Abstract

This study investigates whether the operation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex has affected the ‘urban space of Kaesong’ and the ‘daily life and consciousness of Kaesong residents’. The research methodology is to quantitatively analyze trends before and after the operation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex by extracting satellite data on Night Time Illumination (2002~2022) and Building Density (2000~2020), and to conduct qualitative research by conducting in-depth interviews with five North Korean defectors related to Kaesong City. In the discussion process, the study utilized a mixed-methods research approach in which the quantitative results of spatial change were cross-validated with in-depth interviews. The analysis shows that the operation of the Kaesong Industrial Complex has affected the economic situation and daily life in the city of Kaesong, but has not had a significant impact on the physical construction of the city. The lack of impact on the construction of the city was due to the marginalization of Kaesong in party-centered urban policies.