"Peace of Mind Even During Weather Cancellations"... Exclusive Accommodation for Ongjin County Residents Opens at Incheon Port

On September 5, the "Ongjin County Residents' House," an accommodation exclusively for island residents, opened near the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal.

The Ongjin County Residents' House provides a place for county residents to stay or rest when they are unable to return home due to frequent ferry cancellations caused by adverse weather conditions.

Ongjin County in Incheon purchased and remodeled an existing building with a total investment of 4.3 billion won, including 2 billion won from the city and 2.3 billion won from the county. The facility consists of one basement floor and six above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 1,158 square meters and 28 guest rooms. The nightly rate for an ondol room or a bed room is 25,000 won (for two people), while the shared dormitory costs 15,000 won per person.

The Ongjin County Residents' House also features a conference room, a waiting area for residents, cold and frozen storage, and a rooftop rest area. The maximum capacity is 96 people. The facility will be operated by a private contractor and is available exclusively to Ongjin County residents.

Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal. Photo by Yonhap News

According to Incheon City, as of August 1, Ongjin County has a total population of 19,718, of which approximately 12,000 people-about 60%-travel to and from the islands via the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal. However, with an average annual ferry cancellation rate of 22%, county residents have faced ongoing inconvenience, often having to stay on the mainland. From 2020 to 2024, the Incheon-Baengnyeongdo route experienced an average of 81 cancellation days per year.

An official from Incheon City stated, "With the opening of the Ongjin County Residents' House, residents of the five islands in the West Sea can now enjoy stable accommodation and rest even when ferry services are canceled. We will continue to expand our support to improve the living conditions for Ongjin County residents."