Incheon's Jemulpo-gu District (Mayor Kim Chan-jin), formed by joining the inland part of Jung-gu with Dong-gu and given a new name after 81 years, has unveiled its first blueprint, placing the revival of the old downtown front and center. Kim Chan-jin, the first mayor of Jemulpo-gu, held an inauguration press meeting Wednesday at the Sonamu (Pine) Hall of the Songnim office, where he outlined the direction of his administration, four governing principles and plans to pursue key pledge projects. The core of the day's announcement was a commitment to revive Incheon's long-stagnant old downtown through the strength of the local economy, transportation, education and welfare — a matter directly tied to the daily lives of the district's 100,000 residents, who now stand at a new starting line following the merger.
 [The Korean Today] Inauguration press meeting of Kim Chan-jin, first mayor of Jemulpo-gu © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
Mayor Kim presented "Beyond merger, toward the future — Jemulpo-gu on the move again" as his administration's vision. Of the launch of Jemulpo-gu, he said it was "not a simple administrative merger, but a historic start that opens a new future for Incheon's old downtown," adding, "I will build a city that all residents can take pride in, a city where future generations can hold on to hope." The merger, which revived the old place name of Jemulpo — the cradle of Incheon and a symbol of its modernization — carries great symbolism as a process that ties two areas with different histories and living spheres into a single community.
Four principles were presented as the broad framework of the administration: reviving the old downtown and revitalizing the local economy; building global education infrastructure and nurturing talent; integrating and branding historical, cultural and tourism resources; and realizing a happy welfare city that everyone can enjoy. Mayor Kim said he would actively pursue redevelopment around transit hubs and revitalize local commercial districts, and would lay a foundation for future growth linked to the maritime and logistics industries to breathe vitality into the local economy. He also explained that he would expand policies to improve the educational environment and cultivate future talent so as to create an education city where anyone can receive quality schooling, and would connect scattered historical and cultural assets such as the open port area, Wolmido and Baedari into a single urban brand unique to Jemulpo-gu. In the welfare field, he stressed that he would carry out finely tailored policies that all generations — children, young people, the elderly and people with disabilities — can feel firsthand.
Key pledge projects presented included the continued pursuit of urban development around the Dongincheon Station and Incheon Station transit areas, the redevelopment of Inner Port Piers 1 and 8 and the use of Piers 2 through 7 as maritime waterfront spaces, the creation of a maritime and legal hub city by attracting the main branch of a maritime court, the revitalization of root industries linked to the Hwasu Pier urban regeneration innovation district, designation as an educational internationalization special zone, the expansion of transportation networks including Incheon Line 3 and the extension of the Incheon-departing KTX to Incheon Station, and the branding of a tourism belt linking Manseok and Hwasu piers with Wolmido, Chinatown and Baedari. Mayor Kim said, "I will carry out the pledge projects, which are promises to residents, without a hitch and create new growth engines for Jemulpo-gu."
Transportation measures were cited as a key task for transforming the living conditions of the old downtown. Mayor Kim said he would concentrate administrative efforts on attracting the Incheon Circular Line 3, which would add new Songnim Ogeori and Hyundai Steel stations, and on pushing Incheon Line 4, which would add a new Yeonan Pier station, and would move early to pursue the extension of the KTX to Incheon Station and the introduction of a tram on the Bupyeong-Yeonan Pier line, fundamentally improving transportation access in the old downtown. He also said he would actively cooperate with related agencies such as the Incheon city government and the Incheon Urban Corporation to that end.
On the urban development around Dongincheon Station, a flagship project to revive the old downtown's economy, the progress made so far was described in detail. The project, which had been attempted several times since 2007 but drifted for years amid residents' opposition over the development method, got back on track after Kim — during his four years as Dong-gu mayor — intensively pressed the city government and the Incheon Urban Corporation on its necessity and held numerous meetings to resolve the compensation issue for Jungang Sangsa, a group of Songhyeon Free Market merchants, according to the mayor. He said that compensation negotiations, including sales contracts for the priority compensation zone within the current project area, have been concluded, that the demolition of buildings in that zone is scheduled within the year, and that administrative procedures for drafting and approving the implementation plan are proceeding smoothly, and he pledged to transform the area into a multi-dimensional complex integrating administrative, commercial and residential functions.
 [The Korean Today] Jemulpo-gu Mayor Kim Chan-jin announcing his administration's vision © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
A point that carried particular weight at the press meeting was the bid to attract a maritime court. On the decision to locate the temporary courthouse in the former Jung-gu council building, Mayor Kim said, "The confirmation of the maritime court's temporary courthouse in Jemulpo-gu will be an important opportunity for Jemulpo-gu to leap forward as Korea's maritime and logistics hub city," adding, "I will concentrate all administrative capacity so that the main branch is also established in Jemulpo-gu and leads to revitalization of the local economy." He noted that in the bid process, the public and private sectors had worked together since last year through a bid forum, a district-wide signature campaign, a joint press conference by Jung-gu and Dong-gu, the delivery of the signature book to the Office of Court Administration, resident briefings and a relay campaign. The plan calls for supporting remodeling and administrative procedures in consultation with the Supreme Court's Office of Court Administration, with the temporary courthouse targeted to open in March 2028, and going further to attract the main branch to the Inner Port area to spur the legal services industry and the influx of specialized professionals.
Education and welfare were presented as a path forward for the old downtown, which faces population decline and the risk of extinction. Mayor Kim said he would create a "city people want to move to for its education" through measures such as pursuing designation as an educational internationalization special zone, cooperating to improve the educational environment of the universities and secondary schools at the Songdo Global Campus, establishing a second children's English library and selecting Jemulpo High School as a boarding-style high school. In the welfare field, he stressed that he would extend, without discrimination, benefits established in Dong-gu — such as flu vaccinations for all residents, dignity allowances for the elderly, free shingles vaccinations, and support for implant and dental treatment costs — to residents of inland Jung-gu as well, and would pursue the construction of a district-run nursing home targeted for completion in 2029 to create an "integrated care city."
Mayor Kim also cited stabilizing residents' lives in the early stages of the merger as a top priority. He said he had reorganized the administrative system and organization so that daily-life services such as resident registration, the issuance of various certificates and applications for welfare benefits would continue without disruption, and that he was making sure existing welfare benefits were not reduced and no one was left out. Until a new office building is constructed, he said, the existing Jung-gu and Dong-gu offices would be operated separately, with a mayor's office in both so he could meet residents on the ground. Although he was elected as a People Power Party candidate, he said, "From the moment I was elected, I set aside party affiliation and became the mayor of all 100,000 Jemulpo-gu residents," adding that he would resolve the district's long-cherished projects through cooperative governance with the mayor and city and district council members even where party affiliations differ.
Mayor Kim said, "Jemulpo-gu has now reached a point where it must move forward vigorously toward a new future, beyond the merger," adding, "Based on residents' harmony and communication, I will do my utmost so that it can grow into a city where everyone grows together and leap forward as a new central city for Incheon's old downtown." He went on to ask for support, saying, "Since the future of the new Jemulpo-gu will be created by the administration and residents together, I ask for your continued interest and encouragement." The actual results of Jemulpo-gu, which has pledged to reinvent itself as a maritime, tourism and cultural hub city where history and the future coexist, are expected to hinge on the pace of long-term tasks such as transit-area development, the maritime court bid and the expansion of transportation networks.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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