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

New additions expected to improve congestion for line no. 2 between Unyeon Station in Namdong-gu and Geomdan-Oryu Station in Seo-gu Relief is on the way to save Incheon Metro Line No. 2, which runs from Unyeon Station in Namdong-gu to Geomdan-Oryu Station in Seo-gu, from its chronic congestion problem. Starting on December 9,the Metropolitan City Government is adding six newly assembled trains to Incheon Metro Line No. 2. ▲ Starting on December 9,the Metropolitan City Government is adding six newly assembled trains to Incheon Metro Line No. 2. The new trains are expected to further alleviate the congestion of Incheon Metro Line No. 2. Since its opening in 2016, Incheon Metro Line No. 2 has been a workhorse for people across Incheon, serving 49.93 million passengers in total. There were, however, calls for countermeasures to alleviate congestion during rush hour as the city’s population grew over the years. Accordingly, from 2018 to 2022, Incheon invested KRW 42.5 billion to improve the capacity of Incheon Metro Line No. 2. The City Government assembled six new trains and upgraded the subway system with new electrical wires, tracks, signals, and communication equipment. ▲ With the introduction of new trains, trains on Line No. 2 will arrive at stations 24 seconds quicker, from 3 minutes and 20 seconds to 2 minutes and 56 seconds. With the introduction of these new trains, the total number of trains in service will go from 37 (74 cars) to 43 (86 cars), trains will run more often from 460 times a day to 477 times a day (17 times more), and trains will arrive at stations 24 seconds faster, going from 3 minutes and 20 seconds to 2 minutes and 56 seconds (during rush hour). Moreover, in the case of the Gajeong Jungang Market-Seoknam(Haseon) section, peak congestion during rush hour was 149.8%. This will drop by approximately 15% once the new trains come on line. The City Government expects that residents of Namdong-gu and Seo-gu as well as Incheon citizens using Me

▲ On December 19, the Mayor of Incheon visited the Ministry of National Defense and met with Minister Lee Jong-sup to ask for the government’s support in upgrading the Battle of Incheon event to an official national event. The City Government requested cooperation between Incheon and the Ministry of National Defense to incorporate the 75th Anniversary Event for the Battle of Incheon next year as part of the national celebration of the ROK-US alliance. Incheon Metropolitan City said that Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup agreed with Incheon's proposal to upgrade the Battle of Incheon event to a national event. On December 19, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeongbok visited the Ministry of National Defense and met with Minister Lee Jong-sup to ask for the government’s support in upgrading the Battle of Incheon event to a national event. Mayor Yoo said, “The Battle of Incheon is a strategic asset and a valuable part of our history. We believe it is time to upgrade the Battle of Incheon event to a national event next year to help people remember Korea’s history and promote awareness of the importance of national security.” He added, “I hope that our city and the Ministry of National Defense can work together in order to incorporate the 75th Anniversary Event for the Battle of Incheon next year as part of the national celebration of the ROK-US alliance.” In response, Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-sup said, “We agree that the Battle of Incheon event has the merits to become a national event. Thus, we plan on doing our best to make the upgrade happen.” In addition, Mayor Yoo Jeongbok proposed a relocation and redeployment of military units in the region, an expansion of fishing grounds, efforts to grow the camping market, and cooperation in collecting marine debris and waste in the border area with North Korea. He also asked the Ministry of National Defense for more support in solving problems experienced by locals due to various defense facilities, and related

Both cities agree to share expertise and leading policies in trade, investment, science, and education In celebration of the 30th anniversary of establishing friendly diplomatic ties between Korea and Uzbekistan, the Incheon Metropolitan City Government signed an agreement on friendly relations with Fergana, a city leading the growth and development of Uzbekistan. On December 16 (localtime), Incheon’s Vice Mayor for Culture, Welfare and Political Affairs LeeHaeng-sook visited Fergana, Uzbekistan, and signed the agreement on friendly relations. ▲ In celebration of the 30th anniversary of establishing friendly diplomatic ties between Korea and Uzbekistan, the Incheon Metropolitan City Government signed an agreement on friendly relations with Fergana, a city leading the growth and development of Uzbekistan. Vice Mayor Lee's visit to Uzbekistan came after Fergana extended an official invitation to Incheon in order to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Uzbekistan, and also the 85th anniversary of Koreans arriving and settling in Uzbekistan. Bozorov Hayrulla, Governor of Fergana, met with the Korean ambassador to Uzbekistan last October and asked for the Korean government’s support in finding new ways to expand exchanges and cooperation. This ultimately led to the agreement on friendly relations between Incheon and Fergana. At the signing ceremony, Vice Mayor Lee Haeng-sook and Governor Bozorov Hayrulla celebrated the 30th anniversary of friendly diplomatic relations between Korea and Uzbekistan, and the two cities agreed to share expertise and leading policies in various fields such as trade, investment, science, education, and the environment. In particular, both cities promised close cooperation not only in vitalizing business and economic exchanges between companies in Fergana, which is the leading agricultural and industrial city in Uzbekistan, and Incheon, but also in cultural exchanges and interactions. This agreement is expe

Helping visitors with directions, delivery, surveillance, and monitoring Guider robots, delivery robots, and surveillance/monitoring robots at Bupyeong station’s underground arcade in Incheon appear to be a massive hit with visitors. On November 25, Incheon hosted a launching ceremony for the “AI/5G-based large-scale robot demonstration project,” which won a government-sponsored contest for new tech projects, inside the underground arcade at Bupyeong station in Incheon. ▲ Helper robots, delivery robots, and surveillance/monitoring robots at Bupyeong station’s underground arcade in Incheon appear to be a massive hit with visitors. The “AI/5G-based large-scale robot demonstration project” selected last May as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's contest for new tech projects is designed to help locals and solve social problems by introducing multiple types of robots to facilities frequently visited by citizens, such as shopping malls and major subway stations. Another goal of the project is to develop companies specializing in service robots and to popularize the use of robots in real life. The project is expected to cost KRW 1.9 billion in total. For two years (2022~2023), Incheon will test fifteen robots (five types), including guider robots, delivery robots, baking robots, wearable robots, and surveillance/monitoring robots, at Bupyeong station and its underground arcade in Incheon. Incheon Technopark, Incheon Transportation Corporation, Korea Institute of Electronics Technology, Yujin Robot Co., Ltd., and Syscon Co., Ltd. will work together to operate and analyze the robots in real-life situations. ▲ The “AI/5G-basedlarge-scale robot demonstration project” selected last May as part of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's contest for new tech projects is designed to help locals and solve social problems by introducing multiple types of robots to facilities frequently visited by citizens, such as shopping malls and major