Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority to Sell Five Lots in Songdo

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ) says it will sell five publicly owned plots of land in Songdo International City through competitive bidding. 

The lots include one commercial plot designated to support knowledge-based industries in District 4 and four neighborhood commercial plots in District 11. 

The plots range from 2,431 to 26,075 square meters, with asking prices ranging from 16.2 billion to 102.1 billion won. 

Those interested in purchasing the land must submit their bids electronically by 4 p.m. on September 8. 

An IFEZ official said surrounding commercial and residential areas have either been fully developed or sold, and demand for convenience facilities is expected to rise as more people move into the area.

Incheon Launches Free Mobile Registration for Dogs Using Nose Prints

Incheon Metropolitan City is launching a free mobile registration service that uses dogs’ unique nose prints to help prevent lost and abandoned pets. 

The city says it has finalized plans for on-site registration in Gyeyang-gu and Michuhol-gu as part of its pilot nose-print registration program, with mobile services getting underway this month. 

Nose-print registration is a biometric identification method that uses the unique pattern of a dog’s nose, much like a human fingerprint. 

The system is expected to help address problems such as lost or missing external identification tags, while avoiding concerns or discomfort associated with implanting microchips. 

A specialized company will set up pop-up registration booths at locations that are easily accessible to residents, including apartment complexes, dog parks and community service centers.

Yeonsu Keungjae Scholarship Foundation Selects 12th Class of Scholarship Recipients

The Yeonsu Keunjae Scholarship Foundation has selected 159 students and seven organizations for its 12th scholarship program, providing a total of 2.425 billion won in scholarships. 

The scholarships are offered in seven categories, including welfare, special talents, academic excellence, support for vocational high school students and multi-year scholarships. 

This year, the foundation also introduced a special scholarship to mark its 10th anniversary. 

A total of 20 middle and high school students and university students will each receive one million won. 

They include children from large families who meet academic requirements, exemplary students at special education schools, children of public officials and military or police officers who died in the line of duty, and young people preparing to live independently.

Incheon Research Institute Proposes ‘Culture Care’ Policy

A new proposal calls for Incheon to create a “culture care cluster” linking the city’s cultural, health and welfare policies. 

The proposal, released by the Incheon Institute on Monday, recommends designating a lead department and establishing a system for sharing the financial burden among the relevant agencies. 

The proposal comes from a study on developing a cultural care policy for Incheon. The study found that the city’s cultural, health and welfare policies have largely been operated separately, preventing the caregiving potential of culture and the arts from being fully incorporated into existing health and welfare services. 

The institute proposed a new policy framework to use cultural and artistic activities as part of the city’s broader care system.

Incheon Wins Bid to Host 2032 International Union of Crystallography Congress

Incheon has won the bid to host the 2032 Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography, which is expected to bring around 3,000 leading scientists and experts from more than 60 countries to the city. 

Incheon beat out competing bids from South Africa’s Cape Town, China’s Shanghai and India’s Mumbai to secure hosting rights to the international event. 

The 29th Congress will be held in August 2032 at Songdo Convensia. 

The event is expected to further strengthen Incheon’s reputation as a competitive destination for major international conferences and scientific gatherings.

Sources: https://news.ifm.kr