- Significantly improved user experience with enhanced response speed, visualized travel itineraries, and expanded multilingual support -On June 22, Incheon Metropolitan City announced the official launch of its generative AI-powered “AI Travel Assistant (Easykku)” service, integrated directly into the city’s flagship smart tourism application, IncheonEasy.To deliver a highly optimized user experience, the city overhauled key functionalities of the service by incorporating 970 inputs collected during its pilot operation, which began on January 29.Enhancements were made to response speed, map visualization, and multilingual support.By blending Incheon’s extensive localized tourism database with Google Gemini’s advanced natural language processing, the AI Travel Assistant goes beyond standard keyword queries. It accurately deciphers a user’s underlying intent and context.For instance, when asked open-ended questions like “What festivals are happening in Incheon this month?” “Where should I go on a rainy day?” or “Recommend me weekend spots to visit with children,” the system automatically evaluates the user’s real-time location, local weather, and time of day. The app then synthesizes this data into a tailored itinerary—complete with integrated details on regional stamp tours, discount coupons, nearby parking options, and community events to drastically reduce vacation-planning time.Currently, the IncheonEasy app stands as Korea’s largest smart tourism platform, establishing itself as a must-have platform for traveling and cultural experiences in Incheon, with 336,000 cumulative downloads and 126,000 registered users. Moving forward, the city intends to deepen its data analytics capabilities to offer even more granular, personalized cultural experiences.In particular, Incheon is also preparing to introduce a specialized “AI Travel Assistant for Tourism Accessibility.” Powered by a specialized, barrier-free database covering approximat

- Commentary services now available at Cheongnahaneuldaegyo Bridge, joining Songdo History and Culture Park and Incheon Customs History Park -Incheon Metropolitan City announced plans to expand its cultural tourism interpretation service and strengthen customized guided programs to provide visitors with more vivid and in-depth travel experiences.Cultural tourism commentators offer professional interpretation of local history, culture, and tourism resources. In Incheon’s urban area, the service is currently available at major attractions, such as the Open Port Area and the Wolmi Sea Train.Songdo History and Culture Park and Incheon Customs History Park have been offering commentaries since April. Visitors can reserve tours at their preferred times through the Incheon Cultural Tourism Commentator website. In particular, Songdo History and Culture Park also offers regularly scheduled guided tours that do not require reservations.Beginning in June this year, visitors can also enjoy cultural tourism commentary services at Cheongnahaneuldaegyo Bridge, home to THE SKY 184, the world’s tallest sea bridge observatory recognized by Guinness World Records.At Cheongnahaneuldaegyo Bridge, guided tours focus on the promotion center, exhibition hall, ocean observatory, and waterfront spaces. Visitors can learn about the bridge’s construction process, structural features, and the surrounding scenery, including Yeongjong Island and the West Sea, for a unique and enriching tourism experience.Kim Young-shin, Director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of Incheon Metropolitan City, stated, “Cultural tourism commentary is an important service that enhances visitor satisfaction while effectively conveying the value of local tourism resources. We will continue to develop differentiated content and expand customized commentary programs that allow visitors to fully experience the unique charm of Incheon in response to evolving tourism demand.”The service is available free of charge thr

- Citizen Communication Council concludes 3.5 years of activities, discussing development strategies and future tasks for new and reorganized districts; new administrative system set to launch on July 1 -Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it held the final plenary meeting of the Citizen Communication Council for Administrative Restructuring on June 8 in the city hall conference room, officially concluding approximately three years and six months of activities.The meeting served as the council’s final official event ahead of the launch of Incheon’s new administrative system on July 1, 2026, with approximately 80 participants, including council members and officials from the city and district governments.During the meeting, the Incheon Administrative Restructuring Task Force shared the latest preparations for the launch, including plans for the temporary offices of the newly established autonomous districts, as well as organizational structures and personnel deployment.In addition, Dr. Yoo Ja-young of the Korea Research Institute for Local Administration delivered a presentation titled “Development Strategies and Future Tasks for Newly Established Autonomous Districts.” The session was followed by various recommendations on customized development strategies and future priorities to support the stable settlement of the reorganized districts.Since its launch on January 4, 2023, the Citizen Communication Council has served as a key channel for gathering public input throughout the administrative restructuring process. Centered around three subcommittees—Jemulpo, Yeongjong, and Seo-gu/Geomdan—the council held a total of 16 subcommittee and plenary meetings, as well as public forums. Through these activities, members reflected the diverse views of residents and stakeholders in the affected areas in policy discussions and helped build public consensus on the restructuring.In his remarks, Chairperson Hwang Gyu-cheol stated, “We ask fellow officials to pay

- Seven high-growth startups selected to receive customized support packages, ranging from commercialization funding to global marketing assistance -Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it has selected participants for the “I-Startup Unicorn Dream Program,” a flagship initiative under the city’s Global Startup City Vision, announced last year, and will begin full-scale support to nurture globally competitive unicorn companies.The program serves as a key implementation project of the Global Startup City Vision and was designed to help promising startups scale up and expand into overseas markets through collaboration with major global corporations. With a goal of creating at least two unicorn companies by 2029, Incheon is building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that organically links investment, technology demonstration, and global market expansion. The new program serves as a foundational growth-support platform toward achieving that objective.Under the I-Startup Unicorn Dream Program, high-potential startups based in Incheon are selected to receive support for scaling up and global expansion through open innovation partnerships with global companies. Incheon Technopark serves as the implementing organization, overseeing the selection of participating companies and startup accelerators as well as overall program operations.The seven selected companies will receive a total of KRW 400 million in commercialization funding, distributed based on performance evaluations. Furthermore, through partnerships with global technology giants—including Microsoft, AWS, IBM, Siemens, and Ansys—participating firms will gain access to customized growth programs, proof-of-concept (PoC) projects, expert mentoring, investment attraction support, overseas expansion consulting, and joint marketing initiatives.Through this program, Incheon aims to establish a collaborative ecosystem connecting global corporations with local startups, while providing a growth pathway spanning tech

- Marine experts from Korea and abroad to gather in Songdo to examine the transformative impact of AI on the maritime industry -Incheon Metropolitan City will provide a platform for domestic and international maritime experts to share insights on the disruptive innovations and future vision that artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to bring to the maritime industry.The city government announced that it will co-host the 7th Incheon International Ocean Forum (IIOF 2026) with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries at Songdo Convensia from Wednesday, July 15 to Thursday, July 16. Prior to the event, advance registration will be available through the forum’s official website through July 10.Now in its seventh year, the forum will be held under the slogan, “The World Calls, The Ocean Waves,” with the main theme, “The Future of the Ocean in the Era of AI.”The forum will examine the sweeping transformation that rapid advances in AI technology are expected to bring to the maritime industry, including shipping, logistics, and smart ports, while exploring strategies for future competitiveness and survival.This year’s keynote program features a distinguished lineup of speakers offering both broad societal perspectives and practical approaches to innovation. Professor Choi Jae-boong of Sungkyunkwan University, a leading authority on the AI-driven civilizational transition and the author of Phono Sapiens, will deliver a keynote presentation on “Challenges Facing Maritime Cities in the Era of AI.” He will be followed by Joo Si-hyun, Vice President of Hyundai Motor and Kia, who will present “Robotics Technology for Industry and Everyday Life,” focusing on AI-based innovations in port logistics and practical applications for maritime mobility.The forum’s main program consists of five sessions covering shipping and logistics, smart ports, marine tourism, marine environment and energy, and AI-powered maritime cities. It will also include a special session on In

- Ranked 112th globally and 23rd in Asia by ICCA, demonstrating strong competitiveness as an international convention destination -Incheon Metropolitan City and Incheon Tourism Organization announced that Incheon ranked third among Korean cities in the 2025 International Meetings Destination Rankings released by the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), marking the highest ranking in the city's history. Incheon also ranked 112th globally and 23rd in Asia, further demonstrating its competitive edge and growing stature as an international meetings destination.ICCA is a global organization that analyzes international meeting activity worldwide. Its rankings are based on international meetings organized by academic societies and associations and held regularly, rotating among at least three countries and attracting more than 50 participants. The ICCA rankings are widely used as a key indicator of the ability of a city to attract international conferences and its overall strength in the MICE industry.Incheon hosted a total of 24 ICCA-qualified international meetings in 2025, raising its domestic ranking from fourth place in the previous year to third. As a result, the city has further solidified its position as one of Korea’s leading MICE destinations alongside Seoul and Busan. Incheon also achieved remarkable improvement in the global rankings, climbing 71 places from 183rd in the previous year to 112th.The achievement is attributed to the city’s well-established international convention infrastructure centered on Songdo International City and Yeongjong area, combined with excellent accessibility through Incheon's airport and seaport networks. The expansion of international conferences linked to Incheon’s strategic industries—including biotechnology, semiconductors, and robotics—is also considered to have contributed positively to enhancing the city’s global competitiveness.“This achievement is the result of combining Incheon’s outsta

- Evaluated as suitable under ISO 9001 and 10002 surveillance audit, maintaining international standard-level content quality and civil response system -Incheon Metropolitan City announced that its three municipal publications—Good Morning Incheon, Incheon JiChang, and Incheon Now—have successfully passed a surveillance audit of their international standards certification systems, and that they have been recommended for continued certification under both Quality Management System (ISO 9001) and Customer Satisfaction Management System (ISO 10002).The audit was conducted by the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency Certification Institute (KOSRE), an official certification body affiliated with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The review assessed whether the planning, editing, management, and overall operation of the city’s publications comply with international standards.The audit found no nonconformities. Incheon received compliance ratings across all major ISO 9001 and ISO 10002 categories including organizational context, leadership, planning, support, operations, performance evaluation, and continuous improvement. The results once again demonstrated the stability of the city’s internationally standardized content quality management and citizen response systems.According to the audit report, Incheon regularly monitors quality objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) in accordance with its quality management guidelines and maintains a stable system for managing the quality and credibility of its three publications.The city was also recognized for systematically operating communication channels with citizens and stakeholders through meetings, training programs, and social media platforms. Its process for handling citizen complaints was found to be managed appropriately as well.Last year, Incheon became the first local government in Korea to acquire ISO 9001 and ISO 10002 certifications simultaneously for municipal publications. The achievement attracted na

- Unique nighttime course connecting Cheongna Sky Bridge Observatory and Gyeyang Araon -Incheon Metropolitan City announced the official resumption of its “Live City Administration Field Tour” program on June 4 following a temporary suspension during the election period as required by the Public Official Election Act.The program first began operating in March but was paused during the statutory 60-day pre-election restriction period. With its resumption, the city plans to offer an expanded range of tour content for participants.The most notable addition is the opening of the Cheongna Sky Bridge Observatory—a new landmark in Northern Incheon and the world’s tallest bridge observatory at 184.2 meters—along with the introduction of a new nighttime-dedicated tour course.Following the official opening of the bridge’s main-tower observatory The Sky 184 on May 7, visitors can now enjoy the facility through both daytime and nighttime tour programs. Admission is KRW 15,000 for adults, but Incheon residents are entitled to a 50 percent discount so they pay only KRW 7,500. Auxiliary facilities including the Ocean Observatory, waterfront spaces, and Traveler Center can be used free of charge.The newly introduced nighttime-dedicated course, which operates from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., is designed to showcase Incheon’s vibrant evening skyline. Participants will first enjoy large-scale media art installations and sunset views over the West Sea at the Cheongna Sky Bridge Observatory before continuing to Gyeyang Araon, one of Incheon’s Nine Scenic Views and a renowned waterfront nightscape destination. The course is expected to offer visitors a unique, memorable experience.In addition, the city’s regularly scheduled themed tours will continue to operate as planned. These include the Yeongjong Exploration Course featuring the Yeongjong History Museum, Inspire Entertainment Resort, Hanagae Beach, and Yeonpyeongdo Course, which provides firsthand experiences of frontli

- Applications open for leading district designation across five areas, including Guwol and Yeonsu -Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it is moving forward in earnest with redevelopment projects aimed at improving residential environments in aging-expected cities and transforming them into sustainable, future-oriented urban communities.The city is currently preparing the 2035 Incheon Aging-Expected City Redevelopment Master Plan for five districts: Guwol; Yeonsu–Seonhak; Mansu 1, 2, and 3; Galsan-Bupyeong-Bugae; and Gyesan. The plan goes beyond simple improvements to the residential environment and seeks to achieve a systematic, metropolitan-scale restructuring of the city’s urban spatial framework.To improve project feasibility and ease the financial burden on residents, Incheon has also adjusted the public contribution requirements. Under an ordinance enacted and promulgated on April 20, the city set public contribution ratios for the five districts at the legal minimum levels of 10% for Tier 1 and 41% for Tier 2 projects. Through these measures, the city seeks to ease residents’ financial burdens and facilitate the smooth implementation of redevelopment projects.Incheon has published an FAQ section on its website regarding the designation of leading districts to improve public understanding of the initiative. The city is also accelerating administrative support efforts including the establishment of the Incheon Aging-Expected City Redevelopment Committee to ensure professionalism and fairness throughout the redevelopment process.Following a review by the Redevelopment Committee in July, Incheon plans to finalize the master plan after deliberation by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s Central Special Committee, with official notification expected in October.In particular, applications for designation as a Leading District—a key component of the redevelopment initiative—will be accepted until June 1. Final selections are schedul

- Joint marine debris collection campaign conducted with the Incheon Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, Incheon Coast Guard, and Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation -Incheon Metropolitan City announced that it carried out a tidal flat cleanup campaign on May 27 at Sorae Wetland Ecological Park in Namdong-gu to commemorate the 31st Sea Day.As a national commemorative day celebrated on May 31, Sea Day was established to promote awareness of the importance of the maritime industry and to encourage those working in the sector. It celebrates the establishment of Cheonghaejin by Admiral Jang Bogo during the Unified Silla period.The event was organized to highlight the importance of marine environmental conservation and to encourage collaboration among the relevant organizations to build a sustainable marine ecosystem.Approximately 150 officials from various organizations took part in the cleanup effort, including Incheon Metropolitan City, Incheon Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries, Incheon Coast Guard, and Korea Marine Environment Management Corporation. The participants collected various marine debris from the tidal flats, including discarded plastics.In addition to the cleanup activities, a variety of citizen-participation programs were held to raise awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems. Event booths featured eco-friendly sea soap-making activities as well as a photo exhibition on marine environmental conservation. Educational sessions on marine accident prevention and marine safety experience programs also attracted strong public interest.“Tidal flats are valuable natural assets that absorb carbon and are a legacy that must be preserved for future generations. We will continue working with related organizations and citizens to protect marine ecosystems and create a cleaner marine environment,” said Lee Han-nam, Director of the Incheon Maritime Affairs and Aviation Bureau.