A comparative study on the urban planning system and land development method with special reference to Egypt and Korea

Urban experiences in the process of both economic and urban growth in Korea have recently attracted interest from policy-makers and academics in developing countries. This interest raises the question of how to respond to rapid population growth and the urban sprawl problem within a Korean context. In Egypt, 96% of the entire territory is desert, and most of the population is concentrated in the remaining 4%. In addition to this context, a rapid increase in population and urban concentration has caused an imbalance between demand and supply of land development. Consequently, unplanned development has been spreading rapidly in urban areas. Korea has experienced a rapid population growth and an urban sprawl problem since the 1960s. Korean experiences can give some policy implications to Egypt where the country is still undergoing similar problems. In this context, this paper is aimed at analyzing Egyptian and Korean systems of both urban planning and land development in terms of land ownership, the administrative framework for urban planning and land development within a comparative perspective. As a result of this study, similarities and differences between the two countries are identified and some policy implications in relation to spatial planning systems, of development permit systems, and of replacement of the land development method are suggested.