Incheon Customs to tighten import inspections ahead of Lunar New Year

The Incheon Main Customs Office will strengthen import inspections of ceremonial and gift items that see increased consumption ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday. The intensive inspection period will run for four weeks starting on the 19th of this month, targeting ceremonial foods such as dried vegetables, jujubes, and pine nuts, as well as health functional foods, clothing, and toys. Inspections will also check for violations in product classification and tariff application, false country-of-origin labeling, and possible intellectual property rights infringements.

Incheon’s Rising Sea levels Higher Than National Average 

Rising sea levels off the coast of Incheon have been found to be more than 40% higher than the national average. Over the past 10 years, sea levels off Incheon have risen by an average of 6.61 millimeters per year. The figure is over 40% higher compared to the nationwide average of 4.72 millimeters over the same period. The total rise of 6.6 centimeters in the past decade alone accounts for more than half of Incheon’s total sea level rise of 11.7 centimeters recorded over the past 36 years.

Local Governments to Hire More for Public & Community Jobs 

Incheon Metropolitan City will carry out public job programs to hire more people in its districts and counties to help ensure stable livelihoods for vulnerable groups. The city plans to hire a total of 695 people through its 10 districts and counties this year. The recruitment includes 420 positions in public work programs and 275 in community job programs. Actual hiring numbers may be adjusted depending on demand and project conditions in each district and county. Applicants must be Incheon residents aged 18 and older, with household income at or below 60% of the median income and assets of 400 million won or less.

Local Technologies Applied for Cheongna Haneul Bridge Construction 

New technologies and patented construction methods from local Incheon companies have been applied during construction of the Cheongna Haneul Bridge, which opened on January 5th. According to the Incheon Free Economic Zone, a high-durability waterproofing method that maintains performance even in salty coastal environments was applied to the bridge deck on the Cheongna side. The technology helps suppress cracks caused by temperature changes and supports long-term stable use. On the Yeongjong Island side, a patented noise-reduction tunnel developed by a local company was incorporated from the design stage to reduce traffic noise. 

Incheon to Launch Integrated Care System by March 2026

Incheon Metropolitan City is preparing for the full launch of an integrated care system by March 2026. The integrated care system allows citizens in need of care, including seniors and people with disabilities, to receive medical, nursing, and care services in an integrated manner while remaining in their communities, with districts and counties playing a central role in implementation. As such, the city plans to expand dedicated organizations and staffing and establish cooperation systems with the city’s districts and counties. From the end of January, the city will hold regular progress review meetings with districts and counties, closely checking the expansion of home-based medical services and management of integrated support performance, and plans to complete all preparations before the March launch.

Incheon Ranks ‘Excellent’ in 2025 Wood Culture Index Evaluation

Incheon Metropolitan City has announced it was selected as an “Excellent” local government in the 2025 Wood Culture Index evaluation conducted by the Korea Forest Service. The assessment analyzed three indicators across 17 metropolitan cities and provinces: building foundations for wood use, promoting wood utilization, and public awareness of wood culture. Incheon received high marks in the “wood use foundation” category, which evaluates production conditions and policy infrastructure, alongside Gangwon-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do, and also showed strong performance in promoting wood use, including expanding wooden construction in public and private sectors.

 Sources: https://news.ifm.kr