The road to sustainable industrial land development: location patterns, morphological characteristics, and policy implications of South Korean urban high-tech industrial parks

South Korean urban high-tech (UHT) industrial parks, as urban-style industrial parks designed to provide space for the industrial activities of high-tech industries, have unique location and morphological characteristics. This study empirically analyzed the location patterns and morphological characteristics of 27 South Korean UHT industrial parks using data from the 2018 Industrial Park Spatial Database. The analysis revealed that most UHT industrial parks were developed outside urban areas, primarily relying on greenfield development rather than brownfield redevelopment, thereby failing to meet sustainability goals. However, inner-urban UHT industrial parks displayed different characteristics. These parks relied more on brownfield development and featured high-density, verticalized landscapes with well-accessible open spaces and diverse land use, thereby promoting high employment density, job-housing proximity, growth of neighbouring businesses, and the revitalization of old inner-urban districts. The study highlights the dual nature of UHT industrial park development in South Korea: a prevailing trend of outer-urban greenfield development, and a more sustainable inner-urban brownfield approach. These findings emphasize the need for targeted policies to enhance the sustainability and functionality of UHT industrial parks, ensuring they meet urban development and sustainability goals.