Exploring Vulnerability in Urban Areas: Housing and Living Poverty in Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

While COVID-19 and climate change have recently had a tremendous impact on the global population, the urban poor have experienced greater suffering. The urban poor in South Korea are not immune to this social phenomenon. The current study explores urban poverty in Seoul, the capital of Korea, by considering the characteristics of housing and living poverty in Seoul. Through a data-driven approach, this study identifies how regions in Seoul form clusters and identifies the magnitude of poverty differences between regions. According to the findings, Seoul can be generally divided into two areas which clearly show the spatial dimension of socio-economic stratification. Furthermore, we find that more than 75% of Seoul is exposed to vulnerabilities. This implies that poverty is a threat to most citizens and that the poor are neighbors in their communities. In this respect, the instability of the poor caused by exposure to various types of risks indicates the instability of the living environment for all citizens.