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2026 Vol.61, Issue 4 Preview Page
Citizens’ Support for Smart City Expansion in South Korea: Value Dimensions, Urban Governance, and Spatial Perceptions

한국 스마트시티 확장에 대한 시민지지- 가치 차원, 도시 거버넌스 및 공간 인식 -

Yooncheong Choc*
조 윤정c*
cProfessor, KDI School of Public Policy and Management
cKDI(한국개발연구원) 국제정책대학원 교수
*Corresponding Author
31 August 2026. pp. 522-544
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Abstract

Smart cities have emerged as important urban development strategies associated with technological innovation, sustainability, and urban competitiveness. However, opportunities remain to better understand how citizens evaluate and support smart city expansion. This study examines factors influencing citizens’ support for smart city expansion by focusing on demographic characteristics, awareness and perception variables, and broader smart city value dimensions. Using online survey data collected from 385 respondents in South Korea, this study employs exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical ordered logistic regression analyses. The exploratory factor analysis identified four latent value dimensions associated with smart city perceptions: Innovation & Economic Value, Quality of Life & Experience, Open Governance, and Social & Institutional Value. The results indicate that demographic characteristics alone provide limited explanatory power, whereas broader smart city value dimensions exert substantially stronger effects on support for smart city expansion. Among the explanatory variables, Innovation & Economic Value emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by Social & Institutional Value and Open Governance. Perceived utilization of smart cities also showed a significant positive effect on support. The findings suggest that citizens’ support for smart city expansion is shaped not only by expectations regarding technological innovation and economic growth, but also by perceptions related to stakeholder participation, collaborative governance, institutional improvement, social trust, and experiential public services. This study contributes to the smart city and geographic literature by examining citizens’ support for smart city expansion from broader social, governance-related, and spatial perspectives. The findings imply that successful smart city development requires not only technological advancement but also citizen-centered governance, institutional legitimacy, and socially meaningful urban experiences.

Keywords
smart city expansion
urban governance
spatial perceptions
smart city value dimensions
hierarchical ordered logistic regression

스마트시티는 기술혁신, 지속가능성, 도시 경쟁력과 연계된 주요 도시발전 전략으로 주목받고 있다. 그러나 시민들이 스마트시티 확장을 어떻게 평가하고 지지하는지에 대해서는 보다 심층적인 이해가 필요한 상황이다. 본 연구는 인구사회학적 특성, 인식 및 지각 변수, 그리고 보다 광범위한 스마트시티 가치 차원을 중심으로 시민들의 스마트시티 확장 지지에 영향을 미치는 요인을 분석하였다. 이를 위해 한국의 응답자 385명을 대상으로 수집한 온라인 설문조사 자료를 활용하였으며, 탐색적 요인분석과 위계적 순서형 로지스틱 회귀분석을 실시하였다. 탐색적 요인분석 결과, 스마트시티 인식과 관련된 네 가지 잠재 가치 차원인 혁신 및 경제적 가치(Innovation & Economic Value), 삶의 질 및 경험(Quality of Life & Experience), 개방적 거버넌스(Open Governance), 사회·제도적 가치(Social & Institutional Value)가 도출되었다. 분석 결과, 인구사회학적 특성만으로는 스마트시티 확장 지지를 충분히 설명하지 못한 반면, 보다 광범위한 스마트시티 가치 차원은 상대적으로 높은 설명력을 보였다. 또한 스마트시티의 활용성에 대한 인식은 스마트시티 확장 지지에 유의한 정(+)의 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 특히 혁신 및 경제적 가치가 스마트시티 확장 지지에 가장 강력한 영향요인으로 확인되었으며, 사회·제도적 가치와 개방적 거버넌스도 유의한 영향을 보였다. 연구결과는 스마트시티 확장에 대한 시민들의 지지가 기술혁신이나 경제성장에 대한 기대뿐만 아니라, 이해관계자 참여, 협력적 거버넌스, 제도적 개선, 사회적 신뢰, 그리고 체험적 공공서비스에 대한 인식과도 밀접하게 관련되어 있음을 보여준다. 본 연구는 스마트시티 확장 지지를 보다 폭넓은 사회적·거버넌스적·공간적 관점에서 분석함으로써 스마트시티 및 지리학 연구에 기여한다. 또한 성공적인 스마트시티 발전을 위해서는 기술 발전뿐만 아니라 시민중심의 거버넌스, 제도적 정당성, 그리고 의미 있는 도시 경험이 중요함을 시사한다

키워드
스마트시티 확장
도시 거버넌스
공간 인식
스마트시티 가치 차원
위계적 순서형 로지스틱 회귀분석
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Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Geographical Society
  • Publisher(Ko) :대한지리학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
  • Journal Title(Ko) :대한지리학회지
  • Volume : 61
  • No :4
  • Pages :522-544
  • Received Date : 2026-05-15
  • Revised Date : 2026-07-25
  • Accepted Date : 2026-07-29
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.22776/kgs.2026.61.4.522
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