistics warehouses, container yards, and oil distribution bases will be constructed at Saegsek Station.
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