Phase 1-1 completion in May, target to be completed in 2027The project to create a waterfront that will make Songdo International City in the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) a marine-friendly city is being promoted as planned.The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that the Songdo waterfront construction, which is being promoted in stages with the goal of completion in 2027, is progressing without any setbacks, such as the completion of Phase 1-1, which is being promoted as a leading project, in May.▲ The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that the Songdo waterfront construction, which is being promoted in stages with the goal of completion in 2027, is progressing without any setbacks, such as the completion of Phase 1-1, which is being promoted as a leading project, in May. The picture is a view of the Songdo Waterfront sea-site.Phase 1-1 is currently in the process of completing the overall civil engineering work, including installation of waterfront facilities and landscaping work. When the construction is completed, it is expected that the water quality of the reservoir will be improved through seawater circulation through the sluice gate, and flooding will be prevented by blocking seawater inflow and securing storage capacity during heavy rain.The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority plans to create waterfront facilities where residents can enjoy a variety of pleasures throughout the southern connecting waterway, a landscape-specialized pedestrian bridge, and a visual resting space such as Milky Way Square and Moonlight Square on both sides of the connecting waterway.The following Phase 1-2 completed the main administrative procedures of the detailed design stage, such as the selection of the bridge landscape and construction method, and began full-scale design of the section from Lakes 6 and 8 to the north side connecting waterway to the north side waterway with the goal of placing an order for construction in the second half of the

According to the 2nd expressway construction plan, construction of 7 expressways in Incheon promotedIn Incheon, where Korea's first expressway was opened, new expressways on several routes will be additionally built, which is expected to reduce habitual congestion and significantly reduce traffic jams.On January 28, Incheon announced that the Gyeongin Expressway underground project and the 2nd Gyeongin Line expansion project were reflected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's '2nd Expressway Construction Plan', and a total of 7 expressway construction projects are currently underway.Incheon's wide-area road network has been constructed or planned as a grid network with three north-south axes (Yeongjong-Ganghwa Pyeonghwa Road, Capital Region Second Ring Expressway, and Capital Region First Ring Expressway) and five east-west axes (3rd Gyeongin Expressway, 2nd Gyeongin Expressway, 4th Gyeongin Expressway, Gyeongin Expressway, and Incheon International Airport Expressway). Among them, the Gyeongin Expressway and the 2nd Gyeongin Expressway are habitually congested sections and require increased road capacity.▲ On January 28, Incheon announced that the Gyeongin Expressway underground project and the 2nd Gyeongin Line expansion project were reflected in the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's '2nd Expressway Construction Plan', and a total of 7 expressway construction projects are currently underway.The Gyeongin Expressway underground project reflected in the ‘Second Expressway Construction Plan’ this time is to build an underground road (all vehicle types) with an extension of 19.3 km and a width of 4 lanes from Shinwol IC through Seoincheon IC to Namcheongna IC. A total of 2.41 trillion won will be invested in the project to be implemented as a financial project, and when the underground road is built, it is possible to enter the 27km section from Namcheongna to Yeouido in Seoul in 17 minutes.In addition, the 2nd Gyeongin Line expa

8 route change plans reflected,Incheon Subway Line 2 Geomdan Extension, Songdo Tram, etc. are subject to extensionThe urban rail network construction plan newly prepared by Incheon received final approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and full-scale implementation became possible.The city of Incheon announced that it had received approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport on the 18th after deliberation by the National Transportation Committee on the 'Incheon Urban Railroad Network Construction Plan Change (draft)', which reflected 8 routes including the Bupyeong Coastal Pier Line.When all the routes reflected in the change to the urban rail network construction plan are built, it is expected that the transportation convenience of residents will greatly improve due to an increase in the urban rail transport share.▲ The urban rail network construction plan newly prepared by Incheon received final approval from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and full-scale implementation became possible. There are eight routes reflected in the change plan, with a total length of 87.79 km and a total of 2.862 trillion won will be invested.The routes reflected in the change plan include △ Incheon Subway Line 2 Geomdan Extension △ Bupyeong Coastal Pier Line △ Songdo Tram △ Incheon Subway Line 2 Nonhyeon Extension △ Juan Songdo Line △ Yeongjong Tram △ Incheon Subway Line 1 Songdo Section 8 Extension △ Jemulpo Coastal Pier Line, and a total of 2.862 trillion won is planned to be invested in the construction of the 87.79km-long railway network.This change plan reflects the results of a feasibility review conducted every 5 years in accordance with Article 5 of the ‘Urban Railroad Act’ for the existing plan established in 2016, and it shows the changed socio-economic conditions, and focuses on expanding the benefits of the Great Train Express (GTX) line B, and supporting the regeneration of the original

Incheon supports the robotics industry with its comprehensive plan to support the innovative growth of the robotics industry, and initiatives aimed at developing specialized robotsIncheon Metropolitan City is primed to take its next leap forward as an innovative city for the robotics industry where people and robots coexist in harmony.Incheon recently announced plans for its “2022 Robotics Industry Innovative Growth Support” project to foster the development of the robotics industry and robotics companies, which are strategic industries driving Incheon forward in the face of changes brought on by Industry 4.0.​▲ Incheon recently announced plans for its “2022 Robotics Industry Innovative Growth Support” project to foster the development of the robotics industry and robotics companies, which are strategic industries driving Incheon forward in the face of changes brought on by Industry 4.0. Picture of an unmanned transport robot equipped with a robotic arm (above), indoor and outdoor quarantine robots (below).This latest plan from Incheon is part of the “Comprehensive Plan to Support the Innovative Growth of the Robotics Industry” established in 2019 (2020~2024 Five-Year Plan). Designed to turn Incheon into an innovative city for the robotics industry where people and robots can exist in harmony, the third-year of this plan will feature various support projects, such as support for robotics startups, RD, design development, public relations, and development of robots tailored to accommodate Incheon’s local conditions and demands.In particular, this year, Incheon is looking to expand its investment (KRW 1.8 billion in 2021 → KRW 2.3 billion in 2022) to discover and nurture policies that can support the robotics industry with greater investment into industries supporting the development and testing of robots specialized in providing assistance to the socially disadvantaged. Incheon also plans to participate in public government competitions for demons

City administration establishes Comprehensive Plan to Develop Future Mobility Industry (2022~2026) and puts it into motionThe Incheon Metropolitan City Government has established and announced its “Comprehensive Plan to Develop the Future Mobility Industry (2022~2026)’ to establish an ecosystem featuring technology that can help facilitate the migration of internal combustion engine parts companies to electric vehicle parts companies, and develop core technologies for future vehicles together with Incheon Technopark. Do. By doing so, Incheon plans to quickly reorganize the automobile industry structure for future cars, and promote the technological advancement of Incheon’s automobile industry.The Comprehensive Plan to Develop the Future Mobility Industry will establish five key initiatives and 25 key projects based on the vision of “Incheon, a leading city for technological innovation in the future.” A total of KRW 110.4 billion (including public and private funds) will be invested in the project by 2026.▲ The Incheon Metropolitan City Government has established and announced its “Comprehensive Plan to Develop the Future Mobility Industry (2022~2026)’ to establish an ecosystem featuring technology that can help facilitate the migration of internal combustion engine parts companies to electric vehicle parts companies, and develop core technologies for future vehicles together with Incheon Technopark. Do. By doing so, Incheon plans to quickly reorganize the automobile industry structure for future cars, and promote the technological advancement of Incheon’s automobile industry. Picture of an autonomous driving and connected car on the road.The first key strategic initiative for this Comprehensive Plan will use Korea’s first public connected car materials and parts certification evaluation center, which was built in Cheongna Robot Land last year, to develop specialized connected car technology, support testing and evaluation for certification purpos

Construction of a new vaccine RD facility to start next yearOn December 27, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority agreed to sell a sizable plot in Songdo International City to SK Bioscience. SK Bioscience is expected to build a new research center at its newly acquired property in Songdo.Building up to this agreement, the IFEZ Authority and SK Bioscience engaged in a lengthy negotiation process when the latter won its bid to build an industrial and research complex in Songdo back in June.▲ SK Bioscience plans to build a vaccine research and development facility on the Sr14 lot (178-3, Songdo-dong, total area of 30,413.8㎡) in the Technopark Expansion Complex in block 7 of Songdo International City. Construction for the company’s headquarters and research center is scheduled to begin next year. Photo of the IFEZ Authority signing an investment contract with SK Bioscience on December 27.SK Bioscience plans to build a vaccine research and development facility on the Sr14 lot (178-3, Songdo-dong, total area of 30,413.8㎡) in the Technopark Expansion Complex in block 7 of Songdo International City. Construction for the company’s headquarters and research center is scheduled to begin next year.SK Bioscience is widely regarded as a game-changer that introduced a whole new paradigm in the Korean and overseas vaccine market that uses its own RD technology and world-class production capabilities. Recently, by executing a two-track strategy of in-house development and consignment production of COVID-19 vaccines, SK Bioscience played a decisive role in making Korea a global hub for COVID-19 vaccine production.SK Bioscience plans to take advantage of the locational advantages of Songdo International City, i.e. its accessibility to Incheon International Airport, its bio cluster complex, and advanced business life infrastructure, to strengthen its vaccine business and expand into new business areas by building a new global RPD (research and process development) center i

Incheon to promote 40 projects, including urban innovation, corporate development, and citizen engagement initiatives IFEZ services powered by artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, and big data are all expected to take a step forward in its journey towards becoming a smart city by 2030. Also, the services of innovative SMEs and startups will be tested by Incheon’s local residents to help solve various urban problems together.The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority hosted a briefing session for the “Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Smart City Promotion Strategy - Final Report” on December 23 at the G Tower in Songdo International City. The event was attended by special guests and various other stakeholders, including Lee Won-jae, the Commissioner of the IFEZ Authority.▲ IFEZ services powered by artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, and big data are all expected to take a step forward in its journey towards becoming a smart city by 2030. Photo from the Smart City Operation Center at Songdo G Tower.At the briefing session, participants discussed the future strategy and tasks for the IFEZ smart city to accomplish by 2030.The IFEZ Authority also reviewed IFEZ’s current progress as s smart city, which had been promoted as part of Incheon’s new urban development strategy using information and communication technology (ICT) since 2003, and established a promotion strategy to expand IFEZ’s role as a foundation for new growth engines for the future (e.g. sustainable urban development, improvement of the quality of life for citizens, and business development) by introducing latest technologies such as autonomous driving, big data, and artificial intelligence to IFEZ by 2030.Strategies for this project will be divided into 40 projects across four areas: ① Urban innovation, ② Business development, ③ Citizen engagement, and ④ Data dam development.First, in regard to urban innovation, intelligent CCTV control that tracks objects usin

Incheon launches new baby vouchers and infant allowancesStarting next year, newborn babies can expect much better financial support.From January 2022, families with new babies can expect to receive up to KRW 5.6 million in support for a full year.The Incheon Metropolitan City Government will also offer “new baby vouchers” and a special infant allowance to babies born in 2022 and later. Upon childbirth, Incheon will send out vouchers worth KRW 2 million, and every child under the age of two (born in 2022 and later) will be eligible for a monthly infant allowance of KRW 300,000.The newborn vouchers are a nationwide version of the voucher systems created by each local government to stimulate childbirth. The central government consolidated these disparate baby voucher programs at the regional level to introduce some consistency to childbirth support and reduce expectant parents from relocating to different jurisdictions to benefit from better financial support for their babies.▲ The Incheon Metropolitan City Government will also offer “new baby vouchers” and a special infant allowance to babies born in 2022 and later. Upon childbirth, Incheon will send out vouchers worth KRW 2 million, and every child under the age of two (born in 2022 and later) will be eligible for a monthly infant allowance of KRW 300,000. Photo from a childcare center in IncheonUnder the consolidated newborn vouchers program, each newborn child is entitled to a KRW 2 million voucher via the National Happiness Card (available in expendable points form) regardless of whether the newborn child has siblings or a part of a multiple births (e.g. twins, etc.) However, for infants and toddlers under the protection of social welfare facilities, cash payments will be made to their Didim Seed Account.The points paid to newborns can be used in all businesses, excluding those registered as entertainment, sanitation, leisure, or gambling establishments. All points must be used within one year from the b

Incheon to develop the old city center near Maehwa/Songnim Villages and the Songdo Yeokjeon MarketThe Incheon Metropolitan City Government has selected four projects, including the Jemulpo Station Regeneration project, as part of its third Urban Regeneration New Deal project for 2021. The four sites selected for the Urban Regeneration New Deal project are the Jemulpo Station (urban center regeneration project), Maehwa Village and Songnim Village in Dong-gu, and the Songdo Yeokjeon Market in Yeonsu-gu (preliminary urban regeneration project).The Urban Regeneration New Deal project aims to add to Incheon’s competitiveness by revitalizing old residential districts and decaying old city centers while maintaining their traditional and historic cityscapes, which is unlike conventional redevelopment projects that completely reface a neighborhood.The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport called for applications for the project during the second half of 2021, and confirmed the four sites after a series of on-site inspections, presentations, practical assessments, and deliberation by the Urban Regeneration Special Committee. For the project, the Incheon Metropolitan City Government secured KRW 18.14 billion in funds from the central government.The Jemulpo Station area, which was selected as the “Urban Center Regeneration” project, will receive an investment of KRW 70.4 billion for the next five years (2022~2026), including KRW 18 billion from the central government, to help build a new Young Square complex (B3~10F) near the North Plaza of Jemulpo Station. Young Square will add 223 underground parking spaces, create a community square on its first floor, and feature a software promotion complex, communal kitchen, and rooftop garden.The Jemulpo Station also includes plans to improve and supply facilities that can help improve the lives of local residents - it will remodel the senior center and main garden, reorganize back alleyways and streets, secure new residen

Complete by 2023, open middle and high schools and convenience facilities for residents Geomdan New Town, which claimed to be a luxury self-sufficient city in the northwestern part of the metropolitan area, revealed its outline 13 years after the development plan was approved. Incheon held the completion ceremony of the first phase of Geomdan New Town at the site of Geomdan New Town on the 10th. ▲ Geomdan New Town, which claimed to be a luxury self-sufficient city in the northwestern part of the metropolitan area, revealed its outline 13 years after the development plan was approved. Incheon held the completion ceremony of the first phase of Geomdan New Town at the site of Geomdan New Town on the 10th. Geomdan New Town is about four times larger than Yeouido and is divided into three phases. The first phase of the project will be completed at the end of this year, and the second and third phases will be carried out sequentially and completed by 2023. Geomdan New Town Phase 1 construction project started in December 2015. In June of this year, six apartment complexes started moving in, and the move-in will proceed sequentially in linewith the completion of the apartment complex. ▲ Aerial view of Geomdan New Town 17 large and small parks were also created for a pleasant life of the residents, and the Ara-dong Administrative Welfare Center opened on June 1. In addition, public facilities for the convenience of residents, such as the post office, fire station, and the Incheon District Court Northwest Branch, are preparing to open. Two elementary schools opened in September, and two more middle schools, one high school and one kindergarten are scheduled to open in 2022. The Incheon Subway Line 1 extension line and the opening of wide-area roads are also being planned and promoted, and it is expected that a luxury self-sufficient city in the northwestern party will become a reality. ▲ Geomdan New Town phased development plan