Trends and Issues of Garden City Municipal Projects in Korea

Recently, local governments in Korea have increasingly adopted the ‘Garden City’ slogan and implemented green space policies. This trend combines the expansion of urban green spaces with strategies for community engagement and urban branding, such as hosting garden expos. This study critically examines the theoretical and practical issues in the promotion of these garden city municipal projects. It first reviews existing literature to provide a historical account and redefines the concept of a garden city, identifying key theoretical perspectives: ‘formation of a civic community,’ ‘establishment of eco-friendly urban systems,’ and ‘construction of urban identity.’ The subsequent section briefly reviews legal framework and policies related to garden cities, analyzing the reorganization of major local government units into three types: ‘establishment of dedicated units,’ ‘renaming of existing units,’ and ‘consolidation of existing units.’ It then identifies significant issues in the promotion of garden city projects through the lens of theoretical perspectives, including ‘ensuring project distinctiveness reflecting local identity,’ ‘expanding the garden concept,’ ‘integrating green and urban infrastructures through garden urbanism,’ ‘promoting resident participation and community revitalization,’ and ‘establishing sustainable management through inter-local governments and administrative units cooperation.’ Finally, it suggests that the professional identity of landscape architects should evolve into urbanists who manage various types of green spaces.