Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok Joins Relay Campaign to Raise Awareness of Population Issues
Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok of Incheon City has joined the “Relay Campaign to Raise Awareness of Population Issues” to highlight challenges stemming from changes in population structure, such as low birth rates and aging, and to improve social awareness.
This campaign, organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Human Resource Development Institute for Health and Welfare, began with the participation of First Vice Minister Lee Ki-il of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in October and has since expanded to local governments and affiliated organizations under the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Through his participation in the campaign, Mayor Yoo emphasized the severity of low birth rates, stating, “Changes in population structure are one of the most critical challenges our society must address. Incheon will actively promote various policies to overcome population issues and work together with citizens to create a sustainable future.”
Incheon Allocates Over 70% of This Year’s Budget in the First Half
Incheon announced that as a first step toward creating a happier city for its residents, it will allocate more than 70% of its 2025 expenditure budget in the first half of the year. This measure aims to stabilize livelihood issues and revitalize the local economy.
The allocation amounts to 10.7138 trillion KRW, which is 75.2% of the total expenditure budget of 14.242 trillion KRW, including the general account, other special accounts, and funds.
Key projects for the first half of 2025 include supporting financial stability for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners, subsidizing the issuance of local gift certificates, providing public transportation cost refunds, expanding support for senior employment and social activity programs and advancing the construction of the Incheon Metro Line 1 extension to Geomdan.
First Homeport Cruise of the New Year in Incheon: Costa Serena Sets Sail
Incheon announced today (6th) that the international cruise ship Costa Serena, carrying over 1,900 tourists, set sail from the Incheon Port Cruise Terminal.
The Costa Serena, weighing 114,000 tons and measuring 290 meters in length, is an international cruise ship operated by the Italian company Costa Cruises. The 1,900 passengers, recruited from across the country, including Incheon, Seoul, Busan, Daegu, and Daejeon, will embark on a 10-night, 11-day journey visiting four Asian countries: Japan (Okinawa), Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
This year, a total of 32 international cruise operations are scheduled to visit Incheon. Of these, 16 are port calls, where ships briefly stop during their trips, and 16 are homeport operations, where Incheon serves as either the starting or ending point for passenger embarkation and disembarkation.
Incheon Selects Three Books for Citizens to Read Together This Year
The Michuhol Library of Incheon City has announced its selections for the “2025 Michuhol Book” campaign: “Amorphous Life” by Kim Min-cheol for adults, “I’ll Live My Life My Way” by Lee Won-ji for young adults, “Grandma’s Summer Vacation” by Annyeong Dal for children.
The “Michuhol Book” initiative, now in its 11th year since its launch in 2015, is Incheon’s citywide reading campaign. Each year, librarians across the city select books based on a specific theme and organize related events such as a proclamation ceremony, book concerts, and reading discussions, contributing to the promotion of reading among citizens.
Following the book selection, the Michuhol Library plans to host the “2025 Michuhol Book Proclamation Ceremony & Book Concert” in February and will conduct a variety of programs throughout the year, including reading discussions and exploration activities.
Sources: https://news.ifm.kr
