Abstract

With the decline of cities and rapid socioeconomic changes, urban renovation projects are facing a new turning point as the transition to a city that can reduce the vulnerability and respond flexibly to socioeconomic demand. This study aims to identify the changing social issues for Urban Improvement Projects (UIPs). This study analyzes social issues surrounding UIPs and tracks changes in these issues through Topic modeling analysis of 5,236 news articles collected from the BigKinds database. The analysis reveals that social issues in Seoul Metropolitan area can be categorized into ‘conflicts and legal issues’, ‘changes in the housing market and apartment sales’, ‘infrastructure improvement, regional cultural and economic development’, ‘ resident opinions on education, safety, and welfare’, ‘legal revisions’, and ‘demolition and compensation’. Prior to legislative amendments in 2013, there was an emphasis on negative perceptions of UIPs, such as conflicts, lawsuits, and legal disputes. However, subsequent to this period, positive perceptions related to development benefits, convenience, and rising property values have been emphasized. This study derives social issues related UIPs based on quantitative data, offering insights into future improvements and enhancements for UIPs.