Incheon builds mental health support system for infertile couples and expectant mothers

Incheon Metropolitan City will launch a mental health support system for couples experiencing infertility and pregnant women. The city signed an agreement between the regional infertility counseling center and the Incheon Mental Health Welfare Center. The initiative aims to identify and address depression and anxiety arising from infertility treatments, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting at an early stage, and connect patients to professional counseling and treatment. It also responds to long-standing concerns over insufficient support for individuals experiencing repeated treatment failures or pregnancy loss.

Ongjin-gun expands resident safety insurance coverage

Ongjin-gun will expand the county’s resident safety insurance program starting May 1, 2026. All registered county residents are automatically enrolled in the program without application, with premiums fully covered by the county. It provides compensation for various disasters and accidents, with additional coverage tailored to island-specific risks. Residents can claim benefits within three years of an incident, alongside existing city-level safety insurance coverage.

Incheon to remove 5,600 tons of marine debris

Incheon Metropolitan City will invest 12 billion won this year to tackle marine debris in its coastal waters. Marine waste continues to flow into the area via the Han River estuary and ocean currents, prompting year-round cleanup efforts. This year, the city aims to collect more than 5,600 tons. Over the past three years, the city has collected an average of 5,540 tons annually, and the scale of processing has steadily increased, with 5,512 tons collected in 2023, 5,299 tons in 2024, and 5,811 tons in 2025. Accordingly, the city has expanded this year's project budget to 12 billion won, an increase of approximately 9% compared to the previous year. In particular, national funding support has been strengthened to stably secure finances necessary for the project's implementation.

Incheon designates additional nighttime pediatric clinics

Incheon has designated additional “Moonlight Children’s Hospitals” in Namdong-gu and Bupyeong-gu to improve access to pediatric care. These facilities provide outpatient services during nighttime hours, weekends, and holidays, helping reduce inconvenience for families and easing overcrowding in emergency rooms. The designation in Namdong-gu and Bupyeong-gu is expected to fill gaps in areas previously lacking such services, and is expected to contribute to resolving the medical service gap in the region. The decision was finalized through a Ministry of Health and Welfare selection process taking into consideration factors such as the demand for pediatric patient care, accessibility, and operational capabilities.

Incheon Philharmonic to perform with pianist Lee Kyung-sook for Teachers’ Day

The Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra will hold its 443rd regular concert on May 15 at the Arts Center Incheon Concert Hall. The program, “IPO Plays Dvořák,” will open with Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, featuring renowned pianist Lee Kyung-sook. The piece highlights dynamic interplay between soloist and orchestra, blending classical structure with romantic expression. The concert coincides with Teachers’ Day, adding special significance to the performance.

Incheon’s Dong-gu steel industry designated preemptive employment crisis zone

Dong-gu’s steel industry has been designated as a “Preemptive Employment Crisis Response Zone” by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The designation, reached through a resolution by the Ministry’s Employment Policy Deliberation Council, enables expanded employment retention subsidies and immediately activates a 4 billion won job stabilization package. It is the result of the city’s preemptive response aimed at ensuring employment stability for workers in the steel industry, who are facing a crisis due to the global economic slowdown and the closure of production facilities. The ‘Preemptive Employment Crisis Response Zone’ is a system in which local governments detect signs of a crisis in advance, make recommendations to the government, and receive concentrated state funding to respond to the crisis following government deliberation. Incheon’s designation comes as the Labor Ministry acknowledged the severity of the crisis in the steel industry and the necessity of the designation in a written review. Accordingly, the city will immediately proceed with the “Incheon Steel Industry Support Project,” worth 4 billion won in state funding.

Sources: https://news.ifm.kr