On the 20th, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon announced that it will deliver a petition with 71,153 signatures supporting the establishment of the Overseas Koreans Office in Incheon to the Incheon city government.
Following the passage of the bill to establish the Overseas Koreans Office in the National Assembly, Yeonsu-gu declared its support for Incheon’s bid to host the office on the 7th, and launched an online and offline signature campaign that lasted about 10 days.
The online signature campaign was conducted through the Yeonsu-gu website and mobile platforms, while the offline campaign was carried out by visiting residents directly at each neighborhood administrative welfare center and social organizations.
Lee Jae-ho, Mayor of Yeonsu District, Incheon (center), is taking a commemorative photo before delivering a petition signed by residents wishing for the Overseas Koreans Office to be located in Incheon. [Photo by Yeonsu District, Incheon]
Incheon is gaining attention as the optimal location for the Overseas Koreans Office, not only due to its historical significance and accessibility but also because of its foundation as an international city.
In particular, areas like Songdo International City, which actively provide administrative support for historical and cultural environments and meet the settlement conditions for overseas Koreans, have led to a series of support declarations from various overseas Korean organizations backing Incheon’s bid.
Since the government announced the establishment of the Overseas Koreans Office in October last year, Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok of Incheon has traveled to France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and Hawaii to garner support from overseas Koreans for Incheon’s bid.
Lee Jae-ho, head of Yeonsu-gu, said, "It seems that the residents of Yeonsu-gu have formed a consensus on the voluntary signature campaign based on pride that Incheon is a vibrant city guaranteed for the future, with excellent investment conditions, Songdo American Town, and the Global Campus."
He added, "It has been about 120 years since the first immigrants left as overseas Koreans, and now Incheon must host the Overseas Koreans Office to respectfully welcome them back."
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