[Daehan Ilbo = Reporter Jang Hyun-il] Incheon City announced on the 16th that they plan to promote the ‘Incheon Island Integrated Design Development and Pilot Project’ to showcase the value of the beautiful islands of Incheon.
The city, having been selected as an excellent project in the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s regional specialization policy project in 2023, will proceed with the project with a total budget of 1 billion won (50% from national funds).
The main goal is to restructure the 168 islands within Incheon into ‘one integrated local hub’ rather than viewing them as individual spaces.
Through this, the islands of Incheon will be transformed from ‘isolated islands’ to ‘interconnected islands,’ with enhanced inter-island connectivity, discovery of unique island brands, and establishment of a sustainable design management system.
Notably, this project includes not only improving the design of individual facilities but also landscape improvements reflecting regional characteristics and resident needs, development of an integrated island brand, and production of promotional content for Incheon Islands.
The pilot project will first be implemented in Deokjeokdo, with visits to Ongjin-gun’s Deokjeokdo, Mungapdo, Gulupdo, Soyado, Baekado, Uldo, and Seonmido on the 16th and 17th to inspect the situation of localized island projects.
The inspection will include high-ranking officials such as the Deputy Mayor of Global City Affairs, the Head of the Creative City Support Division, and the Island Marine Policy Manager, along with related organizations such as Ongjin-gun and the Incheon Tourism Organization, to comprehensively review local conditions and the effectiveness of the project in Deokjeokdo and Gulupdo.
The city plans to form a TF team for practical cooperation with relevant island agencies and departments with Ongjin-gun Office and Ganghwa-gun Office following this inspection.
Additionally, the city intends to raise the project’s completion level by hosting citizens’ idea contests, conducting citizen perception surveys, and holding expert forums.
Hwang Hyo-jin, the Deputy Mayor of Global City Affairs, stated, “The goal of this project is to develop integrated designs that preserve the unique environment and culture of Incheon’s islands, while simultaneously making them competitive for both island residents and visitors,” and added, “We will ensure the project is successfully carried out through close cooperation with regions such as Ganghwa and Ongjin-gun.”