Established in 2008 by the US-based global consulting firm Kearney, the Global Cities Index (GCI) is one of the first to rank cities based on their global engagement through facts and public data. The GCI examines the current extent of global influence and connectivity of leading metropolitan areas across 31 metrics in five dimensions:  business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, and Political engagement. In 2025, Incheon was included in the GCI for the first time and ranked 84th out of 158 cities.

• Business Activity

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Fortune 500	-	-	-	-
  Top global services firms	-	-	-	-
  Capital markets	955 (USD billion)	2023	download	Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy(MOTIE): Foreign Direct Investment Trend
  Air freight	3,984,100 (tonnes)	2024	download	Korea Airports Corporation (KAC): Airlines, airports, and aviation
  Sea freight	1,551,133,000 (tonnes)	2024	download	Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF): Ports (National statistics)
  ICCA conferences
  Unicorn Companies	-	-	-	-

• Human Capital

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Date	Information	Source / Note
  Foreign-born population	160,859 (persons)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Top universities
  Population with tertiary degree
  International student population	6,751 (persons)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Number of international schools	7 (schools)	2023		Ministry of Education (MOE) Foreign schools in Incheon
  Medical Universities	2 (schools)	2024	download	Website of each university
  Ease of entry

• Information Exchange

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  News agency bureaus	1 (bureaus)	2024
  Broadband subscribers
  Freedom of expression	64.06 (points / 61)	2025	download	Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Press Freedom Index (National statistics)
  Online presence	-	-	-	-
  Internet speed
  Data center presence

• Cultural Experience

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Museums	31 (sites)	2024	download	Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST): Nationwide Cultural Infrastructure Yearbook (2024)
  Visual and performing arts
  Sporting events
  International travelers	717,058(persons)	2023
  Culinary offerings	-	-	-	-
  Sister cities	22(cities)	2024	download	Incheon Metropolitan City website: Sister cities

• Political

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Embassies and consulates
  Think tanks	3,743(sites)	2023	download	Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG): Research institutes
  International organizations	15 (sites)	2024		Incheon Metropolitan City website: International Organizations
  Local institutions with global reach	-	-	-	-
  Political conferences	-	-	-	-

The Global Cities Outlook (GCO) was added to the Global Cities Report in 2014, then as the Emerging Cities Outlook. Focusing on the future potential of leading cities, the Outlook measures 13 indicators across four dimensions:  personal well-being, economics, innovation, and governance. Taken together, the GCI and the GCO highlight the present and future of leading global cities. The GCO also included Incheon on its list for the first time in 2025, and the city came in 55th out of 158 cities. 

• Personal Well-being

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Stability and security
  Healthcare evolution	5,099 (medical institutions) /5,634 (specialists)	2024	download	Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA): Healthcare Big Data Hub
  GINI coefficient index
  Environmental performance	-	-	-	-

• Economics

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Infrastructure	-	-	-	-
  GDP per capita	38,840 (KRW million)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS): GRDP per capita
  FDI inflow	692 (USD million)	2024	download	Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy(MOTIE): Foreign Direct Investment Trend

• Innovation

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Patents per capita
  Private investments	-	-	-	-
  University- sponsored incubators

• Governance

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Quality of bureaucracy	-	-	-	-
  Ease of doing business
  Transparency	64 (points)/ 30th	2024	download	TransparencyInternational(TI):CorruptionPerceptionsIndex(Nationalstatistics)

Since its first publication by the Mori Memorial Foundation in 2008, the Global Power Cities Index (GPCI) has evaluated major cities worldwide based on their "magnetism," a measure of their comprehensive power to attract people, capital, and enterprises from around the world. The GPCI presents a multidimensional ranking by assessing six key functions:  Economy, Research and Development, Cultural Interaction, Livability, Environment, and Accessibility.  

• Economy

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Nominal GDP	116.82 (KRW trillion)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS): Nominal GDP
  GDP per capita	38,840 (KRW million)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS): GRDP per capita
  GDP Growth Rate
  Economic Freedom
  Stock Market Capitalization	2,303 (KRW trillion)	2024	download	Publicly listed companies on the Korea Exchange (KRX) stock market and market cap
  World's Top 500 Companies	-	-	-	-
  Total Employment	Approx. 1,696,000 (63.5% employment rate)	2024	download	Statistics Korea: Economically active population by region (city/province)
  Employees in Business Support Services	228,000 (persons)	2023	download	Statistics Korea: Workers by industry
  Wage Level
  Availability of Skilled Human Resources
  Variety of Workplace Options	-
  Corporate Tax Rate	-	-	-	-
  Political, Economic and Business Risk	-	-	-	-

• Research and Development

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Number of Researchers	22,179 (persons)	2023		Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG): Research institutes
  World's Top Universities	2 (schools)	2025	download	Times Higher Education (THE): World University Rankings 2025
  Research and Development Expenditure	3,603 (KRW trillion)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Number of International Students	6,751 (persons)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Academic Performance	-	-	-	-
  Number of Patents
  Winners of Prizes in Science and Technology	-	-	-	-
  Number of startups	12,740	2024	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)

• Culture and Interaction

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Number of International Conferences
  Number of Cultural Events
  Cultural Content Export Value
  Art Market Environment
  Tourist Attractions
  Proximity to World Heritage Sites	1 (Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites)	2024		Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA): UNESCO World Heritage Sites
  Nightlife Options
  Number of Theaters
  Number of Museums	31 (sites)	2024	download	Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST): Nationwide Cultural Infrastructure Yearbook (2024)
  Number of Stadiums
  Number of Hotel Rooms
  Number of Luxury Hotel Rooms
  Attractiveness of Shopping Options
  Attractiveness of Dining Options
  Number of Foreign Residents	160,859(persons)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Number of Foreign Visitors	717,058(persons)	2023

• Livability

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Total Unemployment Rate	2.7(%)	2025	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Total Working Hours
  Workstyle Flexibility	-	-	-	-
  Housing Rent
  Price Level	114.79	2024	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Number of Murders
  Economic Risk of Natural Disaster	10.59 (USD billion)	2025	download	Lloyd’s: City Risk Index
  Life Expectancy	83.1 (years)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Social Freedom and Equality
  Risk to Mental Health	28.8 (persons per 100,000)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Number of Medical Doctors	5,661 (persons)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  ICT Readiness	74.85 (5th)	2024	download	Network Readiness Index (2024) National Statistics
  Number of Retail Shops	-	-	-	-
  Number of Restaurants	-	-	-	-

• Environment

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Commitment to Climate Action
  Renewable Energy Rate
  Waste Recycle Rate	86.9(%)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  CO2 Emissions per Capita
  Air Quality	19 (μg/m3)	Dec. 2024	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS) PM2.5 concentration in Incheon
  Comfort Level of Temperature	14.2 (°C)	2024	download	Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA): Weather average annual temperature
  Water Quality	71.43 (high)	Mar. 2025	-	NUMBEO_Water Quality
  Urban Greenery	50 (Moderate)	Mar. 2025	-	NUMBEO_Quality of Green and Parks
  Satisfaction with Urban Cleanliness

• Accessibility

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Cities with Direct International Flights	164 (city)	2023	-	Incheon International
  International Freight Flows	1,310,962,887 (ton)	2022	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Number of Air Passengers	71,156,947 (persons)	2024	download	Incheon International
  Number of Arrivals and Departures at Airports	413,200 (flights)	2024	download	Incheon International
  Station Density
  Public Transportation Use
  Travel Time to Airports
  Commuting Time
  Traffic Congestion
  Ease of Mobility by Taxi or Bicycle	1,078.38(Km)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)

The Quality of City Ranking is announced by Mercer, a global multinational consulting firm based in the US. The ranking analyzes global cities based on the practical aspects of daily life for international assignees by considering 39 factors across 10 sectors: Political/Social Environment, Economic Environment, Sociocultural Environment, Medical Service/Health/Hygiene, Educational Environment, Public Service/Transportation, Recreation, Consumables, Residential Environment, and Natural Environment.

• Political and social environment

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Relationship with other countries	-	-	-	-
  Internal stability	-	-	-	-
  Crime	-	-	-	-
  Law enforcement	-	-	-	-
  Ease of entry and exit	-	-	-	-

• Economic environment

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Currency exchange regulations	-	-	-	-
  Banking services	-	-	-	-

• Socio-cultural environment

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Limitations on personal freedom	-	-	-	-
  Media and censorship	-	-	-	-

• Medical and health considerations

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Hospital services	5,028 (specialists) / 5,172 (medical institutions)	2025	download	Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service
  Medical supplies
  Infectious diseases	-	-	-	-
  Water potability
  Waste removal	100(%)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Sewage	97.6 (%)	2023	download	MinistryofEnvironmentEnvironmentalStatisticsPortal
  Air pollution	19 (μg/m3)	Dec. 2024	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS) PM2.5 concentration in Incheon
  Troublesome and destructive animals and insects	-	-	-	-

• Schools and education

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Schools	978 (schools)	2024	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS) Domestic schools in Incheon
  	7(schools)	2024	-	Ministry of Education (MOE) Foreign schools in Incheon

• Public services and transport

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Electricity	-	-	-	-
  Water availability	99.1(%)	2023	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS)
  Telephone	74.85(5th)	2024	download	Network Readiness Index (2024) National Statistics
  Mail	-	-	-	-
  Public transport
  Traffic congestion
  Airport	164(city)	2023	-	Incheon International
  	71,156,947(persons)	2024	download	Incheon International
  	413,200(flights)	2024	download	Incheon International

• Recreation

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Variety of restaurants	-	-	-	-
  Theatrical and musical performances
  Cinemas
  Sports and leisure activities

• Consumer goods

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Food (meat and fish)	-	-	-	-
  Food (Fruit and Vegetables)	-	-	-	-
  Daily consumption items	-	-	-	-
  Alcoholic beverages	-	-	-	-
  Automobile	-	-	-	-

• Housing

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Housing	-	-	-	-
  Household appliances and furniture	-	-	-	-
  Household maintenance and repair	-	-	-	-

• Natural environment

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Climate	-	-	-	-
  Record of natural disasters	-	-	-	-

The Global Liveability Index is an annual assessment published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which is affiliated with the British weekly Economist. The Liveability Index ranks 173 cities for their living conditions based on more than  30 indices in five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

• Stability

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Prevalence of petty crime	-	-	-	-
  Prevalence of violent crime	-	-	-	-
  Threat of military conflict	-	-	-	-
  Threat of civil unrest/conflict	-	-	-	-
  Threat of terrorism	-	-	-	-

• Healthcare

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Availability of private healthcare	-	-	-	-
  Quality of private healthcare provision	-	-	-	-
  Availability of public healthcare	-	-	-	-
  Quality of public healthcare provision	-	-	-	-
  Availability of over-the-counter drugs
  General healthcare indicators	5,028 (specialists) / 5,172 (medical institutions)	2025	download	Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service

• Culture and Environment

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Date	Information	Source / Note
  Climate: Humidity/ Temperature rating	14.2(°C)	2024	download	Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA): Weather average annual temperature
  Climate: Discomfort to travellers	-	-	-	-
  Cultural hardship: Corruption
  Cultural hardship: Social/Religious restrictions	-	-	-	-
  Cultural hardship: Level of censorship	64.06 (points / 61)	2025	download	Reporters Without Borders (RSF): Press Freedom Index (National statistics)
  Recreation: Sports	3,785(site)	2023	download	Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
  Recreation: Culture	-	-	-	-
  Recreation: Food and drink	-	-	-	-
  Availability of consumer goods and services	-	-	-	-

• Education

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Availability of private education	-	-	-	-
  Quality of private education provision	-	-	-	-
  General public education indicators	978(schools)	2024	download	Statistics Korea (KOSIS) Domestic schools in Incheon
  	7(schools)	2024	-	Ministry of Education (MOE) Foreign schools in Incheon

• Infrastructure

  Indicator	Statistics	Year of Data	Information	Source / Note
  Transport: Quality of road network	-	-	-	-
  Transport: Quality of public transport
  Transport: Quality of regional or international links	-	-	-	-
  Availability of good quality housing	-	-	-	-
  Utilities: Quality of water provision	99.1 (%)	2023		Ministryof Environment Environmental Statistics Portal
  Utilities: Quality of telecommunications infrastructure	score 74.85 (rank 5)	2024	download	Network Readiness Index2024: PORTULANSINSTITUTE
  Utilities: Quality of energy provision	-	-	-	-