Issue Five poles and three special zones: super-regional mega-regions with integrated transport

Summary

Individual provinces and metropolitan cities are too small to close gaps or respond to global strategic industry restructuring, so the report argues that industry, transport, talent and settlement must be integrated at super-regional scale. A super-regional mega-region system based on five poles and three special zones is presented as essential. Its direction is to build mega-regions such as Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam to raise the mobility of industry, logistics and talent. Strategies include a second ring network and wider regional road networks, smart logistics and AI transport, and integrated super-regional development strategies. The expected effects are regional commutes of 30 to 40 minutes between hub and satellite cities, lower travel and logistics costs and a more attractive business location outside the capital.