Metropolitan government unveils ten policies to help achieve its goal of becoming a “world-class city” where its people can always feel happy Celebrating his 100th day in office, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok (8th democratically elected Mayor of Incheon) says his administration will focus on growing Incheon’s economy to KRW 100 trillion in GRDP and help the city take the leap as the 2nd most important city in Korea. On October 6, the Incheon Metropolitan Government hosted an event to declare the city’s vision and governance objectives after the first 100 days of the 8th democratically elected city government at the main conference room inside city hall. Mayor YooJeong-bok announced and explained the ten major policies related to the administration of the city (i.e. ① A balanced city where everyone can lead happy and prosperous lives; ② A global city where dreams come true; ③ A city of communication that treats its people with sincerity and care; and an ④ Innovative city that creates future values). The first governance policy -a balanced city where everyone can lead happy and prosperous lives - is designed to create better balance across the old city center and new innovative parts of the city, and to make sure all roads lead to Incheon with convenient transportation options. ▲ On October 6, the Incheon Metropolitan Government hosted an event to declare the city’s vision and governance objectives after the first 100 days of the 8th democratically elected city government at the main conference room inside city hall. The city says it will focus on growing Incheon’s economy to KRW 100 trillion in GRDP and take the leap as the 2nd most important city in Korea. To ensure a better balance in terms of the development of Incheon as a city, the metropolitan government will channel its strengths to kick start the “Jemulpo Renaissance” era at the Inner Port Free Economic Zone, and to promote development in the old city center. In regards to transportation, cor

Incheon to build a “tourist belt” and designate hot spots to enjoy the city’s nightscape in Songdo, Wolmido, and the Open Port district Incheon has announced its plans to build a “tourist belt” with content specifically designed to take advantage of the nightscape around key tourist attractions in Songdo International City, Wolmido, and the Open Port district. The new tourist belt will feature ten destinations that are the perfect place to enjoy Incheon’s shimmering lights in the evening. The metropolitan city government will invest a total of KRW 5.6 billion in national and municipal funds to finish the nighttime tourist belt project by 2025. ▲ Map of Incheon’s nighttime tourist belt project In September, the city was selected as Korea's first “City of Light” at the inaugural “Nighttime Tourism Specialized City Contest” hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization this year. Inspired by its slogan, “All Nights Incheon,” the project will create a wide variety of content visitors can enjoy in the evening, and promote scenic spots across Incheon, which was the first port city in Korea to open its doors to foreigners in the 19th century. More than 100 years later, Incheon hopes to serve as a gateway into Korea in the post-COVID-19 era going forward. ▲ Slogan for Incheon’s nighttime tourist belt project The tourist belt project has a two-pronged approach. The first will feature Songdo International City (Art Center Incheon, G Tower, Tri Bowl, Central Park, Songdo Convensia, Triple Street), whereas the second will include the Wolmido and Open Port district(Wolmido, Incheon Inner Port/Sangsang Platform, Chinatown, Open Port, Freedom Park). Other hot spots during evening hours across the city, such as Subong Park and Sorae Port, will also serve as important parts of the tourist belt project. More specifically, the project will be divided into four categories: nighttime tourism content, nightscape

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority has begun its free legal counseling service for alien residents living inside the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ). Starting on October 19, IFEZis now offering free legal counseling In the field of real estate leasing, labor relations, loans/debts, etc. via attorneys registered at the Incheon Bar Association specializing in legal counseling for foreigners in Korea. ▲ On October 19, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority launched its free legal counseling service for alien residents living inside the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ). Alien residents either living or working in IFEZ in need of legal counseling can find more information about available counseling services at the IFEZ Global Center. Other inquiries and appointments can be made by phone (032-453-7356) or via e-mail(ifezglobal@gmail.com). In launching the new legal counseling service, IFEZ Authority Commissioner Kim Jin-yong appointed MoonSeul-gi (attorney at law) as the “Legal Counsel for Alien Residents at IFEZ” at G Tower in Songdo International City.

Mayor Yoo visited the sites of ‘Urban/Port Regeneration’ project sites Mayor Yoo of Incheon arrived at his second destination, Sidney, Australia, as he continued his trip. ▲ Mayor Yoo Jeongbok arrived in Sidney, Australia, on the 18 th and visited the Opera House near Darling Harbor, which has become an internationally famed center of maritime recreation through a redevelopment project of the old port. Mr. Yoo arrived in Sydney as a part of his itinerary before he visited Brisbane to participate in the 9th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) to visit the sites of urban regeneration projects. On the 18 th , which was his first day in Sidney, he visited the urban regeneration model area and the port redevelopment project sites. Darling Harbor, which was the site of the port redevelopment project of Sidney, is recognized as the basis of a successful upgrading of the ‘abandoned wharves’ into a ‘global maritime recreational center.’ Development in this area is allowed for commercial, cultural, and ferry passenger facilities only, such as the National Maritime Museum, Sidney Convention Center, and the Opera House, in the waterfront area. ▲ The delegation from Incheon had a meeting with the executives of the Korean Association of Sidney, Australia, on the 18 th . Rocks, which was the next destination and a famous tourist destination, was a place where the past and present of Sidney co-existed. It is also one of the oldest places in Sidney, where visitors can have a firsthand experience of the history of the city. After the visit, Mr. Yoo met the executives of the Korean Association of Sidney, including President Heungwon Kang, to give encouragement and show appreciation for the services of the executives promoting the reputation of South Korea and listened to the Korean business people who discussed their current situation. On the 19 th , which was the second day in Sidney, the delegation visited the Sidney branch of KO

▲ As the host city of next year’s ADB Annual Meeting, Incheon started its international promotional campaigns and preparation for the event in earnest. The photo shows the ‘Ganghwa Handkerchief Experience,’ which was a safety culture experience in Incheon. The experiential program was provided as a regular program to introduce the traditional culture of South Korea and enjoyed good reception from its visitors. As the host city of next year’s ADB Annual Meeting, Incheon started its international promotional campaigns and preparation for the event in earnest. As the host city of next year’s ADB Annual Meeting, which is scheduled in May 2023, Incheon participated in ‘2022, the 55 th ADB Annual Meeting held in Manila, the Philippines, from September 28th to 30, for the purpose of promoting Incheon. The ADB Annual Meeting is the largest event of ADB, attended by heads of state, finance ministers, and heads of central banks from 68 member countries, totaling 5 thousand participants, and has been held every year since the foundation of the organization in 1966. South Korea is scheduled to host the general convention in Incheon for the third time in 2023, following Seoul in 1970 and Jeju in 2004. During this year’s meeting, Incheon engaged in promotional activities for South Korea and Incheon along with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which is the hosting government agency, and Incheon Tourism Organization, which is an affiliated organization of Incheon, to the 68 member countries. The promotion booth of Incheon, which is the host city for next year’s convention, communicated and promoted ▲ the convention facilities, transportation, accommodation, safety, and other superb infrastructure for international conventions; ▲ innovative digital industrial resources such as the Bio Industrial Complex, Smart City, and robotics industries; and, ▲rich tourism resources where the tradition and modernity co-exist, such as Ganghwa Heritage, Paradise City, Wa

Incheon pointed to the reaffirmation of the status of Incheon as a global city and the strengthening of international cooperation as the diplomatic gains from the first trip of Mayor Yoo Jeongbok, who is the eighth elected 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 to the 9th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) of UNDRR, which is an international disaster response organization. The itinerary also included the schedules to promote Incheon as a candidate city to host the 2025 AP|EC summit and the materialization of the plan to make Incheon an ultra-top-tier global city. ▲ In the APMCDRR meeting he attended during his first overseas trip, Mayor Yoo reconfirmed that Incheon has become a global city that shares global issues with the world’s major cities. The photo shows Mr. Yoo giving a speech titled ‘Incheon, a City with Disaster Resilience’ during the 9th APMCDRR hosted by UNDRR at the Brisbane Convention Center, Australia, on the 21st. As some of the key diplomatic achievements made during this trip, Mr. Yoo pointed to the reconfirmation of the status of Incheon as a global city that shares global issues with the major cities of the world during the APMCDRR meeting and reaching a consensus with Sidney and Brisbane to continue material cooperations in terms of urban regeneration, disaster response, and restoration. First, “the participation in and a speech during the APMCDRR meeting gave Incheon an opportunity to share the superior quality of Incheon’s disaster safety policies and disaster responses of Incheon, which is the first Asian city to be certified as a UNDRR resilience hub city and improve the reputation of the city,” according to Mr. Yoo. He added, “As I met the business people of Singapore and Australia and shared their urban regeneration cases, I could develop the strategies to make Incheo

▲ Yoo Jeongbok, the 8th elected mayor of Incheon, is now currently on his first trip overseas since taking office. In the first destination, which is Singapore, he started his work to materialize the plan to make 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 of Singapore. Yoo Jeongbok, the 8th elected mayor of Incheon, is now currently on his first trip overseas since taking office. In his first destination, Singapore, he started his work to materialize the plan to make Incheon one of the ultra-top-tier cities of the world. Incheon announced that Mr. Yoo hosted a meeting with South Korean business persons in Singapore on September 16th. The meeting was attended by representatives from Posco International, Korean Air, KDB, and Shinhan Bank, as well as Professor Jangseop Shin of the National University of Singapore. During the meeting, the attendants shared their insights on how Singapore became home to a number of multinational corporations, outstanding policies of the government that are related to the roles of Singapore as a financial hub of the world, and, especially, the trends of multinationals with regard to the return of Hong Kong to China. After the meeting, Mr. Yoo visited the Singapore Branch of KOTRA to be briefed on the current status of trade in the country. Then, Mr. Yoo visited the URA office of Singapore, Clark Quay, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, etc., concerning his campaign pledge on the Jemulpo Renaissance Project. The world’s ultra-top-tier city that Incheon seeks to become is a city of a new level that is beyond the top-tier cities of South Korea and the world. In response to the 5th Industrial Revolution, the city aims to become an Ultra Smart City while also becoming a human-oriented City of Happiness, aiming to enhance the quality of life through culture, history, and environment.

Jung-gu and Dong-gu to become Jemulpo-gu and Yeongjong-gu, Seo-gu to become Seo-gu and Geomdan-gu The Incheon City Government is reorganizing the city’s administrative system to modernize the map of the City, improve the lives of its citizens, and take a new leap into the future. As part of this major shake-up, Jung-gu and Dong-gu, which have seen some its population decline markedly in recent years, will become Jemulpo-gu and Yeongjong-gu, whereas Seo-gu, which now has a population of 570,000, will be divided into Seo-gu and Geomdan-gu.

K-Bio Lab Hub project passes its preliminary feasibility study... Will offer support to nurture start-ups in the bio industry The “K-Bio Lab Hub” project, jointly promoted by the Incheon City Government and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, has taken another step closer to becoming reality.

Core pledges by the 8th democratically-elected city administration... Incheon sets its direction to become a “next-level” metropolis The master plan for Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok and his 8th democratically-elected city administration - the “Incheon, next-level metropolis with happy citizens” project - is finally here.