The Impact of Transportation Accessibility on Regional Land Price Disparities in South Korea, 2010–2019

Transportation infrastructure is a fundamental driver of economic growth and regional connectivity; and the supply of this infrastructure is often assumed to reduce spatial disparities. This study investigates the impact of transportation accessibility on regional disparities in land prices across South Korea from 2010 to 2019. Using spatial econometric models and geographically weighted regression (GWR), this study evaluates how variations in transportation networks influence land price differentials between regions. The results confirm that transportation accessibility positively affects land prices; but GWR coefficients reveal substantial regional variations in the extent to which accessibility improvements drive land price growth. Furthermore, while the overall distribution of transportation accessibility remained relatively stable, its influence on land price appreciation varied significantly, contributing to a widening gap in land values between regions. These findings underscore the critical role of transportation infrastructure in shaping regional inequalities and highlight the need for more equitable transportation policies to mitigate spatial disparities and promote balanced regional development