Incheon City Targets 6.5 Trillion Won in National Budget for Next Year... 53 Pending Issues Including Line 7 Cheongna Extension

Incheon City has launched full-scale efforts to secure national funds worth around 6.5 trillion won for next year.

On the 20th, the city held a 2026 national fund securing briefing session co-chaired by Deputy Mayor Ha Byung-pil and Global City Political Affairs Deputy Mayor Hwang Hyo-jin. Despite the government's sound fiscal management policy, the city set a goal to secure more than 6.5 trillion won in national funds, an increase of 310 billion won compared to last year's target. This includes 5.6 trillion won in national subsidy projects and 900 billion won in general grants.

The city plans to secure 1.0363 trillion won in national funds for 53 major pending projects. Key projects include the extension of Seoul Subway Line 7 to Cheongna International City (160.5 billion won), Incheon-origin KTX (50 billion won), the Seoul Metropolitan Area Express Railway (GTX)-B line (282.6 billion won), and the construction of an underground road at the entrance to Incheon New Port (7.4 billion won).

Additionally, there are 26 new projects planned for 2026 with a target amount of 240.9 billion won. These include the creation of a cultural industrial complex, half-price delivery service for small business owners, support for victims of North Korean noise broadcasts, and equipment support for regional cancer centers.

Incheon City Hall

As the government’s supplementary budget formation for this year becomes visible, the city plans to make every effort to secure an additional 15 projects worth 62.8 billion won in national funds. Projects requiring national funds in this year’s supplementary budget include the Incheon Landing Operation Commemoration Week event (1.7 billion won), infrastructure improvements for the 2025 APEC international conference (1.6 billion won), fuel support for hydrogen bus empty runs (1.2 billion won), and the extension and underground construction of the Gyeongin Expressway (1 billion won).

The city plans to hold monthly national fund briefing sessions until the application deadline at the end of April to discover additional new projects, supplement national fund securing strategies, and check the progress of ongoing projects.

Deputy Mayor Ha said, "We will do our best to secure the supplementary budget for this year and the national funds for next year by strengthening cooperation with central government ministries and local members of the National Assembly."