Redefining Smart Cities: Grassroots Innovation and Urban Poverty in Seoul

While Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has dramatically transformed urban environments, its benefits have not been uniformly distributed, leaving the urban poor at a disadvantage, particularly in the context of government-led smart city initiatives. This discrepancy highlights a significant challenge to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11, which aims for inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. In response, urban poor communities have sought to create their own versions of smart cities through grassroots efforts and alliances with radical social movements. This approach is exemplified by a case study in Seoul, where these communities have developed a unique form of social infrastructure that enhances communal autonomy and self-governance, albeit within certain limitations. This grassroots movement towards smart urbanism illustrates a critical examination of power dynamics and social infrastructure beyond traditional smart city frameworks. However, this paper also addresses the limitations of such alternative pathways, noting that while they offer a form of resistance to mainstream smart city models, they also risk isolating these communities from broader smart city benefits, particularly those offered by public and private sectors. This paradox underscores the need for a more inclusive approach to smart city development, one that genuinely considers the needs and aspirations of all urban residents, including the poorest, in pursuit of truly sustainable cities and communities as envisioned by Sustainable Development Goal 11.