“Love Incheon” Open Discussion 2023
Good afternoon (evening), fellow Koreans in other countries and the 300 million citizens of Incheon.
I am Yoo Jeong-bok, the mayor for ten million Koreans.
Since my previous term, I have been running our city government in a way
that communicates with citizens under the slogan "We are Incheon, and we love Incheon.
I really like the name Incheon.
As you all know, the Overseas Koreans Agency was established in Incheon this year.
Now, 7.5 million overseas Koreans have joined the 3 million citizens who love Incheon,
ushering in an era of 10 million people who “love Incheon.”
Looking at this place today, I can truly feel the great power of the city.
Everyone has the same love for the region, but during my last term,
I really liked the name Incheon, so I named it “Love Incheon Open Discussion.”
“Love Incheon” is not just a slogan;
it also means that we are opening a great era for Incheon.
I always say this wherever I go.
Incheon takes a step closer to competing with world cities.
Incheon, a creative city.
Incheon has already gone beyond competing with other cities in Korea
and is taking a step forward to compete with cities around the world.
You may not know how much other cities envy Incheon.
It is true that other big cities cannot compete with Incheon.
Seoul is big. It's the capital. But Seoul is a managed city.
The city is used to manage the population within a limited area, not to create something there.
Incheon is a creative city.
Right here where we are sitting, you are sitting in what was the ocean 30 years ago.
The entire city of Songdo International City was created as it is today by reclaiming the sea.
As some of you may know, Songdo International City covers an area of 53.4㎢.
This is also the total area of Bucheon City, and even the decimal points are the same.
We have created an international city the size of Bucheon City by the sea.
Incheon ushers in an era of air transportation.
But that's not all. Incheon is home to a variety of cutting-edge industries that will lead us into the future.
By 2028, a new mode of transportation will take to the skies.
UAM, Urban Air Mobility, will be a means of transportation that goes beyond land roads and flies in the sky,
and is already nearing the commercialization stage.
Incheon City, with the infrastructure of Incheon International Airport and an international city
with a large number of universities, research institutes and companies to support it, is so excellent that other cities cannot compete.
You will be surprised when you visit not only the Incheon Paradise Hotel, but also the soon-to-be-opened INSPIRE Resort.
The largest resort in Northeast Asia, with three luxury hotels,
a convention center and a 15,000-seat arena/concert hall, it will soon open in Incheon.
The cost of this project alone is 6 trillion won.
When the second and third phases are completed, the resort will be about 1.4 times the size of Yeouido.
Incheon is changing and rewriting history.
Incheon is a creative city.
The expression "sea change" is used to refer to a major change that is taking place.
Just as the entire ocean is changing, Incheon will create a world-changing history,
and everyone will have no choice but to develop the country around Incheon,
one of the world's top 10 cities.
This is my ambitious dream, and my goal
is to create a world-class city where citizens are happy.
It has been only one year and four months
since I took office as mayor, and all processes are progressing smoothly.
First, by hosting the Overseas Koreans Agency in Incheon,
we are transforming Incheon into a base for advancing into a global community
and a networking hub for Korean businesspeople around the world.
We will make Incheon a business center for overseas Koreans.
In addition to the Korea-Africa Summit and the APEC Summit,
which are currently being prepared, various international events will be held in Incheon.
My strategy is to make Incheon the center of Korean businesspeople.
It is significant to note that Hong Kong and Singapore
became the world-class cities they are today
because of their videoconferencing networks.
3 values: balance, creation and communication
Now, Incheon is moving forward as a city that goes beyond Korea and into the world.
However, I emphasize the importance of communication
because important issues can only be resolved
when citizens understand, empathize, and work together.
The principle of our city government can be defined
by three key words: balance, creation and communication.
While there is an international city in balance,
we also have many problems in the original city center,
which is why we are promoting the "Jemulpo Renaissance Project"
to achieve a balanced development of our entire city.
This is a very big project, and as a result, Incheon will be completely different.
Incheon City will reorganize its administrative system in the right direction.
The reorganization of the local administrative system was approved at the Cabinet meeting.
If approved by the State Council and passed by the National Assembly,
it will soon be launched as Jemulpo-gu, a combination of Jung-gu and Dong-gu,
and the "Jemulpo Renaissance Project" will be carried out in earnest.
Jung-gu and Dong-gu will be merged, and Yeongjong will be appointed as Yeongjong-gu.
Seo-gu, with a population of over 630,000, will be divided into Seo-gu and Geomdan-gu.
This reform of our administrative system will be promoted in an appropriate and logical direction.
On this basis, we will reform and develop every single aspect of society that is wrong.
There are many places nationwide that are focusing on Incheon.
I would like to tell you that Incheon has become a key city
that is taking a leap forward as a world-class city by hosting the Overseas Koreans Agency.
By making bridge tolls free and removing political campaign banners,
we will become a role model city.
Incheon has a lot to be proud of.
Among them, the conversion of the Yeongjong-Incheon Bridge
connecting Yeongjong Island, Yongyu Island, and Bukdo Island
into a toll-free system for our residents is a truly historic point of pride.
We will boldly resolve all issues together with our citizens
and improve social problems in a progressive manner.
A representative example is the maintenance of street banners.
The removal of the campaign banners has received positive feedback
from many people across the country.
Since Incheon enacted and implemented this action and took down the banners,
other cities and provinces across the country are enacting similar changes.
Incheon has become a role model.
Incheon's great power
In relation to all of the aforementioned points,
I emphasize balance, creation and communication.
How difficult will it be to communicate with our 3 million citizens?
I will be sincerely with you.
I feel particularly reassured and truly grateful
that more than a thousand of our Incheon lovers,
representing 3 million citizens, are with us today,
and I feel the great power of Incheon.
I will start a great future for Incheon together with you.
What is the core of communication? It's sincerity.
If you just meet people and shake hands, that is not real communication.
It must be sincere. So what is sincerity?
It is our attitude in thinking about how to
make our Incheon a city that we can all be truly proud of,
how to create a society where all citizens are happy,
and how to make it a world-class global city.
I sincerely hope to make Incheon the city where all citizens are happy.
If we realize Incheon's dream, the future of Korea will be transformed.
We are all here with the ambition to create an Incheon in which all citizens are happy.
I hope that you will continue to have serious and meaningful discussions today,
after which I will do my best to reflect what you have discussed
in my city council and make our dreams come true.
I will make Incheon's dream come true by becoming the future of Korea.
Once again, I would like to thank you all for attending today's event
on behalf of our 10 million Incheon lovers, and I love you all very much.
