Ulsan, South Korea – Yang Seung-hoon, a sociology professor at Kyungnam University, has delved into the current state of Ulsan in his latest book, Ulsan Dystopia: The Uncertain Future of a Manufacturing Powerhouse. The author, who previously explored the industrial city of Geoje in his work Utopia of a Heavy Industry Family, now turns his attention to another major industrial hub in South Korea.

Once a symbol of South Korea's economic miracle, Ulsan held the title of the nation's wealthiest city in terms of per capita regional gross domestic product (GRDP) for nearly two decades until 2017. However, the city is now grappling with a decline in manufacturing, a shrinking population, and a loss of economic vitality.

Since the 1990s, Ulsan, like many other industrial cities in South Korea, has experienced a significant "brain drain" as research institutions and design departments have relocated to the capital region. This spatial divide has transformed the city into a mere production base, a trend that mirrors the experiences of other industrial hubs such as Yeosu, Pohang, and Gumi.

The author argues that the decline of these industrial cities signals a troubling future for South Korea's manufacturing sector. Furthermore, the book raises profound questions about the diminishing prospects of the middle class in South Korean society. Yang asks, "Is the dream of a society where even ordinary workers can become middle class slowly fading away?"

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