Jung-guandDong-gutobecomeJemulpo-guandYeongjong-gu,Seo-gutobecomeSeo-guandGeomdan-guTheIncheonCityGovernmentisreorganizingthecity’sadministrativesystemtomodernizethemapoftheCity,improvethelivesofitscitizens,andtakeanewleapintothefuture.Aspartofthismajorshake-up,Jung-guandDong-gu,whichhaveseensomeitspopulationdeclinemarkedlyinrecentyears,willbecomeJemulpo-guandYeongjong-gu,whereasSeo-gu,whichnowhasapopulationof570,000,willbedividedintoSeo-guandGeomdan-gu.OnAugust31,IncheonMayorYooJeong-bokannouncedthelatestreformfromhisadministrationthathelpspreparetheCityforthefuturewithadministrativedistrictsbettersuitedtoreduceanyinconvenienceexperiencedbyitscitizensandreflectthepopulationsizeandwherepeopleactuallyspendthemosttime.▲IncheonannouncedthelatestreformfromhisadministrationthathelpspreparetheCityforthefuturewithadministrativedistrictsbettersuitedtoreduceanyinconvenienceexperiencedbyitscitizensandreflectthepopulationsizeandwherepeopleactuallyspendthemosttime.Accordingtothisnewreformplan,theadministrativesystemofIncheonwillgofromtwoGunandeightGudistrictstotwoGunandnineGudistricts.TheimageshowsMayorYooJeong-bokbriefingtheaudienceregardingthenewadministrativesystem.MayorYooJeong-bokexplainedthatthecurrentsystemhasbeenmaintainedsince1995(27yearsago)whenIncheonfirstintroduceditstwoGunandeightGudistrictsystemdespitechangesinadministrativeandsocialconditions.Hesaidthatthefailuretokeepupwiththetimeshasbecomemoreofathornonthecity’ssiderecently,makingthelivesofitscitizensincreasinglydifficult.Infact,theregisteredresidentpopulationofIncheonwas2.35millionin1995,butasofJuly2022,thenumberincreasedby610,000to2.96million.Theaveragepopulationperlocalmunicipaldistrictstandsat296,000,thehighestamongallmetropolitancitiesacrossKorea.Moreover,thenumberofcivilcomplaintsisthethirdhighestinthecountryin2021,reaching1.1millionperyear.Withapopulationof3.33million,Busan,whichissimilartoIncheon,has16GunandGudistricts(oneGunand15Gudistricts),andtheaveragenumberofpeopleperlocalmunicipalgovernmenti

K-BioLabHubprojectpassesitspreliminaryfeasibilitystudy...Willoffersupporttonurturestart-upsinthebioindustryThe“K-BioLabHub”project,jointlypromotedbytheIncheonCityGovernmentandtheMinistryofSMEsandStartups,hastakenanotherstepclosertobecomingreality.OnAugust22,Incheonannouncedthatthe“K-BioLabHubConstructionProject,”jointlypromotedwiththeMinistryofSMEsandStartups,hadpasseditspreliminaryfeasibilitystudy.▲TheK-BioLabHubprojectinvolvesbuildingaspecializedsupportinfrastructureforstart-upsinthebiotechnologyfield,suchasnewdrugdevelopment,tohelpnurturebiostart-ups.Theprojecthopestogrowinnovativestart-upsinthebioindustrybyofferingthespacebiostart-upsneed,companies,establishinganopeninnovationcooperationsystemthatcanprovidethefacilitiesandequipmentnecessaryforexperimentsandresearch,clinicaltrials,andprototyping,alongwiththerequiredindustry,academia,research,andmilitarysupportinonespace,andbysupportingRDinitiativesaimedatdevelopingnewdrugs.Theimageisabird's-eyeviewofK-BioLabHub.ThedeliberationonthepreliminaryfeasibilitystudiesofninepotentialnationalRDprojectssubmittedbytheMinistryofScienceandICTsawonlythreeprojects,includingtheK-BioLabHubConstructionProject,passtheminimumrequirements.TheK-BioLabHubprojectinvolvesbuildingaspecializedsupportinfrastructureforstart-upsinthebiotechnologyfield,suchasnewdrugdevelopment,tohelpnurturebiostart-ups.Theprojecthopestogrowinnovativestart-upsinthebioindustrybyofferingthespacebiostart-upsneed,companies,establishinganopeninnovationcooperationsystemthatcanprovidethefacilitiesandequipmentnecessaryforexperimentsandresearch,clinicaltrials,andprototyping,alongwiththerequiredindustry,academia,research,andmilitarysupportinonespace,andbysupportingRDinitiativesaimedatdevelopingnewdrugs.Earlier,theMinistrySMEsandStartupsevaluatedthecandidateprojectsitesforfivelocalgovernments(Incheon,Gyeongsangnam-do,Daejeon,Chungcheongbuk-do,andJeollanam-do).Uponbeingselectedasacandidatesite,IncheonCityhascarefullycompiledthematerialsrequiredforthepreliminaryfea

Corepledgesbythe8thdemocratically-electedcityadministration...Incheonsetsitsdirectiontobecomea“next-level”metropolis ThemasterplanforIncheonMayorYooJeong-bokandhis8thdemocratically-electedcityadministration-the“Incheon,next-levelmetropoliswithhappycitizens”project-isfinallyhere. Incheonrecentlyannouncedthedirectioninwhichitintendstotakeingoingforwardwiththe“NewGlobal-cityIncheon(previouslytheNewHongKongCityinitiative)Project”and“JemulpoRenaissanceProject.” Bothprojectswillfocusoncreatingaworld-classcity,whereitscitizenscanleadhappylives,andonpushingIncheontothe“nextlevel”asacity. Theworld-classcityenvisionedbyIncheoninvolvedbuildingawholenewtypeofcitythattranscendsothercitiesbothinKoreaandabroadpreviouslyconsidered“world-class”or“first-class”cities.MayorYooJeong-bok’saspirationsaretocreatethefirstsupersmartcityintheworldtailoredtotheupcomingIndustry5.0era,andtherebyestablishafoundationthatincorporatesIncheon’sculture,history,andenvironmenttohelpimprovethelivesofitscitizenswithamorehuman-centriccitystructure. TheNewGlobal-cityIncheonProjectandJemulpoRenaissanceProjectwillplayamajorroleandaleadingroleinIncheon'sleapforwardasthistypeofworld-classcity. First,NewGlobal-cityIncheonProjectisthecity’sfuturedevelopmentprojectthatexpandsupontheprevious“NewHongKongCityProject.”ItincludesvariousstrategiesdesignedtogobeyondattractingfinancialcapitalmovingawayfromHongKong,andtomaximizeIncheon'sseeminglylimitlesspotentialtobecomeoneofthemostimportantcitiesintheworld. ▲TheNewGlobal-cityProjectwillcreatethe“IncheonGlobalCircle”alongtheIncheonmanBay,whichincludesthesouthernendofGanghwadoIsland,Yeongjong,theIncheonNaehangPort,themetropolitanarealandfill,Songdo,andCheongna. Topromotetheprojectinearnest,theprojecthasbeenrenamedfromthe“NewHongKongCityProject”tothe“NewGlobal-cityIncheonProject,”andIncheonwilldevisevariousstrategiescenteredonthenewIncheonGlobal.TheCityadministrationisplanningonapplyingthesestrategiesprogressivelyacrossdi

Incheon signed an MOU with the city for friendshipand cooperation in mutual strategic industries and seeks to attract the newfinancial hub in Asia. By attracting foreign financial institutions and establishing a regionalbank, the 8th elected municipal administration of Incheon seeks to make thecity a new global financial hub of Asia. As a part of its efforts, the cityentered into a global partnership agreement with Frankfurt, Germany, which isthe Mecca of European Finance to mark the beginning of the mutual cooperationsbetween the two cities. On the 4th, Mayor Yoo Jeongbok of Incheon and Mayor Peter Feldmann ofFrankfurt signed the MOU for the mutual cooperation and friendship between thetwo cities at the Grand Reception Room of the city hall. ▲ By attracting foreign financialinstitutions and establishing a regional bank, the 8th elected municipaladministration of Incheon seeks to make the city a new global financial hub ofAsia. As a part of its efforts, the city entered into a global partnershipagreement with Frankfurt, Germany, which is the Mecca of European Finance tomark the beginning of the mutual cooperations between the two cities. The signing ceremony was attended by the mayors of the two cities,President Jaeseon Shim of Incheon Chamber of Commerce and Industry; YongjoonChoi, the South Korean representing officer of Messe Frankfurt; PresidentUlrich Caspar, IHK Frankfurt; Chair Eric Menges, Frankfurt Rheinmein EconomicDevelopment Cooperation, etc. The signing of the MOU was planned by the city in cooperation with theIncheon Chamber of Commerce to strengthen its cooperative ties with Frankfurt,the European financial hub with a view to building a network for the exchangesof strategic industries between the two cities and secure the driving force forthe construction of the New Hong Kong City and the establishment of a regionalbank. Especially, Frankfurt is a city of strategic endeavors for Incheon, as Mr.Yoo Jeongbok signed an MOU with the Frankfurt Book Fair

Establishment of the shared infrastructure for thepost-processing of semiconductors; setting up a semiconductor’s fund, etc. Incheon started its journey to develop the foundations to ascend as theMecca of K-semiconductors. The city reviewed the candidate sites among the clusters of semiconductorcompanies in Songdo International City and Namdong National Industrial Complexto proceed with the development of a specialized industrial complex whichfocuses on the ‘post-processing of semiconductors.’ Incheon plans to establish a specialized industrial complex developmentplan with experts and submit a proposal for the central government’s ‘SpecializedIndustrial Complex and Foundation Building’ program funding. ▲ Incheon will review the candidate sites among theclusters of semiconductor companies in Songdo International City and NamdongNational Industrial Complex, etc., to proceed with the development of aspecialized semiconductor industrial complex focusing on the ‘post-processing’industries for semiconductors. The images show the equipment for semiconductorindustries. In line with the government’s policy to cultivate semiconductor industry,local governments are competing each other to be selected as the site for thespecialized semiconductor industrial complex. Incheon’s strategy to win in thiscompetition is to establish a foundation to become the Mecca of thesemiconductor industry emphasizing its potential and possibility for growth asa specialized city for the semiconductor industry. The total market volume of the semiconductor industry of the world was555.9 billion dollars (about 665 trillion won) in 2021, breaking its recordwith a 26.2% growth from 440.4 billion dollars of 2020. The volume of SouthKorea’s semiconductor export in 2021 broke the record with USD 129.7 billiondollars (154 trillion won), up by 29% from the preceding year (99.2 billiondollars). The “Special Act on the Strengthening of the Competitiveness of theNational Strategic Adv

The 5th Regional Economic Cooperation JointCommittee Meeting Held to Announce 13 Agenda Incheon and Weihai of China, which are the pilot areas for the South Koreaand China Free Trade Agreement (FTA), continue their economic cooperation. Incheon held the 5th Regional Economic Cooperation Joint Committee meetingin the new city hall building with the delegation from the city of Weihai,China, on the 5th. After the signing of the South Korea and China Free Trade Agreement inJune 2015, Incheon and Weihai has been designated as the pilot areas for thesaid free trade agreement and, in July of the same year, signed the Agreementon Strengthening the Regional Economic Cooperation between Incheon and Weihai.After the signing of this agreement, the two cities selected seven areas with atotal of 41 key projects, covering trade, e-commerce, tourism, and sports,etc., signing further agreements for the subsectors and having been engaged invarious pilot programs. Until now, the two cities have been discussing how they would strengthentheir economic cooperation and the meeting today was the fifth meeting of thecommittee. Due to the spread of COVID-19, the meeting was conducted online. ▲ Incheon held the 5th Regional EconomicCooperation Joint Committee meeting with the delegation from Weihai, China, inthe new city hall building on 5th. Until now, the two cities have beendiscussing the strategies to strengthen their cooperation, and the meeting heldon that day was the fifth of meeting of the committee. The meeting was attended by the officials from eight departments of Incheon,including the Department of Industrial Promotion of Incheon and ten relateddepartments of Weihai, including the Commerce Department, to announce thethirteen proposed projects covering trade, logistics, intellectual propertyrights, health, medicine, and tourism, etc., and discussed the promotionstrategies for each of these areas. Especially, for the first time since the beginning of the meeting in 2017,the meeti

Seaside Park will featurestate-of-the-art multimedia technology... Incheon to renovate Songsan Park aswell The Incheon Free EconomicZone (IFEZ) says it is ready to add some cutting-edge multimedia technology tothe Seaside Park at Yeongjong International City as part of its “Light CityIncheon Night View” project. The unique combination of multimedia technologyand a beautiful natural environment at Seaside Park will turn the Park into apopular hop spot in the evening. IFEZ plans to use thenatural landscape of the Seaside Park, which is already a local favorite inYeongjong International City, and install interactive light fixtures to offerunique nightscapes available nowhere else in Korea. To this end, IFEZ submitteda proposal for the “Seaside Park Media Art Production, Installation, andOperation System Construction” worth around KRW 2 billion. If approved, theproposal will create tourism demand in connection with nearby recreationalfacilities, including local railbike systems. The proposal was also disclosedon the Korea ON-Line E-Procurement System run by the Public ProcurementService. ▲ The Incheon FreeEconomic Zone (IFEZ) says it is ready to add some cutting-edge multimediatechnology to the Seaside Park at Yeongjong International City as part of its“Light City Incheon Night View” project. The unique combination of multimediatechnology and a beautiful natural environment at Seaside Park will turn thePark into a popular hop spot in the evening. Image is a rendering of the nightview at Seaside Park after the successful conclusion of phase-1 of the project. Specifically, this latestproposal by IFEZ outlines the city’s plans to build a story representing theidentity of Yeongjong International City, to develop, produce and installoriginal and unique nighttime tourism content using media art, and to presentimmersive and interactive tourism programs using various other nightscapes andlighting production techniques as well as light fixtures. The proposal als

The Incheon MetropolitanCity Government, in partnership with Inha University, will train experts in thefuture space industry who can play a leading role in the space industry goingforward, promote space exploration, and take on core space technologydevelopment projects that could be utilized in expeditions to the moon insearch of space resources. On July 25, Incheon hostedan opening ceremony for the “Future Space Exploration and Space ResourceUtilization Technology Research Center” at the Institute for AerospaceIndustry-Academia Collaboration (IIACI). Officials from 24 industry, academia,research, and government institutes participating in the consortium for theResearch Center attended the event. The opening ceremony wasfollowed by a brief introduction of the Research Center, and a workshop on howRD and training will proceed. During the workshop, research personnel fromvarious industry, academia, and research institutions that will participate inthe Research Center’s operations shared research initiatives expected to becarried out over the next five years. Meanwhile, for the FutureSpace Exploration and Space Resource Utilization Technology Research Centerproject, a new industry, academia, and research consortium was established topropose the Research Center for the “Future Space Education Center Project”promoted and approved by the Ministry of Science and ICT on April 11. In particular, the FutureSpace Exploration and Space Resource Utilization Technology Research Centerwill provide practical research and training in the field of space explorationand space resource utilization. To do so, a total of 23 local organizations andcompanies, including industry, academia, and research institutions based inIncheon (Inha University, Incheon National University, State University of NewYork, Korea Polar Research Institute of Marine Research Placement, KoreaInstitute of Industrial Technology, and Dawin Friction) will participate in theproject. The Research Center plan

The Incheon MetropolitanCity Government has agreed to a real estate deal with Samsung Biologics (CEO:John Rim) at Incheon City Hall on July 18. ▲ On July 28, KimYeon-joo, Assistant Director of New Bio Industry at the Incheon Free EconomicZone (IFEZ) Authority, held a press conference following the “Signing Ceremonyfor the Investment Contract between Incheon and Samsung Biologics” at theBriefing Room inside the City Hall building. According to the terms ofthe contract, Incheon and Samsung Biologics will look to attract new research andmanufacturing facilities with the right capacity to lead the global high-techmedicine field to block no. 11 (430, Songdo-dong; a high-tech industrialcluster (C) at Songdo International City. The contract worth KRW 426 billion(land area: 357,366 ㎡ ) wassigned by Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, acting Deputy Commissioner of the IFEZAuthority Seong Yong-won, and Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim. The was previouslyassigned to attract facilities and institutions from across the globe andcreate an ecosystem for the high-tech industry. IFEZ's new development plan tobuild a bio industry cluster was approved by the Ministry of Trade, Industryand Energy in July 2019. Then, in September 2020, IFEZ established a newstrategy aimed at boosting the competitiveness of Korea's biopharmaceuticalindustry on the global stage and bringing in companies that can help developsmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as venture corporations inKorea. IFEZ embarked on an openround of recruiting business operators in October of last year, and ultimatelyselected Samsung Biologics as its preferred bidder in December 2021. ▲ Map of block 11 inSongdo purchased by Samsung Biologics. With the development andsupply of vaccines and therapeutics emerging as a top national priority forcountries around the world since the outbreak of COVID-19, this new dealbetween Incheon and Samsung Biologics is expected to help Korea’sbiopharmaceutical industry improve its

Outstanding publictechnology and research capability Open to special zone companies The Seo-gu Innopolis inIncheon has declared itself an “innovation cluster” for environmental sciencein Korea. On July 14, the IncheonMetropolitan City Government, together with Incheon National University (INU)and the Incheon Housing and City Development Corporation, hosted a “VisionProclamation Ceremony for the Seo-gu Innopolis in Incheon” at INU’s campus inSongdo (auditorium). ▲ The RD Innopolis(hereinafter referred to as “Innopolis”) initiative is based upon a whole newmodel for research and development zones that involves establishingsmall-scale, high-density technology hubs equipped to commercialize newtechnology. Each Innopolis is led by institutions with relevant coretechnologies and sufficient capacity for innovation. Earlier in June, theMinistry of Science and ICT designated and announced the Seo-gu area of Incheonas an Innopolis specializing in the environmental field. In the photo, IncheonMetropolitan City Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok is declaring the vision for Seo-gu’sInnopolis going forward at the “Vision Proclamation Ceremony for the Seo-gu Innopolisin Incheon” at INU on July 14. The RD Innopolis(hereinafter referred to as “Innopolis”) initiative is based upon a whole newmodel for research and development zones that involves establishingsmall-scale, high-density technology hubs equipped to commercialize newtechnology. Each Innopolis is led by institutions with relevant coretechnologies and sufficient capacity for innovation. Earlier in June, theMinistry of Science and ICT designated and announced the Seo-gu area of Incheonas an Innopolis specializing in the environmental field. The Seo-gu Innopolisproject in Incheon is aimed at establishing a new hub to address environmentalpollution and create technology capable of managing the environment withinformation and communication technology (ICT). INU will be featured as thecore technology institution, and