Incheon City Announces '10 Million City' Vision Aligned with the Launch of the Overseas Koreans Cheong

Setting Four Major Goals Including Establishing Overseas Korean Hub Cities
New Dedicated National-Level Organization to Be Established in the City in the Second Half of This Year

Incheon City has launched the 10-million city project to leap beyond South Korea and become a world-class city, coinciding with the establishment of the Ministry of Overseas Koreans.

On the 5th, the city held the 'Ministry of Overseas Koreans Launch Commemoration Event' at the UN Plaza in Songdo Central Park and proclaimed the '10-million City Incheon Vision,' uniting Incheon, a city of 3 million people, with 7.5 million overseas Koreans.

This project is a comprehensive strategy for Incheon, home to the Ministry of Overseas Koreans, to become the center of the 7.5 million Korean network worldwide and leap into a world-class city, similar to Israel created by the global Jewish network and Hong Kong and Singapore, where global video networks have become growth engines.

The city has set four major goals for the 10-million city project: ▲ Establishing a hub city for overseas Koreans ▲ Fostering a Hansang business hub ▲ Developing a global Korean network ▲ Creating value for the diaspora (overseas settled Koreans).

First, a 'Welcome Center,' a one-stop service support institution for overseas Koreans, will be established, and additional residential complexes exclusively for overseas Koreans will be created following the Songdo American Town.

Additionally, the city plans to support consumption activities in Incheon such as exclusive medical services and tourism programs for overseas Koreans, and promptly expand public transportation leading to the Ministry of Overseas Koreans to improve accessibility for overseas Koreans.

The city will also actively create a business-friendly environment for overseas Koreans to attract investment.

To this end, a Hansang Business Center will be established to provide customized support for overseas Koreans' investment and economic activities, and efforts will be made to attract Korean associations' headquarters, including the construction of Korean community centers, to make Incheon a base for Korean organizations' activities.

Major overseas Korean events, such as the World Korean Association Presidents' Conference held in Songdo last year, will be continuously hosted in Incheon to build networks with Korean businesspeople and foster the Hansang business hub.

Banner for the Successful Incheon Hosting of the Overseas Koreans Office [Image source=Yonhap News]

The city also plans to secure a private economic and diplomatic delegation of overseas Koreans connecting Incheon with the world.

Overseas Koreans active in various fields worldwide will be appointed as advisors to Incheon City, and sister and friendship cities will be expanded to strengthen networks with overseas Koreans. Future networks will also be built by inviting next-generation Koreans, such as children of overseas Koreans, and supporting their studies and employment.

Along with this, Incheon City envisions creating a diaspora value-creating city characterized by openness, inclusiveness, and diversity.

The city will promote the diaspora city brand by expanding the Korea Immigration History Museum, the nation's first immigration history museum, activate cultural events themed on overseas Koreans such as the Diaspora Film Festival, and support diaspora research activities including academic events and forums related to overseas Koreans.

To successfully promote the 10-million city project, the city plans to establish a dedicated bureau-level organization in the second half of this year and pursue the enactment of the first-ever ordinance supporting overseas Koreans nationwide.

Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok of Incheon said, "It is deeply moving that 121 years after the first official immigrants from our country departed from Jemulpo Port in Incheon to Hawaii in 1902, the Ministry of Overseas Koreans has opened in Incheon," emphasizing, "We will leap into a world-class city together with 3 million Incheon citizens and 7.5 million overseas Koreans."