Titre de la thèse :
Title of thesis: Investigating the spatial impacts of new rail transit development through station and network characteristics: A case study of Seoul’s Great Train eXpress, South Korea
Supervisor:
1st: Chia-lin, Chen (University of Liverpool, United Kingdom)
2nd: Zi, Ye (University of Liverpool, United Kingdom)
3rd: DESJARDINS Xavier (Sorbonne University, France)
Project overview
The PhD project seeks to address a central question: Does metropolitan rail development reinforce monocentric urban structures or promote polycentric urban forms?
The Great Train eXpress (GTX) is a new concept of high-speed train service in the Seoul Metropolitan Area. From a transport perspective, GTX aims to enhance mobility for residents in New Towns, enabling them to commute to the city centre within 30 minutes. This rapid connectivity compresses time-space distances, potentially leading to a more monocentric (single-core) structure throughout the metropolitan region. However, from a spatial planning perspective, GTX is expected to promote the development of multiple transport hubs and surrounding development, thereby fostering decentralisation and mitigating the risk of excessive centralisation in the city centre. This research begins with this question and seeks to clarify the spatial transformation brought about by the introduction of GTX through empirical analysis.
This study focuses on the Seoul Metropolitan Area as a case study. This research aims to investigate the effects of the Seoul GTX station investment on the surrounding land-use at different stages. GTX station and network characteristics, which are two main aspects of factors, will be analysed to determine the extent of land use changes. Then it aims to establish a sustainable station area and network development model and provide suggestions for future GTX lines and station areas.
Personal statement
My long-term research interest lies in exploring how changes in urban structures is associated with social change. I obtained my bachelor’s degree in China and my master’s degree in South Korea, where I developed a strong interest in transport and spatial analysis. After completing my master’s degree, I worked for more than nine years as a researcher at the Korean Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS), focusing on urban land use policy and regional planning.
In October 2025, I began my PhD project in the Department of Geography and Planning at the University of Liverpool. My current research examines the impacts of new railway construction on the transformation of urban spatial structures.
Keywords: New railway, Seoul, GTX, land use, urban spatial structure