Incheon recruiting new tourist destinations and developing travel programs in February If your mind and body needs a break from the ongoing doom and gloom of the pandemic, visit Incheon for a“wellness” trip. The Incheon Metropolitan City Government and the Incheon Tourism Organization (ITO) plan on identifying and developing new wellness tourist destinations, such as eco-friendly, vegan, and local venues, and promoting wellness tourism programs across Incheon to revitalize the city’s wellness tourism initiative, which is now entering its third year. ▲ Incheon is looking for various wellness programs to make sure tourists visiting the city can access wellness attractions at tourist destinations and hotels without any hassle, and establish itself as a “wellness tourism city.” To that end, Incheon plans to help the wellness tourism industry develop new programs and improve the quality of available features with new tourism service manuals and customer satisfaction surveys. Image of Songdo’s Hanok hotel, Gyeongwonjae, a landmark tourist attraction in Incheon. Wellness refers to an ideal state in which a person’s physical, mental, and social well-being is in perfect harmony. In February 2023, Incheon and ITO will offer customized consulting services aimed at creating new programs at wellness tourist destinations, and also recruiting new wellness tourist attractions to make sure the city is ready to serve a large influx of tourists going forward. Incheon is looking for various wellness programs to make sure tourists visiting the city can access wellness attractions at tourist destinations and hotels without any hassle, and establish itself as a “wellness tourism city.” To that end, Incheon plans to help the wellness tourism industry develop new programs and improve the quality of available features with new tourism service manuals and customer satisfaction surveys. The Metropolitan Government also plans to open a new wellness tourism expert program, a

800-bed general hospital as well as research and education facilities coming to Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu The Cheongna Medipolis, which could go a long way in improving the medical services and infrastructure of the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ), will get under way this year. Moreover, Incheon is expected to offer its administrative support to make sure the Songdo Severance Hospital project, which began construction at the end of last year, proceeds as smoothly as possible. The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that it will make some changes to its enforcement plan, such as landscaping deliberations, as part of its follow-up process in connection with the construction of the Cheongna Medipolis, conclude its real estate deals within the first half of the year, complete the building permit process, and break ground before the end of the year. ▲ Cheongna Medipolis, operated by Cheongna Medipolis PFV Co., Ltd., will feature an 800-bed general hospital in 1-601 Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu (total area: 280,336 ㎡ ), as well as research and education facilities, including KAIST and the Harvard Medical School Research Center, and an exclusive Life Science Park. Cheongna Medipolis, which passed the deliberation of the Free Economic Zone Committee under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy at the end of last year, is operated by Cheongna Medipolis PFV Co., Ltd. It will feature an 800-bed general hospital in 1-601Cheongna-dong, Seo-gu (total area: 280,336 ㎡ ), as well as research and education facilities, including KAIST and the Harvard Medical School Research Center, and an exclusive Life Science Park. Especially, the Cheongna Asan Hospital, when complete, will become one of the top medical institutions in Korea - the Hospital is expected to offer 800 beds in its first phase, then 300 to 500 additional beds in its second phase. Meanwhile, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority is hoping to push forward with the Songdo Severance Hospital project, another 8

The University of Utah Asia Campus now offering a degree program in games One of the top-3 bachelor's degree programs for games in the US is coming to Songdo International City in Incheon. The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that the University of Utah Asia Campus (CAO Gregory Hill)in Songdo, Incheon, is offering its BS in Games in the fall semester of 2023. ▲ The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that the University of Utah Asia Campus (CAO Gregory Hill) in Songdo, Incheon, is offering its BS in Games in the fall semester of2023. Overview of the University of Utah Asia Campus. The Entertainment Arts and Engineering Program at the University of Utah, has long been rated as one of the best degree programs in games offered by a university in the United States, along with similar programs available at the New York University (NYU) and the University of Southern California (USC). The University of Utah, which was the first American university to create an e-sports team, was ranked first among departments focusing on game majors (undergraduate level) by College Rank, an agency that evaluates American universities, in 2023. In 2020, the University of Utah also came in at first place among game majors at the undergraduate level and second place among game programs at the post-graduate level by the Princeton Review (among public academic institutions worldwide). The Entertainment Art and Engineering Program at the University of Utah, which is the brainchild of the University’s electrical and computer engineering department and film and media arts department, teaches everything a student needs to know in regard to various processes used in the gaming industry, from story production to game development, design, and sales strategy, by various professors with great expertise in developing and creating games. Students learn skills they need to design and produce games for entertainment, health, and learning purposes used at elementary, middle, an

New trails along the coastline, an observation deck overseeing vast tidal mud flats, and a lighthouse waterfront walkway opening in July The Incheon Metropolitan City Government’s plan to make its coastline more accessible and better suited to various activities with new waterfront destinations appear to be well on track. Incheon says its new Aam-daero Tidal Mud Flat Coastal Trail Project and Yeonan Pier Yeonorang Lighthouse Waterfront Walkway Project, which began construction in December last year, will open in July this year. ▲ Aam-daero Tidal Mud Flat Coastal Trail Project ▲ Yeonorang Lighthouse Waterfront Walkway Project The Aam-daero Tidal Mud Flat Coastal Trail in Namdong-gu will feature a waterfront promenade and small parks along the coastal breakwater (Bio Industrial Bridge - New Port Bridge section, height1.5m, width 1.0m) and a couple of old military guard posts no longer in service since the land reclamation of Songdo. The Trail will also feature a military guard post, which had been in much better condition than the other two guard posts, repurposed as an observation deck overseeing the coastline. Stretching a total of 1.1km along the coastline, the new Trail, including the coastal walkway and observation deck, will cost KRW 1.2 billion. Meanwhile, the Yeonorang Lighthouse Waterfront Walkway in Jung-gu will people a place to walk and relax along the break water originally designed to protect tug boats at the Yeonan Pier thanks to a wider walkway (3m in width). This Walkway project, including a269m footbridge and observation deck, is expected to cost KRW 960 million. The Walkway will take visitors right up to the Yellow Sea off the coast of Incheon, as well as ships passing under the Incheon Daegyo Bridge, making it a popular destination for both locals and tourists.

Precision medical hospital to pioneer a new medical paradigm for the future The new Songdo Severance Hospital is expected to bring significant improvements to the quality of medical services in Songdo, and help build an ecosystem that interfaces corporations, academia, research institutes, and hospitals at the Songdo Bio Cluster. The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority led a groundbreaking ceremony for the Songdo Severance Hospital on December 28, 2022, with the Yonsei University Health System at the project site(85, Songdo Gwahak-ro, Songdo-dong) inside Yonsei University’s International Campus in Songdo International City. ▲ The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority led a groundbreaking ceremony for the Songdo Severance Hospital on December 28, 2022, with the Yonsei University Health System at the project site (85, Songdo Gwahak-ro, Songdo-dong) inside Yonsei University’s International Campus in Songdo International City. More than 250 guests attended the event, including Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, Incheon City Council Chairperson Huh Sik, National Assembly member Jeong Il-yeong, Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority Commissioner Kim Jin-yong, Yonsei University Chairperson HuhDong-soo, Yonsei University Chancellor Seo Seung-hwan, Medical Center Director Yoon Dong-seop, as well as representatives of various bio corporations and local residents to celebrate the momentous occasion. The Songdo Severance Hospital, expected to open sometime in December 2026, will feature a main building with15 stories above ground, three stories below ground, and 800 hospital beds(total land area: 85,800m 2 ) inside the Yonsei University International Campus in Songdo International City. Designing the hospital started in February of last year, and a groundbreaking ceremony recently got under way as the developer successfully acquired its building permits. The Songdo Severance Hospital will be a high-precision medical hospital that pioneers the paradigm of future medical care by p

China IFEZ Trade Office moves to Wisdom Valley in Weihai City, the optimal location that can enhance its functional capacities The China IFEZ Trade Office(hereinafter “China IFEZ”) is gearing up for its next leap forward with a new home. Incheon announced that it hosted an opening ceremony on December 27, 2022, for China IFEZ, which recently moved to Wisdom Valley inside the Economic and Technological Development Zone, Weihai City. ▲ China IFEZ in Weihai City, which serves as a forward base for IFEZ in China, recently moved its office to Wisdom Valley inside the Economic and Technological Development Zone, Weihai City. Previously, when China IFEZ first opened back in 2016, the opening ceremony was attended by more than 50 officials from both countries, including key officials from the Weihai City Government, representatives of Korean municipal organizations in China, representatives of local corporations in Incheon, and Korean expatriates in China. China IFEZ, which was established on November 1, 2016, in the Huanqu District (Weihai City), moved to Wisdom Valley, Economic and Technological Development Zone on November 1, 2022. The new China IFEZ office, measuring 592.32 ㎡ , features a PR hall (Incheon, IFEZ), permanent exhibition hall, live broadcasting studio, video conferencing room, export/investment consulting and business support office (2 rooms), education (immersive training) room, and administrative office spaces. Meanwhile, the Weihai City Government is promoting the Wisdom Valley Industrial Complex as a landmark for economic exchange. The City is hoping to establish an e-commerce industrial cluster, a smart manufacturing industrial complex, and an industrial complex for innovative startups from Korea and China. This makes Wisdom Valley the perfect place for China IFEZ to build its capacities tailored to the future. Going forward, China IFEZ plans to focus on initiatives linked to the local online market, such as e-commerce, overseas direct purchas

▲ To celebrate the New Year, Kim Jin-yong, Commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, and Kim Yeon-jung, Director of the Cheongna-Yeongjong Project at the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), met at the construction site for Cheongna International City’s new City Tower project to reiterate their commitment towards bringing the City Tower project back on track. Bird's eye view of the Cheongna City Tower. To celebrate the New Year, KimJin-yong, Commissioner of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, and KimYeon-jung, Director of the Cheongna-Yeongjong Project at the Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), met at the construction site for Cheongna International City’s new City Tower project to reiterate their commitment towards bringing the City Tower project back on track. Given the massive obstacles threatening to derail the Cheongna City Tower project, this latest meeting between the two partners - the IFEZ Authority and LH - is an encouraging sign that shows the Cheongna City Tower is indeed the first order of business for Incheon and the Korean government. Commissioner Kim congratulated Director Kim Yeon-jung on being entrusted to lead the project again this year, and shared his thoughts on the progress the Cheongna City Tower has shown so far. He also said that the IFEZ Authority and LH should work in lock-step to solve the myriad of problems at hand and proceed with the project as originally planned. In particular, the Commissioner added that he is well aware of how important the Cheongna City Tower project is, which is something Cheongna’s residents have yearned for a very long time, and will do his absolute best to bring the project back on track as quickly as possible. The IFEZ Authority is concerned about project delays caused by differences in sharing additional construction costs for the Cheongna City Tower between LH, which commissioned the project, and Cheongna City Tower Co., Ltd., the Special Purpose Corporation (SPC)serv

▲ Based on I-MOD traffic data over the past year, Songdo International City divided its districts east and west to reorganize its bus routes. Here, it used the Korea Coast Guard office, which turned out to be the most frequently used destination for local residents, as a central axis. Moreover, the City added four more buses for its Circular 41 and Circular 42 buses each, bringing the total to a dozen buses for each route. With its Smart Challenge Pilot Project (I-MOD) ending on December 31, 2022, Incheon has developed solutions to address some of the inconveniences experienced by its residents in Songdo and Yeongjong International Cities, both of which had been hosting the I-MOD initiative. Based on results from analyzing mobile communication data and I-MOD traffic over the past year for the intra-city circular bus route, Songdo International City divided its districts east and west to reorganize its bus routes. Here, it used the Korea Coast Guard office, which turned out to be the most frequently used destination for local residents, as a central axis. Moreover, Incheon added four more buses for its Circular 41 and Circular 42 buses each, bringing the total to a dozen buses for each route. Service intervals will also go from 18~24 minutes to 23~28 minute sand from 13~17 minutes to 12~16 minutes, respectively. Meanwhile, Yeongjong International City created a new public bus route and assigned five buses. Also, in order to prepare fundamental solutions that can improve public transportation in neighborhoods with poor access to transportation options across Songdo International City and Yeongjong International City, Incheon launched an internal review on establishing additional bus routes and adding more buses to service existing routes. ▲ New route for bus no. 41

City to focus on developing connected car technology and establish a new organization supporting related certifications Incheon is a pioneer in the automobile industry. Some may question the city’s credentials in the auto industry, yet a closer look at Incheon’s history in the Korean automobile industry reveals just how important the city has been to the development of cars in Korea. In August 1962, with the establishment of Korea's first modern automobile factory in Bupyeong, Incheon left an indelible mark in the Korean automobile industry, and at the same time, became a nursing ground for Korean automakers. ▲ Incheon Metropolitan City developed what it calls the “Comprehensive Plan for Fostering the Future Automobile Industry of Incheon,” which involves investing KRW 110.4 billion over five years to restructure the auto parts industry, one of the region's key industries, by upgrading related technology in a way that better responds to future mobility, and to make Incheon a hub of the future automobile industry.(Image is a rendering of a future car.) In fact, at the very foundation of Incheon's manufacturing industry is the automobile industry. The automobile industry ranks second in Incheon's manufacturing sector, but the automobile market is shrinking by 5% in size every year due to the recent shrinking of the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle market. This is a clear sign that the automobile market is possibly entering a recession, which means the City’s priority should be to restructure the industry and focus more on future modes of mobility. In order to shift the paradigm of the industrial structure and nurture companies for the future automobile industry, the City Government is hastening the conversion of auto parts companies across Incheon to future car-related businesses. At present, it is estimated that there are 628 auto parts companies in Incheon. Several of these companies, however, are producing parts for ICE vehicles, which means th

40 tons exported next year for retail across the Korean community in Canada “Ganghwa Sum Ssal,” Incheon's flagship rice brand, is on its way to Canada. On December 9 (Friday), the Incheon Metropolitan City Government hosted an event to celebrate the loading of “Ganghwa Sum Ssal” rice (20 tons) at the Nonghyup Rice Producer Cooperative (RPC) Square in Ganghwa-gun, and marked the first batch of Incheon rice exported overseas. This first batch, 20 tons, will leave Busan Port on December 12 and travel all the way to Canada. ▲ “Ganghwa Sum Ssal,” Incheon's flagship rice brand, is on its way to Canada. On December 9 (Friday), the Incheon Metropolitan City Government hosted an event to celebrate the loading of “Ganghwa Sum Ssal” 20t Inquiries tons) at the Nonhyup Rice Producer Cooperative (RPC) Square in Ganghwa-gun, and marked the first batch of Incheon rice exported overseas. This first batch, 20 tons, will leave Busan Port on December 12 and travel all the way to Canada. “Ganghwa Sum Ssal” is grown in paddy fields rich in micro organisms and magnesium, blessed with an abundance of sunshine and sea breeze in Ganghwa do Island, which boasts a pristine environment free from industrial establishments emitting toxic pollutants. It is renowned in Korea for its high quality and flavorful taste. Incheon plans to sell “Ganghwa Sum Ssal” to the Korean community in Canada through six major supermarkets in eastern Canada, and export two more batches (4o tons in total) next year. This remarkable achievement is due in large part to the signing of an agreement on the export of agricultural products (Ganghwa Sum Ssal) from Incheon to Canada between Incheon Metropolitan City, Ganghwa-gun, and Galleria KFT, a distribution and logistics company in Vancouver, Canada, earlier this year in October. Incheon is hoping that exporting rice could appease local farmers concerned with falling rice prices in Korea. ▲ Ganghwa Sum Ssal rice(20 tons) being packaged. Kim You