Abstract
After World War II, Seoul and Tokyo had experienced similar urban problems as part of their rapid urbanization and had been developed western planning systems to modernize their urban structures. Seoul and Tokyo had very similar planning schemes for redevelopment, which consisted of legal urban redevelopment projects and subsidies under the Urban Redevelopment Law. The differences in their government operations system and application of development tools caused differences in their urban structures. This article describes each government's efforts and legal systems to illustrate the spatial transform of central areas in Seoul and Tokyo using documentary research and GIS data. This article is intended to address implications on the downtown redevelopment policies of Seoul and Tokyo. And to conclude, 2 Asian mega cities have lost many traditional urban structures under legal redevelopment project until 1990s. Fortunately their planning schemes are changing by making them aware of how redevelopment projects should make conserve traditional urban structures.
