Incheon City is enhancing its urban brand value and strengthening citizen-friendly communication by utilizing its representative characters, which embody the region’s unique history and ecological resources.Incheon Metropolitan City announced that its representative character, “The Spotted Seal Friends Who Love Lighthouses,” won the Grand Prize at the “2026 Korea Character Awards” for the second consecutive year, following its 2025 win.The “Korea Character Awards” is an awards ceremony that selects outstanding works through a comprehensive evaluation of a character’s creativity, business model, recognition, achievements, and value. Hosted by Digital Chosun Ilbo and sponsored by the Chosun Ilbo, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Presidential Committee on National Intellectual Property, and the Korea Creative Content Agency, the event contributes to enhancing the status of Korea’s cultural industry and advancing the character industry.Incheon’s characters received high praise from the judging panel for their sophisticated designs—which elegantly embody local landmarks and nature—as well as their distinctive storytelling and consistent utilization and maintenance.Among the characters, “Deungdaeri” was inspired by “Palmi Island Lighthouse,” Korea’s first lighthouse, and symbolizes the light that illuminates Incheon’s past and future. Additionally, “Bomi,” “Komi,” and “Aini” are modeled after the “spotted seal,” a natural monument inhabiting Baengnyeong Island in Incheon, and convey a message of peace through the ecological characteristics of these seals, which freely travel between North and South Korea.A spokesperson for Incheon City stated, “We hope this award will help Incheon’s characters become even more familiar to citizens,” adding, “We will continue to develop diverse content and merchandise featuring these characters to bring joy to citizens an

Incheon City is working to create an urban environment that respects all life, where humans and animals coexist healthily, and to promote a responsible pet ownership culture.Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it held an opening ceremony on the 26th for the “Incheon Metropolitan City Companion Animal Welfare Center,” established in Cheonghak-dong, Yeonsu-gu.The newly opened Companion Animal Welfare Center is a specialized animal welfare hub directly operated by Incheon Metropolitan City to establish a mature pet ownership culture and promote the adoption of abandoned animals.About 50 people, including representatives from animal protection organizations and citizens, attended the opening ceremony. The event was made particularly meaningful by the simultaneous holding of the “First Adoption Ceremony,” where the center’s first adoptable animal met its new family, as well as a “Pilot Project for Dog Paw Print Registration” and a “Public Awareness Event on Adopting Abandoned Animals and Preventing Animal Abuse.”The newly opened Companion Animal Welfare Center was created by renovating the former Munhak Tunnel management building. It features one basement level and two above-ground floors, with a site area of 4,756 square meters and a total floor area of 782 square meters, and was constructed at a total cost of 3.903 billion won. The facility includes consultation rooms, adoption preparation rooms, training rooms, examination rooms, and offices, and an outdoor training area has been set up on the rooftop.The center provides necessary health screenings and medical treatment for animals in its care and helps them adapt to their new environments and families through socialization and behavior modification. In addition, it plans to support stable living arrangements for both adoptive families and animals by coordinating adoption counseling, post-adoption care, and education.In addition, the center will operate educational programs for the public, such

A forum for communication and education has been established to elevate Incheon’s status as a global city and strengthen its capacity for civilian diplomacy.Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it held the “2026 Citizen Honorary Diplomat Capacity-Building Workshop” on the 24th at the Overseas Koreans Welcome Center conference room on the 30th floor of Booyoung Tower, with approximately 50 citizen honorary diplomats in attendance.This workshop was organized to cultivate the international literacy and civil diplomacy skills of the Citizen Honorary Diplomats and to strengthen their on-site communication capabilities based on a deep understanding of Incheon’s history and culture.Incheon’s Citizen Honorary Diplomats consist of 121 members representing a total of 11 language groups, including English, Chinese, and Japanese, as well as Vietnamese, Arabic, and Spanish. Since the program’s inception in 1995, the group has provided support for major international events and served as interpreters and guides during visits by foreign dignitaries. This year, a total of 124 participants took part in 12 major international events, actively providing on-site support.In particular, participants joined a signature campaign to “Host the 2028 G20 Summit in Incheon,” issued a declaration of support, and pledged to take the lead in grassroots promotional efforts to help Incheon emerge as a world-class international city.The Head of the International Cooperation Division stated, “I would like to express my gratitude to the Citizen Honorary Diplomats for their dedication to the development of Incheon’s civilian diplomacy,” adding, “I hope this workshop served as an opportunity to boost your sense of pride, and I look forward to your continued pivotal role in elevating Incheon’s international standing.”Meanwhile, Incheon City plans to expand ongoing capacity-building and support for Citizen Honorary Diplomats while further revitalizing its citizen diplomacy n

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on the 23rd that it had conducted the “IFEZ Global Family Program for Foreign Residents” for 21 people from eight foreign families residing in IFEZ.This program was launched for the first time this year to enable foreign families living in the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) to experience traditional Korean culture and interact with one another. The program aims to foster interaction among foreign families to help them adapt to the local community and settle in more comfortably.According to the “2026 IFEZ Survey on Improving Living Conditions for Foreign Residents,” 66.0% of respondents were in their 30s and 40s, and 37.5% were households with three or more members.Based on these survey results, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority expanded its existing individual-focused support to create new programs in which family members can participate together.Participants had the opportunity to gain an understanding of traditional Korean culture by making hanji lanterns themselves at the IFEZ Global Center, while also interacting with foreign families of various nationalities.One participant said, “Even though I live in Korea, I haven’t had many opportunities to experience traditional Korean culture firsthand. It was meaningful to participate in this hanji craft workshop with my children,” adding, “It was even more enjoyable to interact with other foreign families.”The Incheon Economic Free Zone Authority plans to expand tailored settlement support initiatives, such as family-participation programs, to better reflect the living conditions and diverse needs of foreign residents.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that an opening ceremony for the “Global Bio Campus Training Center,” designed to train vaccine and biopharmaceutical production personnel from middle- and low-income countries, was held at 6:00 p.m. on October 20 at Yonsei University’s International Campus in Songdo.The training center is a dedicated educational facility built in Songdo, Incheon, following South Korea’s designation by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing (GTH-B)” in February 2022.The opening ceremony was held to commemorate the launch of the training center and to share the achievements of the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing project to date, as well as the current status of the education and training infrastructure.The event was attended by approximately 30 officials, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Minister of Health and Welfare, the Commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, the Chairman of the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing Support Foundation, and other relevant personnel.Located on the second floor of the SL Biogen Industry-Academia Cooperation Building on Yonsei University’s International Campus, the practical training center covers a total area of approximately 2,492 square meters (with approximately 1,719 square meters dedicated to practical training) and is equipped with specialized laboratories for training in microbial culture, purification, analysis, and quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC).By 2028, the facility plans to gradually expand its equipment in the areas of production processes and quality control to establish a comprehensive practical training infrastructure covering the entire process—from vaccine and biopharmaceutical manufacturing to quality control.The “Global Bio Workforce Training Hub (GTH-B) Project” is overseen by the Global Bio Workforce Training Hu

The “2026 Incheon Pentaport Music Festival,” Incheon’s flagship music festival, has demonstrated its effectiveness in revitalizing the local economy and has further solidified its position as a global cultural tourism brand.Incheon Metropolitan City released the results of a comprehensive performance analysis of the “2026 Incheon Pentaport Music Festival,” held at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park from July 31 to August 2, and announced its economic impact and key achievements.This year’s festival featured 66 domestic and international artist groups performing a variety of musical genres, and approximately 160,000 visitors attended during the event.In particular, the number of foreign visitors showed a steady upward trend, rising to over 7,000 this year, following approximately 3,000 in 2024 and 5,000 in 2025. With the growing number of overseas music fans attending, the Pentaport Music Festival is recognized as having established itself as one of Incheon’s flagship cultural tourism attractions and a global music festival.The economic ripple effect on the local economy resulting from the festival is estimated to have increased by approximately 55%, from 92.7 billion won in 2025 to 143.9 billion won (preliminary) this year. Analysis shows that consumption in the accommodation, dining, transportation, and tourism sectors across the Incheon region—including Songdo International City—expanded significantly during the festival, contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.Additionally, the “PENTAPORT TAKEOFF: TOKYO 2026” showcase, held by the City of Incheon in Tokyo, Japan, last July to expand its overseas network and enhance brand awareness, was completely sold out. The city explained that through this event, it secured global competitiveness in the overseas music market and established a foundation for international exchange.From an environmental perspective, the festival presented a model that balances culture and the environment by stre

Incheon City and the Incheon Urban Development Corporation have joined forces to help youth preparing for independence—who must stand on their own after leaving the care of child welfare facilities or foster homes—escape housing insecurity and settle into stable lives.Incheon Metropolitan City announced on the 14th that it had signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on Housing Support for Youth Preparing for Independence” with the Incheon Urban Development Corporation at City Hall to strengthen housing stability and independence support for these youth.Until now, these youth have faced significant difficulties securing housing due to a lack of initial assets and the burden of housing costs, and concerns have been raised about their exposure to poor living conditions. In response, the city and the Incheon Urban Development Corporation have joined forces to help these young people achieve stable independence.Under the agreement, the Incheon Urban Development Corporation will provide rental housing tailored to the needs of young people preparing for independence, while Incheon Metropolitan City will provide administrative support—such as recruiting tenants and recommending eligible candidates—as well as funding for housing-related expenses, including security deposits and monthly rent.In particular, starting with the provision of five rental units in the Geomdan area near Geomdan Intersection in October 2026, the city plans to gradually expand housing support programs for youth preparing for independence across different regions.The Director of the Bureau of Women and Family stated, “This agreement will serve as a solid stepping stone to help local youth grow into healthy members of society,” and “We will continue to work closely with the Incheon Urban Development Corporation and spare no effort in providing support so that they can achieve self-reliance in a stable living environment.”Incheon City plans to further strengthen its public-private partne

Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it will construct public parking lots with a total capacity of 800 spaces by utilizing the underground space of existing public facilities, such as parks, to alleviate parking shortages in the historic downtown area and improve parking convenience for residents.This project targets the city center, where securing parking spaces is difficult, by constructing parking facilities in the underground spaces of public facilities—such as parks adjacent to residential areas—with the aim of expanding parking capacity while reducing the burden of securing separate land.The city plans to first target the city centers of its eight districts, constructing one public parking facility per district—for a total of eight locations—with a capacity of approximately 800 spaces. The total project cost is 104 billion won, with the cost per parking space estimated at approximately 130 million won. The project is scheduled to be implemented in phases from 2027 to 2030.Project sites will be selected based on a comprehensive review of location conditions and project feasibility. To this end, the city formulated a related plan last July and plans to allocate funds for site selection and feasibility studies in the 2027 main budget. The city has currently requested a review of the study proposal from the relevant departments.Following preliminary procedures such as the study review and budget allocation, the city plans to conduct the site selection and feasibility studies for approximately six months starting in January 2027. Based on the results of the study, the city will select project sites and then proceed with the projects sequentially, following preliminary administrative procedures and detailed design based on the conditions of each site.The Director of the Transportation Policy Bureau stated, “The lack of parking spaces in the old downtown area is a major inconvenience closely tied to citizens’ daily lives,” adding, “We will do our

Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it will enhance vehicle safety and convenience, and expand special transportation services and voucher taxis to strengthen the mobility rights of people with limited mobility and reduce gaps in mobility support services.[2026: Enhancing Safety and Improving User Convenience]This year, the city plans to add three new vehicles to its special transportation fleet, increasing the total from 276 to 279, and replace 10 aging vehicles. This initiative aims to reduce service interruptions caused by aging vehicles and ensure a stable operational foundation.Additionally, the city will continue installing pedal misapplication prevention devices to enhance vehicle safety. Following the installation of these devices on 100 vehicles last year, the city plans to install them on an additional 50 vehicles by October of this year, bringing the total to 150.Mobility conditions in the Yeongjong area have also been improved. Following the increase in special transportation vehicles from 5 to 7 last July, operating hours were extended from the previous 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to 24 hours starting in October.[2027: Expanding Transportation Options and Eligible Users]By the end of this year, Incheon City plans to introduce, for the first time, one multi-passenger special transportation vehicle capable of carrying three wheelchairs and three caregivers, with service scheduled to begin in January 2027. Through this initiative, the city aims to enhance mobility for people with limited mobility, enabling them to participate together in educational, cultural, and leisure activities or travel with family members and caregivers.In 2027, the city will add five more special transportation vehicles, bringing the total to 284—an increase of 111.4% compared to the legally mandated quota of 255. The number of voucher taxis will also be increased by 20, from the current 330 to 350, to broaden the range of transportation options available to people with mobility

Incheon is accelerating efforts to build a future innovation ecosystem that goes beyond the production-centered bio-industry paradigm to integrate research and development (RD) with the cultivation of specialized talent.Incheon Metropolitan City announced on the 12th that it held the “12th Incheon Bio-Health Valley Promotion Council” meeting at City Hall.The Incheon Bio-Health Valley Promotion Council, a consultative body tasked with reviewing and advising on key policies and comprehensive plans for the fostering and development of Incheon’s bio-health industry, consists of 19 members, including representatives from companies, universities, hospitals, research institutions, associations, the City Council, and relevant city officials.At this meeting, the council gathered in-depth expert opinions on the mid- to long-term development direction of Incheon’s bio-industry and the major pending issues, and explored future policy directions.Key agenda items for the meeting included: ▲ an interim report and consultation on the “Research Project for the Formulation of the Incheon City Comprehensive Plan for the Promotion of the Bio and Digital Health Industry (2027–2031)”; ▲ gathering opinions on operational plans for the Incheon Bio Forum; and ▲ discussions on the direction for establishing the Incheon Institute of Bio-Science and Technology.First, Incheon City shared the interim results of the “Comprehensive Plan for Fostering the Bio and Digital Health Industry” research project currently underway. This research project, running from May to December 2026, focuses on establishing a strategic framework and formulating a mid- to long-term comprehensive plan to enhance the competitiveness of Incheon’s bio and digital health industries.At the meeting, experts from industry, academia, research institutes, and hospitals conducted a multifaceted analysis of industrial conditions and the policy environment, presenting practical alternatives for the mid- to