Issue Linking regional hubs with surrounding small cities through wide-area transport and services

Summary

For hub concentration not to end in growth for large cities alone, the report stresses that functional links between each hub and the small and medium cities of its region must be built at the same time. It frames concentration and dispersion not as a binary choice but as a structure in which energy gathered in hubs spreads across the whole region. Wide-area transport is the main tool, and the Sejong case shows that such networks influence the structure of population inflows, not just travel convenience. Investment in wide-area bus rapid transit, regional rail and demand-responsive transport should be combined to suit each region and pursued together with relocation decisions. A wide-area service delivery system including telemedicine, touring education and linked cultural programmes should also let residents of smaller cities use the medical, educational and cultural services concentrated in hubs.