Incheon Songdo Waterfront Phase 1-2 Construction Kicks Off... Northern Waterway and Waterside Space Development

Completion Scheduled for 2027
Plans in Place for Creating a Waterfront City

Construction of phases 1 and 2 of the waterfront, connecting the retention basins and waterways in Incheon Songdo International City in a 'ㅁ' shape, will be actively promoted.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced on the 5th that it will carry out the construction of Songdo Waterfront phases 1 and 2 (9.53 km) with a target completion date of February 2027.

The core of the waterfront phases 1 and 2 project, with a budget of 252.2 billion KRW, is to build the northern waterway and waterside park connecting the artificial lake in District 6 and the Aam retention basin. Around the artificial lake in District 6 and the northern connecting waterway, a waterfront space equipped with walking trails, observatories, fountains, and sculptures will be created.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority began dredging work the day before by deploying a large dredging pump vessel with 5,000 horsepower in the District 6 lake of Songdo. Once dredging is completed by August, a water depth of 2.5 meters will be secured, allowing boats and yachts to navigate the waterfront waterways.

With the completion of negotiations related to the construction of detour roads for bridge installation on Incheon Tower-daero and Central-ro, as well as the relocation of obstacles such as power lines and communication cables, relocation work will begin this month, and the detour roads are expected to be completed within the first half of the year. Additionally, consultations with related agencies have been completed for the construction of the northern connecting waterway, the creation of the waterside road around the District 6 lake, and the installation of the North 1 sluice gate, accelerating progress.

Perspective view of Songdo Waterfront Phases 1-2. Provided by Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority

Songdo Waterfront, aimed at improving water quality, ensuring flood safety, and creating waterfront spaces, is being developed in phases 1 and 2 with a total length of 21.17 km and a width ranging from 40 to 500 meters. A total budget of 621.5 billion KRW will be invested by 2027. The phase 1-1 project, connecting the District 6 lake and the sea, was completed in July 2022, and the phase 2 project, connecting the southern waterway, is currently undergoing administrative procedures.

Once the waterfront is completed, 2.4 million tons of seawater will flow into the waterways daily, circulating to maintain water quality equivalent to grade 2 to 3, similar to the waters off Incheon. Moreover, it will secure about 10 million tons of freshwater capacity to withstand 100-year frequency rainfall events, providing disaster prevention capabilities even during heavy rainfalls.

An official from the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority stated, "Once the waterfront project is completed, Songdo International City will be reborn as a marine ecological city where nature and people coexist," adding, "We are exploring ways to create a waterfront cultural tourism city that matches the status of an international city by utilizing waterside spaces and introducing water leisure and ship navigation facilities."