2026-01-15 8am voice news
Songdo Waterfront Phases 1 and 2 to be Completed Next Year
The Songdo Waterfront Phases 1 and 2 is expecting completion early next year, with construction being carried out smoothly. The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority is promoting the project, which began in February 2024, as the 2nd section of the waterfront development that connects Songdo International City’s reservoir and waterway in a square-shaped layout. Once the project is completed, a 9.53-kilometer-long waterway connecting the lake in Songdo District 6 to Aam Lake with water storage capacity of about 6.9 million tons will be secured. The authority plans to dredge the lakes so that yachts, boats, and water taxis can operate, and create waterfront spaces for citizens, including waterside paths, fountains, sandy beaches, and observation decks.
Incheon Mayor: ‘Incheon Will Surpass Busan in Three Years’
Incheon Metropolitan City Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok has said that Incheon will overtake Busan within three to four years. Speaking as the first guest of this year’s Sae-eol Morning Dialogue series, Mayor Yoo said Incheon is the only major city that has achieved both population and economic growth. According to Incheon Metropolitan City and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Incheon’s population increased by about 84,000 from 2022 to last year, while Busan’s population fell by about 76,000 during the same period. Mayor Yoo said that during the remainder of his term, he plans to further accelerate population growth through additional “citizen happiness policies,” including measures to boost in-migration and birth rates.
Incheon Introduces IFEZ Model to Caspian Group
Incheon Metropolitan City has introduced its urban development policies, including cases from the Incheon Free Economic Zone, to a delegation led by Caspian Group Chairwoman Choi Yuri. The meeting was arranged after Caspian Group visited Incheon to review major overseas urban development models while pursuing the Alatau New Town project in Kazakhstan. During the meeting, Incheon officials shared the phased development process of the Incheon Free Economic Zone, as well as its urban development strategies and operational experience.
Incheon Must Prepare for Rapid Growth in Newly Established Districts
The Incheon Research Institute has warned that the two newly established autonomous districts will need strategic infrastructure to respond to rapidly growing populations and changes in living zones. The assessment was included in its recent report on measures to supply daily-life social infrastructure in the Yeongjong and Geomdan areas. As of July 1, 2026, Incheon will launch three new districts: Jemulpo-gu, Yeongjong-gu, and Geomdan-gu. Unlike Jemulpo-gu, which already has district offices and facilities, Yeongjong and Geomdan are currently outer areas of Jung-gu and Seo-gu and contain many ongoing development sites, requiring comprehensive facility planning. An institute official said customized facilities by living zones and strategies to secure funding are needed to build sustainable urban foundations for the new districts.
Incheon Skills Competition Recruiting New Participants
The Incheon Skills Competition Committee is recruiting participants for the 2026 Incheon Skills Competition to be held in April. Applications are open until the 23rd and can be submitted online through the MeisterNet website. The competition will run for five days, from April 6 to April 10, and is open to anyone without restrictions on education or career, as long as they belong to an organization in Incheon or have lived in Incheon for at least six months.
Incheon Work-Life Balance Center Launches Website and SNS Channels
The Incheon Work-Life Balance Center, under the Incheon Women & Family Foundation, has officially opened its website in December, in order to fully launch its support programs. The center also opened social media channels to strengthen promotion and communication with citizens and companies. The center’s website was built to provide policy information, programs, and application details related to work-life balance in one place, thereby improving policy accessibility and convenience in participation for users.
