Seoul Aims to Complete Urban-Air Mobility Network by 2040
The city of Seoul has unveiled its vision to transform into a ‘three-dimensional transportation city’ by establishing an urban air mobility (UAM) system across the city, centered on a Korean-type roadmap for urban air mobility (K-UAM) and the 2040 Seoul Urban Master Plan. With goals to develop a safe and efficient transportation environment as a global model, Seoul plans to establish a comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network that combines existing means of transport to transcend the limitations of traditional land and underground systems.
Seoul announced on the 11th that it will host the ‘Urban Air Mobility (UAM), Drone, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Conference’. Mayor Oh Se-hoon will deliver a keynote address, revealing Seoul’s future vision for Smart Urban Air Mobility (S-UAM), which includes a detailed roadmap of UAM routes.
The city’s plan aims to ensure the safety of UAM operations, integrate UAM with public transport, develop competitive global business models, and lead environmentally friendly and sustainable future transportation. As part of this plan, vital facilities such as vertiports, essential for UAM operation, will be incrementally established to enhance connectivity. Key facilities for pilot and initial operations will be set up at four locations, including Yeouido, Suseo, Jamsil, and Gimpo Airport, by 2030.
UAM route activation will occur in four phases: demonstration, initial, growth, and maturity. During the demonstration phase next year, the routes from KINTEX (Goyang) to Gimpo Airport and Yeouido Park to Jamsil, along with Suseo Station, will be tested. The early commercialization phase (2026-2030) will see trial operations centered around Yeouido. Between 2030 and 2035, routes linking the Han River and four tributaries will be developed to connect the metropolitan area. Post-2035, main routes connecting key urban areas and tailor-made routes for users are expected to be completed as the project matures.
Seoul anticipates that the completion of the S-UAM system will usher in a new era of a ‘mega city’ by overcoming spatial limitations and providing ‘three-dimensional transportation’ services. For example, the 25km section between Pangyo and Gwanghwamun Station, which currently takes about an hour by public transport or car, could be reduced to approximately 15 minutes with UAM. Similarly, the journey between Jamsil and Incheon Airport could be shortened to 25 minutes.
A city official stated, “It is expected that commuting times across the metropolitan area will be dramatically reduced, resulting in an estimated economic impact of around 2 trillion won annually.” The expansion of the metropolitan transportation market could generate about 4 trillion won in economic benefits annually, with the construction of vertiports within Seoul bringing approximately 1.2 trillion won.
Seoul plans to collaborate with the Army from the early implementation stages of the S-UAM introduction, beginning with this conference. Mayor Oh Se-hoon remarked, “Through the ‘S-UAM Future Vision,’ the freedom of urban mobility will become a ‘reality’ rather than a concept. Seoul, in cooperation with the Army, will leverage the accumulated experience and technological expertise of both institutions to create a safe and efficient future transportation environment, enabling the city to leap forward as a leading world-class three-dimensional transportation city.”