City in Seoul Capital Area, South Korea
not to be confused with Icheon
Metropolitan City in Seoul Capital, South Korea

Incheon ( korean : 인천 ; Hanja : 仁川 ; korean pronunciation : [ intɕʰʌ̹n ] ; McCune-Reischauer romanization Inch’ŏn ; literally “ kind river ” ), once Jemulpo ( 제물포 ; McCune-Reischauer : Chemulp’o ) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City ( 인천광역시 ), is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seoul and Gyeonggi to the east. Inhabited since the Neolithic, Incheon was home to merely 4,700 people when it became an external port in 1883. nowadays, about 3 million people live in the city, making it South Korea ‘s third most-populous city after Seoul and Busan. The city ‘s increase has been assured in modern times with the development of its port due to its natural advantages as a coastal city and its proximity to the south korean das kapital. It is character of the Seoul Capital Area, along with Seoul itself and Gyeonggi Province, forming the world ‘s fourthly largest metropolitan area by population. inchon has since led the economic development of South Korea by opening its port to the outside world, ushering in the modernization of South Korea as a concentrate of industrialization. In 2003, the city was designated as South Korea ‘s first release economic zone. Since then, boastfully local companies and global enterprises have increasingly invested in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, including Samsung which chose Songdo International City as its new investment finish for its bio industry. As an international city, Incheon has held numerous large scale international conferences, such as the Incheon Global Fair & Festival in 2009. The seventeenth asian Games Incheon 2014 was besides held in Incheon on 19 September 2014. inchon has established itself as a major fare hub in northeast Asia with the Incheon International Airport and Incheon Port. The city is besides home to the green Climate Fund, an international arrangement addressing environmental issues .

history [edit ]

The first base historic record of the Incheon area dates back to 475 CE, during the reign of King Jangsu of Goguryeo, by the name of Michuhol, which is supposed to be located on nowadays ‘s Munhak Hill ( 문학산 ). The area undergo respective name changes with consecutive kingdoms and dynasties. In Goryeo earned run average, Incheon was called Gyeongwon ( 경원 ) or Inju ( 인주 ). The current name was turned to Incheon in 1413. [ citation needed ] Later, Incheon County became Incheon Metropolitan Prefecture ( dohobu, 도호부 ). Old Incheon consisted of today ‘s southern Incheon ( i.e. Jung-gu, Dong-gu, Nam-gu, Yeonsu-gu, and Namdong-gu ) and northern separate of Siheung City. The city center was Gwangyo-dong, where the prefecture agency ( 도호부청사 ) and the local academy ( hyanggyo, 향교 ) were located. The “ master ” two remaining buildings of the Incheon prefecture office are located in Munhak Elementary School, while the newly built ( in 2001 ) prefecture office buildings are veracious across from Munhak Baseball Stadium .

modern history [edit ]

Another historic name of the city, Jemulpo ( alternatively Romanized as Chemulpo ), was not widely used until the open of the larboard in 1883. It was frequently used until the japanese annexation. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] After the opening of the Incheon port, the city center moved from Gwangyo to Jemulpo. today, either Jemulpo or Gwangyo-dong is considered “ original inchon ” ( 원인천 ). It was renamed as Jinsen during japanese dominion in the korean peninsula. In 1914, the japanese colonial government merged outer parts of old Incheon ( including the former kernel of Gwangyo ) with Bupyeong County, forming Bucheon County. [ 4 ] Through 1936 and 1940, some part of Bucheon County was recombined into Incheon City, by which some part of “ erstwhile ” Bupyeong was annexed into Incheon. Incheon was in the first place part of Gyeonggi Province, but was granted Directly Governed ( now Metropolitan ) City condition on 1 July 1981 ; the city officially separated from the state. In 1989, neighbouring islands and Gyeyang township of Gimpo County [ 5 ] were ceded to Incheon and in 1995 Geomdan township of Gimpo Country and two counties of Ganghwa and Onjin were annexed to Incheon Metropolitan City. Incheon was known as Inchon anterior to South Korea ‘s adoption of a new Romanization arrangement in 2000 .

major events [edit ]

The city was the site of the Battle of Chemulpo Bay, where the first shots of the Russo-Japanese War were fired. During the Korean War, Incheon was occupied by north korean troops on 4 July 1950. Incheon was the locate of the Battle of Inchon, when United States troops landed to relieve pressure on the Pusan Perimeter and to launch a United Nations offensive north. The solution was a decisive UN victory and it was recaptured on 19 September 1950. [ 6 ] The USS Inchon was named after the tide-turning conflict that ensued. Incheon has besides hosted a series of major international events. The Global Fair & Festival 2009 Incheon was held in the Songdo District in August 2009. It was open from 7 August to 25 October for a period of 80 days. It was a comprehensive international event with ball-shaped institutions and corporations as participants. diverse musicians and artists performed during the event. The city hosted a merging of the G20 Finance Ministers in February 2010. [ 7 ] Incheon was the locate of the third gear Global Model United Nations Conference, held from 10 to 14 August 2011. It first hosted the Incheon Women Artists ‘ Biennale in 2004 which expanded into welcoming international artists in its subsequent 2007, 2009 [ 8 ] and 2011. Incheon hosted the asian Games in 2014. [ 9 ] It hosted the 6th OECD World Forum in 2018. [ 10 ]

department of education [edit ]

On 27 February 2007, Incheon declared itself an “ english City, ” and inaugurated the “ Incheon Free English Zone ” program. The goal of the program is to make the city as technical in English as Hong Kong and Singapore. [ 11 ] This is for the ultimate function of establishing Incheon as a commercial and business hub of northeasterly Asia ( see free Economic Zone downstairs ). The official motto of the broadcast is “ Smile with English. ”

Higher education [edit ]

Incheon is home to a issue of colleges and universities :

Primary and secondary schools [edit ]

International schools :

geography [edit ]

climate [edit ]

Incheon has a humid subtropical climate ( Köppen : Cwa ), [ 13 ] and humid continental climate [ 14 ] ( Köppen Dwa, respectively ). Like other metropolitan cities, inchon has a firm urban heat island effect. [ 15 ] Incheon ‘s climate is about average compared to the rest of Korea, with 8 locations being cool and 10 locations being quick, and with 9 locations being wet and 9 locations being dry. [ 16 ] Incheon experiences each of its four seasons, distinctly feeling the rise and decrease of temperature and humidity. The temperature however, never rises to an extreme point, and the climate of the city is basically balmy. Incheon is swept by the seasonal worker winds as the northwestern winds strike the city in the winter and the summer in Incheon is affected by gusts of the warm southwesterly winds. [ 17 ]

economy [edit ]

inchon forms the heart of Capital Industrial Region. During the industrialization of South Korea, respective industrial complexes were built throughout the city, and as a consequence, the city was largely pendent on manufacture industry. But with the appellation of Incheon Free Economic Zone in 2003, the city is now making an effort to foster new growth industries. major industrial parks include Bupyeong industrial complex, which hosts GM Incheon plant ( once a GM Daewoo Incheon establish ), Juan industrial complex, and Namdong Industrial complex. In recent years, bio industry is emerging as a new emergence industry of the city. Currently, with the full production capacity of 330kℓ per class, the city ranks 2nd in the worldly concern by production capacity along with San Francisco, United States. The capacity is under expansion, and after completion in 2018, the city will rank 1st with the output capability of 510kℓ. [ 22 ] besides, logistics industry is besides experiencing a rapid growth, thanks to Incheon Airport, which was ranked fourth in the world by cargo dealings, and the expansion of Incheon Port .

fare [edit ]

Incheon is a major domestic and external enchant hub for Korea .
Inside Incheon International Airport

Air [edit ]

Incheon International Airport is South Korea ‘s primary coil international airport and a regional tune hub. In 2015, it was the world ‘s 22nd interfering airport by passenger traffic, with 49,412,750 passengers. [ 23 ] There were a full of 305,446 flights ( 300,634 international, 4,812 domestic ) to and from Incheon International Airport in 2015, an average of 837 flights ( 824 international, 13 domestic ) daily. Korea ‘s two main carriers, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, serviced 50.9 % of flights, while low-cost and extraneous carriers serviced the remaining 49.1 % of flights. [ 24 ] The airport is experiencing a rapid increase in passengers, and the open of Terminal 2 in December 2017 spurred extra traffic. The airport was besides featured in the korean play series, “ Air City. ” Incheon International Airport ranked “ 5th in the world ” among external airports. [ 25 ]

Sea [edit ]

Incheon ‘s ocean port is the second largest port in Korea after Busan Port. The International Passenger Terminal located at the port offers ferries to five cities in China : dalian, Qingdao, Tianjin, Dandong, and Weihai. There are besides ferries to Incheon ‘s outlying islands a well as Baengnyeong Island inside of the Northern Limit Line .

bus [edit ]

Incheon Bus Terminal, located at its eponymous underpass end, offers express bus transportation to all parts of Korea. many city bus lines offer department of transportation within city limits ampere well as to the neighbor cities of Bucheon, Gimpo, Seoul, and Siheung.

many intercity buses offer transportation between Seoul and Incheon .

train [edit ]

local military service to Guro, Seoul, Cheongnyangni, Uijeongbu and Soyosan is offered by Seoul ‘s underpass Line 1. The course has 11 stations within Incheon and connects to the Incheon Subway at Bupyeong and Juan stations. Rapid avail on the same credit line to Yongsan Station in Seoul depart from Dongincheon station and stops at major stations. The Airport Express ( AREX ) channel runs from Incheon International Airport to Seoul Station via Gimpo International Airport. The Incheon-Gimpo section was opened in March 2007 and was extended to Seoul post in December 2010. Passengers can choose a high-speed military service stopping alone at Incheon airport and Seoul, which takes 43 minutes but departs entirely every half-hour ; or the all-station service which takes 53 minutes but leaves every six minutes. KTX service was introduced on the AREX line on 30 June 2014, with stops at Incheon International Airport Station and Geoman Station. There are extra plans to use the newly built Suin Line to bring KTX service to Incheon Station by 2021. [ 26 ]

metro [edit ]

The Incheon Subway has two metro lines serving the city. The beginning course connects to the Seoul Metropolitan Subway arrangement at Bupyeong Station ( Seoul Subway Line 1 ), and AREX line at Gyeyang Station. It connects International Business District Station in Songdo to Gyeyang Station. The line has 28 stations on 29.4 kilometres ( 18.3 miles ) of track. The line besides has transfer stations with the Suin Line at Woninjae Station, with the Incheon Subway Line 2 at Incheon City Hall Station, and with Seoul Subway Line 7 at Bupyeong-gu Office Station. Incheon Subway Line 2 opened in July 2016 and runs from Geomdan Oryu Station to Unyeon Station. The automatize line is 29.2 kilometres ( 18.1 miles ) hanker, and has 27 stations, including transplant stations at Geomam post with the AREX line, Juan Station with Seoul Subway Line 1 and Incheon Subway Line 2 at Incheon City Hall Station. The Incheon underpass is operated by the Incheon Rapid Transit Corporation ( IRTC ). There are extra plans for a third metro trace in Incheon. Korail has besides constructed a new commuter rail line named Suin Line. The line opened in 2012 from Oido Station in Siheung to Songdo Station in Incheon. It was then extended in 2016, and immediately reaches Incheon Station where passengers can transfer to Seoul Subway Line 1. In 2017, the argumentation will be extended from Oido Station to Suwon Station. SMRT ( one of three operating companies of Seoul Metropolitan Subway ) has extended Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 7 to Bupyeong-gu office by 2011 and provided transfers to the Incheon Subway system. It has 3 stations within Incheon. By 2020, the line will further be extended westwards to Seoknam Station where it will be potential to transfer to Incheon Subway Line 2 .

rid Economic zone [edit ]

The Incheon Free Economic Zone consists of the three regions of Songdo, Cheongna, and the island of Yeongjong, and has a total area of 51,739 acres ( 20,938 hour angle ). The goal of IFEZ is to transform these three areas into hub for logistics, international business, leisure, and tourism for the Northeast asian region. The term ‘Free Economic Zone ‘ applies to the exploitation in these three areas with the aim of improving the business environment for foreign-invested enterprises and the living conditions for foreigners. The partition is a specially designated area to create the most favorable occupation and live environment where foreign nationals can live and invest freely and handily. Incheon ‘s exempt Economic Zone, the first in Korea, was formally designated by the korean politics in August 2003. IFEZ is planned to be a collected know and business district featuring atmosphere and ocean department of transportation, a logistics building complex, an external business center, fiscal services, residences, schools and hospitals, and shop and entertainment centres .

New Songdo City [edit ]

Songdo International City began development in 1994 and is being built on domesticate farming. It is designated to become a center of divers external businesses, a hub for international craft, an area for knowledge-based technologies, and a place for eco-friendly urban support. construction is ascribable to be completed in 2020 .

  • Development size: 13,162 acres (53.26 km2)
  • Planned population: 252,000 persons
  • Construction duration: 1994~2020

Yeongjong Island [edit ]

As of 2012, Yeongjong International City ‘s 34,183 acres ( 13,833 hour angle ) centering on the Incheon International Airport is being developed as an eco-friendly airport city scheduled to be completed by 2020. Paradise Co, a confederacy korean casino operator, said in October 2013 that it will build the area ‘s largest casino on Yeongjong Island. [ 27 ]

Cheongna [edit ]

The Cheongna zone, on the mainland adjacent Yeongjong Island, will focus on entertainment and will feature a world class theme ballpark. It will besides be a residential area with sports facilities, a flower gardening complex, and a clientele area specially designed for international finance .

  • Development Size: 4,394 acres (1,778 ha)
  • Planned population: 90,000 persons
  • Duration: 2004~2008

administrative divisions [edit ]

administrative divisions Incheon is divided into 8 districts ( gu ) and 2 counties ( gun ) .

Demographics [edit ]

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1950 258,000 —    
1960 394,000 +4.32%
1970 627,000 +4.76%
1980 1,062,000 +5.41%
1990 1,785,000 +5.33%
2000 2,371,000 +2.88%
2010 2,559,000 +0.77%
2019 2,938,457 +1.55%
source:[28]

According to the 2015 census, 32.6 % of the population follow Christianity ( 23.1 % Protestantism and 9.5 % Catholicism ) and 8.7 % follow Buddhism. 57.9 % of the population is irreligious. 0.8 % of the population follow other religions including Islam, Muism, and Confucianism. [ 29 ]

Sports [edit ]

Incheon is home to the following master and semitrailer master sports teams : Association football: The K League 1 team Incheon United FC.
The Incheon team was known to have a popular competition against early Bucheon SK ( now Jeju United ), ascribable to the teams ‘ close geographic relationship. The K4 League team FC Namdong is based in the Namdong District of Incheon. The WK League team is named Hyundai Steel Red Angels. Baseball: The KBO League team SSG Landers.
The beginning Incheon-based pro-baseball team was Sammi ( one of the major steel companies in the 1980s ) Superstars. Basketball: The WKBL team Incheon Shinhan Bank S-Birds is based in Incheon. Between 1997 and 2021, Incheon hosted the KBL team Incheon Electroland Elephants. Volleyball: The V-League teams are inchon Korean Air Jumbos ( men ‘s ) and Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders ( women ‘s ). Munhak Sports Complex: The Munhak Sports Complex houses both a football stadium and a baseball stadium. The football stadium was Incheon ‘s venue for the 2002 Football World Cup, and is besides the home venue for Incheon United. The baseball stadium is the home venue for the SSG Landers. In April 2007, Incheon was selected as the host city for the 2014 asian Games, beating out New Delhi. [ 30 ] Yeonhui Cricket Ground: Yeonhui Cricket Ground is a purpose-built cricket stadium in Incheon build for cricket events at the 2014 asian Games. The 2014 asian Games featured cricket for both the men ‘s and the women ‘s event and this ground was used for the schedule cricket matches played at the games. It is the first cricket stadium in South Korea. [ 31 ] [ 32 ] Incheon Football Stadium (Sungui Arena): Incheon Football Stadium is the first football-only stadium in Incheon. It was built in 2012 with a capacity for 20,891 spectators .

Points of matter to [edit ]

A number of Korea ‘s western islands, including Ganghwa Island, Yeongjong Island, and Baengnyeong Island are besides administered by Incheon. Baengnyeong Island is South Korea ‘s westernmost point .

noteworthy people [edit ]

International relations [edit ]

Incheon is twinned with : [ 33 ]

See besides [edit ]

References [edit ]