- Only 0.03% of passengers board buses without a transportation card,50% of all semi-public bus routes across Incheon to transition to a cashless system -- City also plans on adding other emergency payment options(e.g. direct account transfer) to passengers with no limited access to transportation card options -Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) announced its latest plan to expand its “cashless” bus network across the City. Starting on July 1, the number of cashless buses in Incheon will go from 247 last year to 951.More specifically, the City will expand its cashless bus network to 951 buses at 34 bus operators servicing 111 routes. Incheon’s cashless bus network has seen some great success throughout its pilot phase since January 2022, which gave City officials a chance to promote the new initiative and monitor it to weed out potential issues. This means 50% of Incheon’s semi-public bus routes will now become completely cashless.According to the City, the number of passengers paying for fares in cash dropped from 2.2% in 2021 to just 1.68% in 2022. Meanwhile, keeping cash registers on board buses costs KRW 360 million per year. Moreover, cash registers installed in buses back in 2009 are nearing the point where they need to be replaced, and replacing all cash registers in operation could cost up to KRW 8.56 billion.To seek a more forward-looking solution to the problem, Incheon launched a new pilot initiative to switch a few buses to a cashless system and monitored its progress. Results showed that only 0.03% of all passengers boarding these cashless buses did not hold a transportation card.The City expects cashless buses to save a total of KRW 8.9 billion in cash register replacement costs and other maintenance expenses once it expands its cashless bus initiative to more buses servicing the Incheon area.Moreover, a new cashless network is expected to prevent the risk of accidents and delays caused by drivers having to hand out coins or bills

- Mayor shares achievements and future administrative direction for Incheon as a world-class city -- Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok says, “My only concern is the happiness of our people and the future of Incheon” -Celebrating his first year in office as the City’s 8th democratically elected Mayor, Incheon Metropolitan City Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok shared his vision to help grow Incheon into one of the world's top 10 cities.Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok details his most notable achievements over the past year, and the direction of his municipal administration at a press conference on June 22 (City Hall conference room) hosted to mark the first year anniversary of the City’s 8th democratically elected MayorIncheon Metropolitan City held a press conference celebrating the first anniversary of its 8th democratically elected administration at City Hall (conference room) on June 22 to share the Mayor’s most notable achievements over the past year and the future direction for the Mayor’s administration.Press conference celebrating the first year of the 8th democratically elected City administrationMayor Yoo Jeong-bok said that ever since taking office as the 8th democratically elected Mayor, he has been relentless in listening to experts and citizens in the field, and that he has reflected much of the feedback he got in the City’s policies. The Mayor also said that he focused on laying the groundwork for Incheon to grow over the past year.He looked back on some of his achievements to date, and explained the direction his administration wants to take going forward, which is to build an “Incheon soaring toward its dreams, and a powerful push to become a top-10 city in the world.”First, under the Mayor’s leadership, one of Incheon’s oldest wishes, to renovate the aging old city center and alleviate the regional imbalance across the City, has seen some meaningful progress.Yeongjong-do residents will get to cross the Incheon Bridge and Yeongjong Bridge free of charge from O

- Showcasing the City’s history when it first opened to the world to turn Incheon into more than just a gateway to Korea - - Incheon offering a wide variety of content, including food, sights, and entertainment - Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) and the Incheon Tourism Organization (CEO: Hyeon Baig) invited more than 3,000 international travelers visiting Incheon to the “1883 Incheon McGang Party” just outside the Sangsang Platform on June 15. The event was inspired by the history of Incheon Port back in 1883 when it first flung open its gates to the world, which eventually helped the City transform itself into a bona fide international metropolis and perhaps the most important gateway to Korea. The 1883 Incheon McGang Party will promote Incheon as a “global tourism city” equipped with a wide variety of contents and infrastructure for tourism designed to facilitate interactions and exchange with people around the world, thereby bringing more international travelers to Incheon going forward. The Party had some of Incheon's best foods, beer, and chicken for travelers hailing from more than 10 countries, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the United States, and Russia. The event also had plenty of things to do and see from medical and beauty treatments to Hanji handicrafts and a flea market. In particular, the 1883 Incheon McGang Party featured local beer and Sinpo Dakgangjeong (fried chicken with seasoning), the latter being chosen as one of the top-10 foods available at Korea’s traditional markets. The event brought travelers to Sinpo Market and the Open Port area to give visitors a taste of what Incheon has to offer as a travel destination. The 1883 Incheon McGang Party also included a mini-concert headlined by popular rock bands, popera artists, K-pop groups, etc., as well as traditional performances such as the Bupyeong Pungmul Troupe, Kyukpa, Taekwondo, and Korean fusion Gukak music. Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok

Starfield Cheongna Co., Ltd. hosts the “Starfield Cheongna Vision Proclamation Ceremony” at Incheon City Hall Multi-entertainment venue sporting events available year-round and a cultural facility with massive shopping mall features Goal is to complete construction by the end of 2027... Could become a new landmark of not only Incheon but Korea when complete Starfield Cheongna is set to become Incheon’s latest landmark backed by a whole-new paradigm the world has yet to see. The new landmark will be a multi-stadium (dome/enclosed) and next-generation sports, culture, and entertainment venue, as well as a massive shopping mall complex. The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on June 16 that Starfield Cheongna Co., Ltd. Hosed the “Starfield Cheongna Vision Proclamation Ceremony” at Incheon City Hall, which was attended by Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, IFEZ Authority Commissioner Kim Jinyong, Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin, and Shinsegae Property CEO Lim Young-rok. Starfield Cheongna, which Starfield Cheongna Co., Ltd. has shared its vision for at the event, will be the world's first multi-entertainment venue for cultural performances and sports matches held year-round, all the while serving as a mega shopping mall. It will also feature specialized hotel rooms, an infinity pool, various food and beverage vendors, and a dining bar where patrons can enjoy watching baseball or engage in other forms of entertainment. The state-of-the-art multi-stadium will include a 21,000-seat professional baseball stadium and other cultural facilities capable of hosting concerts not only by K-pop artists, but also by pop musicians from around the world. International e-sports tournaments and various exhibitions are also on the list of things visitors can enjoy at Starfield’s multi-plex in Cheongna. Starfield Cheongna Co., Ltd. is hoping to eventually turn Starfield Cheongna, with its facilities for sports (baseball), K-pop, global pop artists, and shopp

- 4.5km section between Gajwa IC and Seoincheon IC (four-lane highway) moving underground at a total cost of KRW 504.1 billion - - City to complete master plan this year and break ground next year - Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) is bringing the section between Gongdan Overpass and Seoincheon IC along Incheon-daero underground to alleviate traffic congestion. The City announced on June 9 that the proposal had passed the central government’s investment assessment led by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Expected to cost KRW 504.1 billion (central government and city funding), the project will transform the old Gyeongin Expressway (Gajwa IC ~ Seoincheon IC) into a four-lane underpass (total length: 4.5km). Site of the Incheon-daero undergrounding project The City explained that after passing the preliminary feasibility study by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance in December of last year, it requested an investment assessment from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in accordance with the Local Finance Act. Officials cited serious traffic congestion, among other issues, to plead their case for the undergrounding project. Now that the project has passed the central government’s investment assessment, Incheon will pull every resource available to commission a master plan for the project within the year, and break ground next year. The target completion date for the new underpass has been set to 2027. Lee Won-joo, Director of the Incheon-daero Regeneration Division, said, “Since we have passed the central government’s investment assessment done by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, we now want to do our best to prepare for the actual construction of the underpass and push it forward as quickly as we can.”

- City looking to add a new clinic to its list of New Moonlight Children's Hospitals in Geomdan, bringing the total number to three clinics in the second half of the year - - Emergency pediatric medical centers at the Gil Hospital and Inha University Hospital also currently available for critically ill emergency pediatric patients - Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it plans to add a new clinic to its list of Moonlight Children's Hospitals in Geomdan, Seo-gu, in the second half of this year, bringing the total number of Moonlight Children's Hospitals to three. Moonlight Children's Hospital in Seo-gu Moonlight Children's Hospitals offer fast outpatient treatment for children with mild symptoms on weekday nights (9:00~11:00 pm) and on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. At the moment, Incheon has two such clinics (Yonsei Children's Hospital in Michuhol-gu, and Cheongna Yonsei Children's Hospital in Seo-gu). Yonsei Pediatrics, Michuhol-gu Cheongna Yonsei Children’s Hospital, Seo-gu In April, Incheon designated the Inha University Hospital as an emergency pediatric medical center to help treat severe emergency pediatric patients. The Inha University Hospital now joins Gil Hospital as the two emergency pediatric medical centers in the City. Korea has ten emergency pediatric medical centers nationwide, and these centers are required to set up a dedicated emergency pediatric room separate from the general emergency room for adults. Age-specific medical equipment for children and 24-hour emergency pediatric physicians can provide specialized care to emergency pediatric patients. However, due to the special nature of the emergency medical center and the declining number of pediatric hospitals, patients with milder symptoms have been flooding emergency pediatric medical centers, raising concerns that pediatric patients with severe conditions may miss out on getting the emergency treatment they need due to the congestion of patients. Accordingly,

- City adding 29 buses across ten routes in newer neighborhoods, and securing 15,000 additional parking spaces in the old city center by 2026 - - City also considering a “median bus lane” and road/rail networks connected to all corners of the country - Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) has brought out a new “Citizen's Transportation Plan” aimed at relieving congestion across its public transportation system where newly built apartments are ready to welcome owners, and also to secure additional parking spaces in the old city center. Intra-city buses bound for Gyeyang Station in Seo-gu, particularly Geomdan New Town, often have no choice but to pass stations without stopping once all of their seats are taken (during rush hour). This has led to a rising number of complaints. As for inter-city buses, passengers need to wait 20~30 minutes, and 20 or so passengers for every bus need to stand all the way to their destination. For the Airport Railroad, the congestion rate between Gyeyang and Gimpo Airport is close to 218%, and the congestion rate for Incheon Subway Line No. 2 is at 132%. The City is expecting new swathes of residents to move in when some of its apartments start welcoming people in, and this will inevitably worsen the congestion. In the old city center, people have been constantly complaining about the lack of parking spaces. This is because the old downtown area only has 74.7% of the parking spaces it actually needs in residential areas. In order to solve this problem, the City is upgrading and expanding its public transportation infrastructure, which had been lagging behind despite the increased demand for public transportation following major development projects in Geomdan and Songdo (sites 6 and 8). Incheon’s new “Citizen’s Transportation Plan” could offer the solution. The Plan involves fourteen detailed action plans across three objectives: ▲improving the congestion affecting the City’s public transportation system;

- Following the launching ceremony for the Overseas Korean Service, Incheon announces its vision for the “Incheon Project” to make it a city of 10 million - - Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok sees his City growing into a world-class city using its global network, presents four key goals and fifteen strategic initiatives - With Incheon launching the Overseas Korean Service, the City is now on a path to becoming a world-class metropolis, home to 10 million people not only in Korea, but across the globe. Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) hosted the “Launching Ceremony for the new Overseas Korean Service” at the United Nations (UN) Square in Songdo Central Park on June 5, and shared his vision of Incheon growing into a city of 10 million. Previously, Incheon had worked relentlessly since September last year to win its bid to host the Overseas Korean Service. Its hard work paid off when the Korean government indeed chose Incheon as the new home for the Agency in May. The Launching Ceremony for the Overseas Korean Service got under way at the Buyong Songdo Tower where the Agency will be headquartered. More than 1,000 guests, including President Yoon Suk Yeol, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok, new Director of the Overseas Korean Service Lee Ki-cheol, overseas Koreans who helped bring the Agency to Incheon, leaders from various civic, social, and functional groups, as well as the general public, attended the event. The Ceremony featured a congratulatory video for the Overseas Korean Service, and Incheon awarded an appreciation plaque to the expedition that traveled across the Pacific Ocean (from Los Angeles) to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Koreans emigrating to Hawaii. The Mayor also presented his vision for the City’s “Incheon 10 million city project.” The '10 Million City Incheon Project' aims to transform Incheon into a world-class metropolis by becoming the central hub of a network for 7.5 million Koreans around the world, similar to the way the global Jewish n

- Incheon offering a wider variety of staycation products on its islands with more benefits - - Goal is to boost local income with increased demand, and give tourists a unique experience - Incheon is hoping to boost local tourism using a wider variety of island staycation products and more benefits with its “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program. Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it launched its new “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program on May 29, starting with a 3-day package that takes tourists to either Sindo, Sido, Modo, or Jangbongdo Island. With the addition of Jumundo Island in Ganghwa-gun and Seungbongdo Island, Soyado Island, and Yeonpyeongdo Island in Ongjin-gun to the list of available destinations, the number of products featured in the City’s island staycation program has gone from ten last year to fourteen in 2023. Incheon says its goal is to bring in 2,000 tourists to its islands this year. As an immersive tourism program, “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” uses islands scattered across the City’s coastline to give travelers a great time not only with the resources available on each island, but also with the local inhabitants. This year, the program celebrates its third year (originally started back in 2021). In 2022, just over 600 tourists made their way to the islands of Soijakdo, Deokjeokdo, Boleumdo, Jangbongdo, Sindo, Sido, Modo, Baengnyeong/Daecheongdo, and Jawoldo. A satisfaction survey proved just how good the program was with an average score of 4.45 out of 5 stars. For 2023, Incheon has added products to Sindo, Sido, Modo, Jangbongdo, Deokjeokdo, Soyado, Yeonpyeongdo, Baengnyeongdo, Daecheongdo, Jawoldo, and Soijakdo across Onjin-gun, and has more islands lined up for the second half of the year. As for Ganghwado Island, the City is offering trips to Boreumdo and Jumundo. This year’s “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program will feature new and interestin

- Old mayor’s residence refurbished into a public library and gallery to promote the City’s history and culture - - Officially opened after an opening ceremony at 14:00 on May 24… Doors to stay open between 9:30 and 17:30, but closed on Mondays - Incheon opened up the old mayor’s residence in Sinheung-dong to the public on May 24. Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it hosted an opening ceremony on the afternoon of May 24 to celebrate the newly refurbished old mayor's residence in Sinheung-dong, which is expected to help the public learn more about the history and culture of the City going forward. View of the old mayor’s quarters building Located at 10, Dapdong-ro 12beon-gil (19-7, Sinheung-dong 1-ga), Jung-gu, Incheon, the old mayor’s residence in Sinheung-dong is a 3-story (two above ground and one basement level), light gray detached wooden house reinforced with concrete. The modern-looking building retains the typical architectural structure of a “culture house” popular throughout the 1930s. Built in 1938, the house blends Western architecture and traditional Japanese architecture during the colonial period, and it served as the official residence of the Mayor of Incheon from 1954 to 1966. The house, which was sold to a private owner in 1977 and used as a family home, was purchased by Incheon in 2020. The City bought back the former mayor’s residence as part of an initiative to preserve buildings of great historical, cultural, and residential value in Incheon, and to use them as cultural venues for local citizens. By doing so, the City is hoping to pass on the heritage, legacy, and values of Incheon to future generations. The opening ceremony included a pre-ceremony performance (chamber music performance), an opening ceremony, a book donation ceremony, and a small concert (songs released in 1938, including Libertango, Narcissus; performed by vocalists Jeong Su-jin and Jung Jin Sung). An exhibition highlighting the h