Commuting data used in previous administrations has frequently been criticized for its lack of precision, as it has typically been collected only once in every one to five years. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 17 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government has decided to focus on big data to reduce commuting time.
The city announced on Tuesday that it will set up a database of the commuting population using big data from public transportation and communication services to establish residence and traffic policies.
The city signed a memorandum of understanding with KT Corp., South Korea’s major telecommunication company, and the Korea Transport Institute (KOTI) to combine the city’s public data (usage rate of public transportation, population data), KT’s communication data, and KOTI’s traffic data and conduct an analysis as part of a joint initiative.
The aim is to use the database to understand each gender and age group that forms the commuting population and the amount of time spent on commuting to school or work, all of which will be utilized in a policymaking process next year.
To maximize the precision and utility of the collected data, Seoul will be divided into some 1,200 zones.
Gyeonggi, Incheon, and other areas in the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area will be divided into the lowest administrative zones, while the rest of the country will be divided into cities and provinces.
Commuting data used in previous administrations has frequently been criticized for its lack of precision, as it has typically been collected only once in every one to five years.
Seoul expects that the new initiative will produce effective data that can help with timely decision making to expand public transportation routes in high demand or selecting appropriate space for public housing.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
