Seoul ranks sixth in competitiveness among 48 global cities surveyed for the Global Power City Index of Japan. (Korea.net DB)

By Charles Audouin

Seoul is ranked sixth in competitiveness among global cities.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Dec. 11 said the city was No. 6 in the Global Power City Index (GPCI) among 48 major cities in the world.

The Japan-based Institute for Urban Strategies of the Mori Memorial Foundation releases the index every year by evaluating major cities based on 26 evaluation criteria and 70 indicators in six areas: economy, research and development (R&D), cultural exchange, housing, environment and transportation accessibility.

In the inaugural GPCI in 2008, Seoul ranked 13th and jumped to sixth in 2012 but finished eighth in 2020 and 2021. The capital this year rose to sixth from seventh, edging out Amsterdam, which had been sixth since 2018.

Topping this year's index was London, followed by New York, Tokyo, Paris and Singapore in that order.

By category, Seoul saw high scores in R&D (fifth), cultural exchange (16th) and transportation accessibility (16th).

The city government said, "Our ranking stems from our efforts to expand transportation infrastructure such as the Climate Card (discount mass transit pass) and early morning self-driving buses, as well as bold investment in promising future sectors like creative industries, artificial intelligence and biotechnology."

"Seoul's outstanding urban competitiveness and development potential have been reconfirmed," Mayor Oh Se-hoon added. "Please actively invest in Seoul."

caudouin@korea.kr