Reports

• Topic Urban Planning/ Housing
• AuthorJihye Han, Hyunjeong Lim, Gain Lee

• 조회수17
• 등록일2026-06-30

This study examines the need to reform the Capital Region Management Zone System(CRMZ System) from the perspective of Seoul’s urban growth management, in light of evolving demographic, industrial, and spatial dynamics in the Seoul Capital Region(SCR). Since the 1994 revision of the Capital Region Readjustment Planning Act, the entirety of Seoul has remained designated as an Overconcentration Control Zone(OCZ). However, this framework was developed under the assumption that Seoul was the primary locus of overconcentration—an assumption that no longer reflects current conditions. Today, growth in population and industry has increasingly shifted toward southern Gyeonggi Province, while Seoul faces new challenges such as population decline, industrial restructuring, intra-urban disparities, and changing housing demand. The study reviews the evolution of the CRMZ System and identifies key issues associated with Seoul’s OCZ designation. It finds that the most consequential constraints stem from deliberation by the Capital Region Planning Committee, congestion charges, and indirect restrictions embedded in related policy areas such as taxation and housing supply. These overlapping regulatory mechanisms impose significant constraints on Seoul’s urban growth management, particularly in advancing strategic priorities including the development of international business and high-tech industry hubs, the expansion of housing supply in central urban areas, and the fostering of new growth centers in relatively underdeveloped areas. The study also assesses the effectiveness of the CRMZ System. While the system has contributed to some degree of population and industrial redistribution within the capital region—most notably the relocation of manufacturing activities from the OCZ to the Growth Management Zone—it has been less effective in reducing overall concentration or advancing balanced national development. High-value service sectors and innovation functions remain heavily concentrated in Seoul and the OCZ, and concentration in the SCR has intensified through a self-reinforcing dynamic linking population inflows, corporate headquarters, R&D capacity, skilled labor, fiscal resources, and infrastructure. These findings suggest that the CRMZ System can no longer be sustained as a framework primarily aimed at suppressing capital region growth. Instead, it should be reoriented toward a model of selective and strategic growth management that better supports national competitiveness. To this end, the study proposes three broad directions for reform: redefining the system’s role to focus on managing internal restructuring and functional reorganization within the SCR; clarifying the division of roles between the central government and metropolitan governments; and transitioning from uniform controls to more targeted and differentiated regulatory approaches. Building on these principles, the study outlines five key policy tasks: redesigning the system to prioritize internal restructuring within the capital region while pursuing balanced national development through separate policy instruments; reassessing Seoul’s blanket OCZ designation and introducing more differentiated management; streamlining procedural regulations; improving alignment with housing policy in response to changing household structures; and expanding exceptions and incentives for strategically important sectors, including advanced industries and international business functions.  

• Topic Social Affairs/ Welfare
• AuthorGeumsun Byun, Minseok Yoon, Mingyu Lee, Junyoung Lee, Seonga Kim, Injae Shin, Subeom Choi, Youngjoo Lee, Seungjae Lee, Dahae Kim, Junghee Bae, Sungwon Yoon, Sooyoung Kim, Heera Kim, Dayeon Yang

• 조회수14
• 등록일2026-06-25

This study examines the implications of digital welfare policies for citizens’ lives and rights in an era of digital transformation increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and data technologies. Digital technologies can enhance the efficiency and accessibility of welfare services, but they may also generate new forms of inequality, exclusion, and rights infringement. Drawing on literature and policy reviews, expert Delphi surveys, case analyses, administrative data analysis, and focus group interviews, this study assesses the current state of digital welfare in Seoul. The findings suggest that digital welfare should be understood as a rights-based welfare policy domain centered on citizens’ needs and lived experiences, rather than as a technology-driven initiative. While Seoul’s digital welfare programs have improved service delivery and outreach, their effectiveness is limited by fragmented implementation, weak institutional foundations, digital access and capability gaps, and growing burdens on frontline workers. The study concludes that digital welfare should be guided by social rights, self-determination, privacy, and accountable governance to improve citizens’ quality of life.

• Topic Economy/ Administrative·Financial Affairs
• AuthorInuk Hwang, Min young Hwang, Heonjae Song, Ji Eun Lee

• 조회수15
• 등록일2026-06-25

Our study investiagted the experiences of Seoul workers’ of the 52 weekly working hours cap, introduced in July 2018, on their health and labor indicators. Our study is structured as follows. First, we implemented a causal analysis of the effect of the reform on individual expenditures related to health and leisure by using difference-in-differences model and NaSTaB data between 2017 and 2024. Second, given the heterogeneity among the labor force participants in Seoul and difficulties in empricial analysis involving labor and health, we conducted an online survey for Seoul paid workers (n=400) on their subjective experiences of the reform on health care utilization, leisure, physical activities, and life satisfaction. Combinedly, our results suggested that the effect of 52-weekly working hours cap reform on individual labor indicators (weekly working hours and annual income) is contested and not robust but may have been positive among some workers, indicator significant heterogeneity among the Seoul labor market. Specifically, our survey results suggested that workers with difference number of jobs experienced the reform quite differently in terms of labor hours. It also suggested that following the reform, non-negligible proportion of the workers experienced improvements in incidences of health care unmet needs, leisure time, frequencies of physical activities, and life satisfaction indicators. We believe our results showed that setting the maximum working hour cap alone is not sufficient to achieve the true objective of the reform, which is to improve individual health and well-being, and therefore policy levers created from health perspective is strongly needed to be rooted in the labor policies of the national and Seoul government.   

• Topic Economy/ Administrative·Financial Affairs
• AuthorChanyoung Hong, Sungjun An

• 조회수50
• 등록일2026-06-16

Telemedicine is a form of medical service that enables medical treatment without in-person interaction, based on information and communication technologies. In Korea, telemedicine had been implemented only in the form of pilot programs since 1988, but since 2023, pilot projects for remote consultations and related technology development initiatives have been gaining momentum. Telemedicine is being developed with hardware and software technologies at nearly equal proportions, indicating that it belongs to the category of convergent technologies. Meanwhile, business models in telemedicine are broadly classified into three types: platform-based businesses, clinical software, and medical-device hardware. In Korea, approximately 200,000 remote consultations are conducted per month, and the share of telemedicine among all outpatient visits stands at around 0.2–0.3%. Thus, it remains unclear when substantial growth in the telemedicine sector will begin. From the perspective of local governments, telemedicine carries more significance in expanding medical accessibility, than in driving industrial development. Since the Seoul Metropolitan Government operates 12 public medical institutions, it is recommended that they be utilized to explore ways to expand access to healthcare through the promotion of telemedicine.

• Topic Safety/ Infrastructure
• AuthorOh Han Jin, Park Daegeun, Lee Keesei, Ma Gyeonghoon

• 조회수53
• 등록일2026-06-02

As a high-density metropolitan area with substantial traffic volumes, Seoul requires a systematic winter road maintenance strategy to ensure public safety. An analysis of weather data from 2020/2021 to 2024/2025 shows a decline in snowfall days but a rise in road icing incidents. This shift highlights the need to move from snow accumulation-focused responses to preventive strategies targeting icy conditions. Given Seoul’s diverse topography?densely populated areas, bridges, and steep slopes?flexible and proactive snow removal planning is essential. Snow removal responsibilities are distributed among multiple agencies, resulting in uneven service quality. District offices, in particular, face a heavier burden due to their role in clearing not only local roads but also city-assigned roads and pedestrian areas. Resource disparities and inconsistent manuals have created blind spots in response. Coordinated frameworks and GIS-based planning are required to establish balanced, road-class-specific strategies. Currently designated vulnerable sites lack clear, scientific selection criteria and often overlap. A risk-based classification system reflecting traffic volume, structure, and weather variability is necessary for efficient equipment allocation. Deicing agent use shows weak alignment with actual conditions due to variations in equipment, field decisions, and the absence of guidelines for non-roadway zones. Operational standards should be revised, equipment modernized, and spatial data expanded to improve efficiency. Finally, decision-making still heavily relies on experience rather than integrated weather and surface data. A more scientific, standardized response protocol is needed to reduce inter-district discrepancies and improve timeliness. This study proposes key improvement tasks to support a Seoul-specific snow removal model centered on safety, resource efficiency, and climate adaptability.

• Topic Climate Change/ Environment
• AuthorWon-Joo Kim, Seo-Hyun Yoon, Ja-Yeon Heo, Su-Han Ham

• 조회수59
• 등록일2026-05-29

Seoul is currently navigating a profound demographic transformation defined by a “Twin Shift”: the concurrent onset of a super-aged society and the normalization of single-person households. This shift has exacerbated social disconnection and generational segregation, posing a significant challenge to the city’s social fabric. This study provides a precise diagnosis of Seoul’s urban parks within this critical context, revealing a severe “supply-demand mismatch.” Despite a large inventory of parks, a significant majority (e.g., 85% of children’s parks established before 2000) remain functionally obsolete, stuck in a past paradigm focused on child-centric amenities. Consequently, these vital public assets are failing to serve the needs of new demographic majorities—namely the elderly and single-person households—thus failing to function as effective social infrastructure. Our multi-dimensional analysis—synthesizing SKT LITMUS mobile big data, metropolitan transportation logs, a comparative case study, and a 511-citizen survey—quantifies this disconnection. The data reveals a stark “generational spatial segregation”: young adults exhibit region-wide mobility centered around a few urban hubs, while the elderly’s activity is increasingly hyper-local and confined to their immediate neighborhoods. The in-depth analysis of Eunpyeong’s Bulkwang (“stable elderly residential area”) versus Hyanglim (“rapidly growing young bedtown”) districts confirms the limitations of a one-size-fits-all park policy. Furthermore, the survey uncovers a “silent majority,” with 62.5% of residents visiting parks once a month or less. Their primary demands for park regeneration are not only a “safe and pleasant environment” (50.9%) but emphatically “spaces designed for multi-generational use” (33.7%). This finding signals an urgent mandate to move beyond simple facility renovation and to fundamentally redesign parks as spaces that actively foster natural social encounters. Under the guiding vision of a “Green Hub of Fusion and Vitality,” this report proposes a comprehensive framework to transform parks into dynamic “community platforms” or “Social Power Plants”" that actively generate social capital. This framework is built on four integrated key strategies: Hardware (Space): Mandating comprehensive “Barrier-Free design” for universal accessibility for strollers, wheelchairs, and the elderly. This strategy moves beyond mere compliance to create functionally integrated spaces, such as themed, complex healing areas (e.g., the Baengnyeon Neighborhood Park model) where different generations can comfortably coexist. Software (Program): Activating dynamic, interactive programs that foster mutual learning and respect. Key proposals include “community gardening” and “digital bridging classes” (where youth teach seniors technology). The sustainability of these programs will be secured through a new citizen-led “Park Facilitator” system, empowering residents to participate directly in park operation. Smartware (Technology): Employing “inclusive technology” to enhance, not alienate. This involves developing an integrated park app and AR (Augmented Reality) docents while critically ensuring accessibility features (e.g., large fonts, voice guidance) to bridge the digital divide for seniors. Systemware (Operation): Establishing a sustainable Public-Private Partnership (PPP) governance model, tentatively named the “Seoul Parks Conservancy.” This entity will ensure professional management and financial diversification, utilizing KPI-based management (tracking user data by generation and program participation) to ensure accountability and long-term vitality. To ensure feasibility and move beyond theory, this report presents concrete, tailored pilot projects grounded in the data analysis. For Gangbuk-gu, with the highest elderly population, Odong Park is proposed as a “Senior-Friendly Park for Health and Care,” featuring universal design and smart exercise equipment linked directly with local public health centers. Conversely, for Gwanak-gu, home to the highest concentration of youth and single-person households, Byeolbitnaerincheon Park is reimagined as a “Smart River Park.” This model breaks the mold of a traditional park by introducing “Smart Work/Study Zones” (with robust Wi-Fi and charging) and “shared kitchens” to support the “social dining” lifestyle of its core demographic. These specific, data-driven models provide a clear and actionable blueprint for the future of Seoul’s public spaces, shifting the paradigm from passive green shelters to active, essential social infrastructure.

• Topic Safety/ Infrastructure
• AuthorJung Yeonjong, Kim Kyungmin, Lee Jaewhan, Jeong Hoyoung

• 조회수46
• 등록일2026-05-26

Challenges in Managing Road Facilities Road facility management is one of the core responsibilities of local governments, facing several issues such as aging infrastructure, budget shortages, and the absence of an efficient maintenance system. In particular, the deterioration of road facilities increases the likelihood of safety accidents, leading to gradually increasing costs for reactive maintenance. In this situation, local governments need a systematic and strategic approach for preventive maintenance of road facilities, but the current budget operation methods and management systems do not effectively support this. Budget Shortages and Inefficient Allocation Local governments have limited budgets for infrastructure maintenance, and there are difficulties in efficiently allocating funds to necessary items. The budget allocation process requires cooperation between the government and local authorities, but currently, it is uniformly allocated by the central government. Complexity and Diversity of Road Facilities Road facilities consist of various elements such as structures, pavements, and drainage systems, leading to high complexity in the maintenance process. Each facility has unique characteristics and purposes, resulting in different maintenance cycles and methods. Simple budget allocation that does not reflect these differences can reduce management efficiency and lead to greater long-term costs. Lack of Field-Based Data There is a lack of reliable data that can accurately diagnose the condition of road facilities. This is a major factor in reducing the accuracy and efficiency of maintenance strategy development. In particular, there is insufficient quantitative data necessary for facility management, making it difficult to take a scientific and systematic approach to preventive maintenance. The Need for preventive Maintenance of Road Pavements Road pavement is a critical element directly related to traffic safety. Through preventive maintenance, both cost reduction and safety enhancement can be achieved simultaneously, as opposed to reactive maintenance. Severity of Aging and Problems According to research by the Korea Expressway Corporation and Seoul City, road pavement deterioration progresses rapidly on roads over 10 years old, and if left unattended, maintenance costs increase exponentially. The degradation of road pavement is closely related to traffic accident rates, making preventive management essential for prevention. preventive maintenance can ensure long-term safety and economic efficiency. Cost-Effectiveness preventive maintenance is cost-effective in the long term compared to reactive repairs. For example, research shows that performing maintenance at a minor deterioration stage can save 30-50% compared to restoration costs after progressing to severe deterioration. Life cycle cost analysis results show that preventive maintenance effectively extends the lifespan of road pavements and delays repaving cycles, significantly reducing the total maintenance costs. Improved Road Safety Preventive maintenance plays a crucial role in ensuring vehicle driving safety, which directly leads to a reduction in traffic accidents. The better the road condition, the more effectively accident risks can be reduced. Additionally, good road conditions provide the added environmental benefit of improving vehicle fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. This means achieving both economic cost savings and environmental protection simultaneously. Improvement Measures for Integrated Management System for preventive Maintenance of Road Pavements Development of Road Pavement Aging Prediction Model This study proposes an economic evaluation framework for flexible road networks, considering the benefits of preventive maintenance based on various factors such as the types of preventive maintenance methods, the scope of preventive maintenance compared to reactive maintenance methods, service management standards set by local governments, budget constraints, and intervention timing. A road pavement aging prediction model was developed that can estimate costs and conditions at the road unit level using deterioration curves based on the International Roughness Index (IRI). Development of Life Cycle Cost Analysis Method The IRI-based deterioration curve is the foundation of this research, used to predict road pavement conditions based on inspection data and implementation of preventive maintenance strategies. The exponential curve has been shown in many previous studies to effectively represent road deterioration, and this study developed a road deterioration model based on the IRI. To answer the research question "What benefits can be expected from preventive maintenance in road maintenance?", this study investigated the long-term effects of preventive maintenance in road maintenance considering various scenarios including the ratio of reactive to preventive maintenance, types of preventive maintenance, and required serviceability for up to 50 years. An economic evaluation framework was proposed by separately modeling the deterioration curves for roads with and without preventive maintenance strategies. In the case study of the "Second Jayuro" expressway used in this study, sensitivity analysis was performed on the coverage of preventive maintenance to predict annual and total road maintenance costs. The simulation results of road maintenance costs over 50 years confirmed the expected costs of the expressway depending on whether preventive maintenance was implemented or not. Proposal for Integrated Management System Based on these research results, this study proposed a web-based integrated management system for preventive maintenance of road pavements. This system starts by uploading the International Roughness Index for the relevant year and allows for adjustment of information such as the minimum road pavement standards assumed in this study, the type of preventive maintenance method to be applied, cost units, and the period to be simulated. This enables simultaneous confirmation of the costs required for preventive maintenance of road pavements under various conditions, the cost-saving effects due to preventive maintenance, and the condition of the pavement surface of the managed roads. Analysis of preventive Maintenance Effects When applying a preventive maintenance strategy to road pavement maintenance, significant cost savings of up to 29.7% can be expected depending on the type of preventive maintenance work. This saving effect is mainly attributed to the reduction in the number of road units exceeding the minimum service requirements. The implementation scope of preventive maintenance affects cost savings, with savings ranging from 6.9% to 23.9% for preventive maintenance type 1 (slurry sealing) and from 9.5% to 29.7% for preventive maintenance type 2 (micro-surfacing). Additionally, the road repaving cycle is extended as the application scope of preventive maintenance increases. The cost-saving effect may vary over specific periods even when applying a preventive maintenance strategy, as the average IRI of road units follows a periodic pattern. As the application scope of preventive maintenance is gradually expanded from 0%, the average annual IRI value of road units requiring repair increases, indicating a slight deterioration in the maintenance road condition. This is because the preventive maintenance strategy extends the service life of road units, allowing them to be maintained at higher IRI values closer to the unacceptable serviceability level (IRIthr) for longer. An increase in the unacceptable serviceability level (IRIthr) value can lead to greater fluctuations in the average IRI value, affecting the cost-saving effect of preventive maintenance. The results of this study emphasize the potential for cost savings through the implementation of preventive maintenance strategies in road pavement management, particularly showing very distinct differences from a long-term perspective. While the degree of cost savings due to the implementation of preventive maintenance strategies may vary depending on the period, cost-saving effects are generally confirmed after about 10 years of introduction, with distinct decreases observed at 30-year and 50-year intervals. These research results are expected to promote the implementation of preventive maintenance strategies that can significantly reduce long-term road maintenance budgets by presenting cost reduction simulation results that road maintenance agencies or local governments can expect when introducing preventive maintenance strategies for road maintenance, avoiding misunderstandings about benefits due to short-term analysis. In particular, this study provided a basis for road facility management agencies, such as local governments, to regularly establish and revise short-term (2-3 years), medium-term (5-7 years), and long-term (10-15 years) plans annually based on these expected cost simulation results when setting road maintenance budget allocations. Conclusion To address the challenges in managing road facilities and effectively perform preventive maintenance of road pavements, the development and improvement of an integrated management system are essential. This can simultaneously achieve efficient budget use, improved safety, and long-term cost savings. Local governments and the central government should strengthen cooperation to support the implementation of such integrated management systems and establish technical and institutional foundations.

• Topic Climate Change/ Environment
• AuthorHyomi Kim, Kyung-won Kim, Jeong-Ah Kim, Hye-Jin Lee, Ho-chan Lee

• 조회수51
• 등록일2026-05-26

The air quality in Seoul was gradually improved through quantitative management targeting major emission sources. However, the health effect of PM2.5 exists even at lower concentrations than the national ambient air quality standard. Therefore, in addition to quantitative management targeting major emission sources, qualitative management that reduces hazardous components of PM2.5 is required. In Seoul, to effectively manage PM2.5, concentrations of chemical components of PM2.5 have been measured since 2015. Using these data, this study aimed to derive components that have high health risks by analyzing the health effects of individual components, reviewing related emission sources of the components, and suggesting directions for future air quality management to reduce the health risk of PM2.5. As the concentration of PM2.5  decreases, the concentration of components also showed decreasing patterns, EC, one of the carbon species showed most significant decreases. Meanwhile, the degree of reductions of OC and ion components are relatively small.  The concentrations of PM components has not been continuously measured. Therefore we estimated missing values applying machine learning techniques. The prediced values well simulate the serial trends and variability of true values except for some metal components such as Ti.  The predicted concentration of PM2.5 chemical components is linked to health data. For health data, the number of daily outpatient visits due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases was calculated through the customized DB of the National Health Insurance Service. To compare health risk of chemical components of PM2.5, we estimated percent increases of hospital outpatient visit by increase of 1-S.D.(standard deviation) of each chemical component.  OC, EC, NO3-, Na+, Al, and levoglucosan were significantly associated with increases in hospital outpatient visits. For cardiovascular diseases, NO3- and Na+ are significantly associated with increases in hospital visits. When the NO3- concentration increases by 1.91㎍/㎥, outpatient visits to due to hypertension increase by 2.5% in the population aged 85 or older. For respiratory diseases, OC, EC, NO3-, Na+, Al, and levoglucosan are significantly associated with increases in hospital visits. When EC concentration increases by 0.51㎍/㎥, outpatient visits due to respiratory diseases increase by 6.1% in the population less than 20 years old. As a result of decreases in the annual average of short-term exposures of OC, EC, NO3-, Na+, Al, and levoglucosan, the attributable hospital outpatient visit number and fraction were decreased.  The major emission sources of the identified 6 components are mainly road and non-road emissions, biomass combustion, non-commercial combustion, and non-exhaustive emissions. Therefore, to reduce the health effects of PM2.5, it is necessary to reinforce the emission reduction strategy in these emission sources. In addition, in the case of secondary pollutants whose generation mechanism is not yet clear such as Na+ and OC, to reduce health effects, studies for identifying the generation mechanisms and precursor should be conducted.  Al is known as one of the key tracers for non-exhaust emissions, but major sources and emissions are not clear. To reduce Al concentration, studies that identify sources and emissions should be conducted, especially for non-exhaust emissions.

• Topic Economy/ Administrative·Financial Affairs
• AuthorEunjoo Oh, Sujin Kim

• 조회수65
• 등록일2026-05-22

Seoul’s fashion manufacturing sector is a core production base within the fashion value chain and a key source of employment. Despite a decline in the number of firms and workers due to weak domestic demand and competition from low-cost imports, overall sales in Seoul’s fashion industry have increased. However, between 2021 and 2023, while sales in fashion design and distribution grew, fashion manufacturing experienced a decline in sales, indicating structural weakening. The sector is increasingly polarized by firm size. Very small firms (1–4 employees) expanded rapidly, accounting for 80.5% of all fashion manufacturers in 2023, reflecting offshoring by large firms and the decline of the Dongdaemun market. At the same time, mid-sized manufacturers (10–99 employees) have grown, with their share of sales rising from 28.9% in 2020 to 35.0% in 2023, driven by the expansion of designer-led startups and related pattern and sample-making firms. Strengthening ecosystem sustainability is critical. As price-based competitiveness becomes harder to sustain, the survival of mid-sized manufacturers linked to design-driven businesses will be crucial. Strategies are needed to strengthen the sustainability of Seoul’s fashion manufacturing ecosystem. It is necessary to pursue “tailored support by firm type” to strengthen internal capabilities, as well as to promote “ecosystem connectivity” through collaboration among firms and institutions. In other words, the capacities of design firms, pattern and sample-making companies, small and medium-sized subcontract manufacturers, and distribution firms must be strengthened individually, while collaboration among them should enable order matching, business opportunities, and market expansion. This study proposes three strategic directions: (1) job and order linkage, (2) talent development, and (3) support for digital transformation (DX).

• Topic Climate Change/ Environment
• AuthorKim Minseok, Yoon Sunkwon, Hwang Sunghwan, Moon Hyunseok, Jeong Sookyung, Choi Hyeonseok

• 조회수43
• 등록일2026-05-20

This study was conducted to comprehensively examine the feasibility of introducing small hydropower generation in Seoul by considering the city’s urban environmental characteristics and existing water infrastructure, and to propose implementable development strategies from technical, economic, and policy perspectives. As the importance of responding to the climate crisis and achieving carbon neutrality continues to grow, the need to secure distributed renewable energy resources that can be utilized within urban environments has become increasingly urgent. Small hydropower generation has gained attention as a promising alternative for expanding urban renewable energy, owing to its relatively low environmental impact and ability to produce stable energy with minimal spatial constraints. Accordingly, this study focused on analyzing the potential of small hydropower as a clean energy source suitable for urban settings and developing expansion strategies that contribute to diversifying renewable energy resources and securing a stable power supply. Chapter 2, “Understanding Small Hydropower and Case Studies,” provides a systematic overview of the fundamental concepts and domestic and international applications of small hydropower. The section on foundational understanding offers explanations of the concept, advantages, classification system, turbine principles, and potential energy estimation methods. The case study section examines renewable energy shares in major countries, domestic small hydropower applications at water purification and wastewater treatment plants, and active adoption of urban conduit-based and low-head hydropower technologies in Japan and Europe, thereby identifying the potential synergy between urban infrastructure and small hydropower technologies. Chapter 3, “Assessment of Small Hydropower in Seoul,” analyzes the city’s small hydropower status and identifies key issues. This includes a comprehensive review of existing and planned facilities—such as the Arisu Water Purification Center, Water Reclamation Centers, and the Jamsil submerged weir—as well as past small hydropower initiatives around Cheonggyecheon. Based on site-specific assessments of operational status, facility conditions, and environmental constraints, the chapter proposes improvement strategies for existing systems. Chapter 4, “Analyzing Small Hydropower Potential and Expansion Strategies ,” evaluates technology trends, potential development sites in Seoul, available hydropower output, carbon reduction effects, and economic feasibility. The technological review includes recent literature, industry trends, integrated turbine systems, building-applied micro hydropower technologies, screw turbine developments, and certification systems. The application analysis assesses development potential using existing infrastructures such as water purification plants, pumping stations, and river weirs. Potential output was estimated for each location, and an economic analysis was conducted, with the Jungnangcheon submerged weir examined as a representative case study. In conclusion, this study holds significance in that it comprehensively analyzes the applicability of small hydropower in Seoul from technical, spatial, and economic perspectives and presents practical strategies for implementation. Small hydropower has considerable potential to integrate with various urban infrastructures, and with appropriate technology selection and systematic management, it can contribute meaningfully to the establishment of a distributed energy system in Seoul. With continued technological advancements and policy support, Seoul has the potential to evolve into a leading renewable energy city that advances the model for urban small hydropower.