The Korea Herald

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Incheon wants to be more international, says mayor

By Lee Jung-youn

Published : April 13, 2023 - 13:11

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Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok delivers speech at the Global Business Forum held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel, Wednesday. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald) Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok delivers speech at the Global Business Forum held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel, Wednesday. (Park Hae-mook/The Korea Herald)

Incheon is the only municipality in South Korea with a growing population and a home to many global organizations making the city more international and competitive, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok said at a forum Wednesday.

“Incheon is the only city with a growing population. Active reclamation projects are also possible as Incheon is adjacent to the sea and mud flats, so we have infinite possibilities,” he said in his speech titled “Incheon’s dream, South Korea’s future" at the Global Business Forum hosted by The Korea Herald.

He said the city was the most international in Korea as it has three districts designed to boost the city's global competitiveness -- Songdo, Yeongjong, Cheongna International City. It also houses 15 organizations under the United Nations, five foreign universities, an "American Town," and several schools with foreign curriculums, he said.

“In addition, as a city with active Free Economic Zones, it is safe to say that Incheon is the second-best economic city in the country,” he said.

The city also hopes to host the Overseas Koreans' Office, to be launched in June this year. Incheon is competing with Seoul to be the location of the office.

“If we can embrace about 7.5 million overseas Koreans within our city with 3 million citizens, we will have the power of 10 million population city,” he said.