▲ As the host city of next year’s ADB Annual Meeting, Incheonstarted its international promotional campaigns and preparation for the eventin earnest. The photo shows the ‘Ganghwa Handkerchief Experience,’ which was asafety culture experience in Incheon. The experiential program was provided asa regular program to introduce the traditional culture of South Korea andenjoyed good reception from its visitors. As the host city of next year’s ADB Annual Meeting, Incheonstarted its international promotional campaigns and preparation for the eventin earnest. As the host city of next year’s ADB Annual Meeting, which isscheduled in May 2023, Incheon participated in ‘2022, the 55 th ADBAnnual Meeting held in Manila, the Philippines, from September 28th to 30, forthe purpose of promoting Incheon. The ADB Annual Meeting is the largest event of ADB, attended by headsof state, finance ministers, and heads of central banks from 68 membercountries, totaling 5 thousand participants, and has been held every year sincethe foundation of the organization in 1966. South Korea is scheduled to hostthe general convention in Incheon for the third time in 2023, following Seoulin 1970 and Jeju in 2004. During this year’s meeting, Incheon engaged in promotionalactivities for South Korea and Incheon along with the Ministry of Economy andFinance, which is the hosting government agency, and Incheon TourismOrganization, which is an affiliated organization of Incheon, to the 68 membercountries. The promotion booth of Incheon, which is the host city for nextyear’s convention, communicated and promoted ▲ theconvention facilities, transportation, accommodation, safety, and other superbinfrastructure for international conventions; ▲ innovative digital industrialresources such as the Bio Industrial Complex, Smart City, and roboticsindustries; and, ▲rich tourism resources where the tradition and modernity co-exist,such as Ganghwa Heritage, Paradise City, Wangsan Maria, and Gaehangj

Incheon pointed to the reaffirmation of the status of Incheon asa global city and the strengthening of international cooperation as thediplomatic gains from the first trip of Mayor Yoo Jeongbok, who is the eighthelected mayor. Mr. Yoo visited Singapore and Sidney, and Brisbane, Australia,from September 15th to 22. This overseas trip was in response to the official invitation tothe 9th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on DisasterRisk Reduction (APMCDRR) of UNDRR, which is an international disasterresponse organization. The itinerary also included the schedules to promoteIncheon as a candidate city to host the 2025 AP|EC summit and thematerialization of the plan to make Incheon an ultra-top-tier global city. ▲ In the APMCDRR meeting he attended during his first overseastrip, Mayor Yoo reconfirmed that Incheon has become a global city that sharesglobal issues with the world’s major cities. The photo shows Mr. Yoo giving aspeech titled ‘Incheon, a City with Disaster Resilience’ during the 9th APMCDRRhosted by UNDRR at the Brisbane Convention Center, Australia, on the 21st. As some of the key diplomatic achievements made during thistrip, Mr. Yoo pointed to the reconfirmation of the status of Incheon as aglobal city that shares global issues with the major cities of the world duringthe APMCDRR meeting and reaching a consensus with Sidney and Brisbane tocontinue material cooperations in terms of urban regeneration, disasterresponse, and restoration. First, “the participation in and a speech during the APMCDRRmeeting gave Incheon an opportunity to share the superior quality of Incheon’sdisaster safety policies and disaster responses of Incheon, which is the firstAsian city to be certified as a UNDRR resilience hub city and improve thereputation of the city,” according to Mr. Yoo. He added, “As I met the businesspeople of Singapore andAustralia and shared their urban regeneration cases, I could develop thestrategies to make Incheon a global city through t

▲ Yoo Jeongbok, the 8th elected mayor of Incheon, is nowcurrently on his first trip overseas since taking office. In the firstdestination, which is Singapore, he started his work to materialize the plan tomake Incheon one of the ultra-top-tier cities of the world. The photo shows Mr.Yoo visiting the exhibitions of the Urban Planning Pavilion of the URA ofSingapore. Yoo Jeongbok, the 8th elected mayor of Incheon, is now currentlyon his first trip overseas since taking office. In his first destination,Singapore, he started his work to materialize the plan to make Incheon one ofthe ultra-top-tier cities of the world. Incheon announced that Mr. Yoo hosted a meeting with SouthKorean businesspersons in Singapore on September 16th. The meeting was attended by representatives from PoscoInternational, Korean Air, KDB, and Shinhan Bank, as well as Professor JangseopShin of the National University of Singapore. During the meeting, the attendants shared their insights on howSingapore became home to a number of multinational corporations, outstandingpolicies of the government that are related to the roles of Singapore as afinancial hub of the world, and, especially, the trends of multinationals withregard to the return of Hong Kong to China. After the meeting, Mr. Yoo visited the Singapore Branch of KOTRAto be briefed on the current status of trade in the country. Then, Mr. Yoovisited the URA office of Singapore, Clark Quay, Gardens by the Bay, Marina BaySands, etc., concerning his campaign pledge on the Jemulpo Renaissance Project. The world’s ultra-top-tier city that Incheon seeks to become isa city of a new level that is beyond the top-tier cities of South Korea and theworld. In response to the 5th Industrial Revolution, the city aims to become anUltra Smart City while also becoming a human-oriented City of Happiness, aimingto enhance the quality of life through culture, history, and environment.

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