Smart City as a Tool of Citizen-Oriented Urban Regeneration: Framework of Preliminary Evaluation and Its Application

Abstract

This study explores projects to regenerate old urban spaces and introduce smart city systems. It focuses on citizen perspectives and ways to build a citizen-centered smart city. A survey of 624 residents was undertaken in three South Korean cities where relevant projects have been implemented. The Hierarchical Regression Model was employed to learn what factors affect citizens’ overall preferences for smart city projects. The analysis found that citizens prefer the services closely linked to their everyday lives, and that those with lower quality of life regarding housing circumstances and safety show greater interest in smart city projects, albeit there are differences among the cities. They also view and prefer those projects as a means of resolving everyday problems and local economic development, rather than seeking specific technologies or devices. Based on these results, this research presents implications and suggestions to link urban regeneration plans to smart city projects.