• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.426-443
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• 2003

Electronic Commerce (EC) has been at the center of discussion as a symbol of the integration of unprecedentedly developed Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and traditional commerce. In spite of much attention to EC, the research from a spatial perspective has not proliferated yet. EC was regarded to have aspatial characteristics based on the expectation for a global expansion of business activities in a digital economy. This paper attempts to figure out the spatial characteristics of public Business-to-Business electronic marketplaces (public B2B e-MPs), as one of the most evolving forms of B2B EC, regardless of the low proportion in B2B EC at present. Many of the firms operating public B2B e-MPs in Korea were located in Seoul, especially in Gangnam-gu. The analysis of three spatial indices showed their extreme spatial concentration. The analysis on the location factors of Public B2B e-MP firms in Korea demonstrated that location factors of public B2B e-MP firms were differentiated by regional groups: Gangnam-gu, Seoul except Gangnam-gu, and the provinces. It was againt an initial extreme expectation that the firms relevant to B2B EC will not care about physical locations because they mainly do businesses in electronic space. The differences between those in Gangnam-gu and in the provinces were strikingly prominent. Such differentiated location factors by region were closely related to the different attributes of the public B2B e-MPs by region. In conclusion, public B2B e-MPs are not irrelevant to physical space and physical proximity, at least at a current stage. Customized spatial strategies are required for successful online businesses.