Dr. Se Hoon Park | Urban Planning | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Se Hoon Park, Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements, South Korea

Se Hoon Park is a distinguished urban planning expert from South Korea, currently serving as Director and Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS). With a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from Seoul National University, his research focuses on state-society relations in urban development, culture-led urban regeneration, and planning history. He has collaborated with organizations like UN-Habitat, the World Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank. Dr. Park has held notable roles, including Senior Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Director of KRIHS’s Global Development Partnership Center. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles and influential policy reports, contributing extensively to urban policy advancements. His dedication has earned him several awards, including the Excellent Paper Award from the Korea Planning Association.

Publication Profile

Scopus

📚 Education

Se Hoon Park earned his Ph.D. in Urban Planning from Seoul National University in 2001, focusing on urban social policies in colonial Korea. His dissertation explored the intricate relationships between neighborhood associations, moral indoctrination, and district welfare commissioners under the guidance of Professor Tai-Joon Kwon. Prior to his doctorate, he completed a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from Seoul National University in 1994. His academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Ceramic Engineering from Yonsei University in 1992. Throughout his academic career, Dr. Park has deepened his expertise through international research experiences, including a visiting scholar role at the University of Tokyo and a Senior Visiting Fellowship at the London School of Economics in 2023, further contributing to his comprehensive understanding of urban development challenges and solutions.

🏢 Experience

Dr. Se Hoon Park has over two decades of experience in urban planning and policy. Since 2003, he has served as Associate Researcher, Research Fellow, and Senior Research Fellow at KRIHS. His leadership roles include Director of the Urban Research Division and Director of the Global Development Partnership Center. Dr. Park’s international experience includes a Senior Visiting Fellowship at the London School of Economics and a consultancy with UN-Habitat. He has also served as a consultant to the Office for Government Policy Coordination in South Korea and worked as an Associate Researcher at the Seoul Development Institute. Additionally, his academic engagements include serving as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Tokyo. His extensive experience in advising urban policy reforms, promoting sustainable urban development, and fostering international partnerships makes him a leading figure in the field of urban planning.

🏆 Awards and Honors

Dr. Se Hoon Park has received numerous accolades for his impactful contributions to urban planning. His awards include the Excellent Paper Award from the Korea Planning Association in 2018 and the International Activity Award in 2016 for his research on urban growth regimes. In 2016, he received an Official Commendation from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport for his policy contributions. He was also honored with the Book of the Year Award by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in 2014 for his edited volume, Beyond Creative Cities: From Cultural Developmentalism to Creative Community. In addition, he earned an Official Commendation from the Minister for Cabinet Office in 2008. These accolades reflect his dedication to advancing urban policies and fostering inclusive, sustainable urban environments.

🧪 Research Focus

Dr. Se Hoon Park’s research spans state-society relations in urban development, culture-led urban regeneration, and planning history, particularly in Korea and East Asia. He critically analyzes the impacts of government-led cultural districts and explores how urban policies shape societal dynamics. His work often investigates creative city strategies and their implications for urban resilience. Additionally, he examines international development cooperation from an urban perspective, contributing to sustainable urban growth frameworks. Dr. Park’s recent publications address participatory urban governance, urban regeneration in Incheon, and marketization’s influence on North Korean urban planning. His interdisciplinary research bridges urban sociology, policy analysis, and cultural geography, making significant contributions to both academic scholarship and policy implementation.

Publication Top Notes

• 📝 Park, S.H. (2025) – New Urban Governance and the Dilemma of Participatory Planning in South Korea, International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Forthcoming.

• 🖼️ Park, S.H. and Shin, H.R. (2024) – The Entrepreneurial Creative City and Its Discontents: The Politics of Art-led Urban Regeneration in Incheon, South Korea, Urban Studies, [Cited By: –].

• 🏙️ Park, S.H. and Kim, J.E. (2018) – Constructing ‘Participating Citizen’: Urban Regeneration Activists and Changing State-Civil Society Relation in Seoul, Space and Environment, 28(3), pp. 9-39, [Cited By: 15].

• 🌆 Park, S.H. and Song, J.E. (2017) – Marketization and its Impact on Urban Planning Practices in North Korea, Journal of Korea Planners Association, 52(7), pp. 55-71, [Cited By: 22].

• 🏢 Sonn, J.W., Shin, H.R., and Park, S.H. (2017) – A Mega Urban Project and Two Competing Accumulation Strategies: Songdo International Business District Development, International Development Planning Review, 39(3), pp. 299-317, [Cited By: 38].

• 🎨 Park, S.H. (2016) – Can We Implant an Artist Community? Government-led Cultural Districts in Korea, Cities, 56, pp. 172-179, [Cited By: 29].

• 📍 Joo, Y.M. and Park, S.H. (2016) – Overcoming Urban Growth Coalition: Culture-Led Urban Revitalization in Busan, South Korea, Urban Affairs Review, 53(5), pp. 1-15, [Cited By: 31].

• 🏛️ Park, S.H. (2016) – Understanding the New Urban Agenda of Habitat III: Background, Features and Implications for Korean Cities, Space and Society, 26(4), pp. 9-39, [Cited By: 12].

• 🌉 Shin, H.R., Park, S.H., and Sonn, J.W. (2015) – Multi-scalar Growth Regime and Scalar Tension in Songdo New City, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 33, pp. 1618-1638, [Cited By: 44].

• 🧩 Park, S.H. (2015) – Operational Characters of Intermediary Organizations in Community Planning, Journal of the Korean Urban Management Association, 28(3), pp. 75-104, [Cited By: 10].