Inchon

 

or Inchon (ĭn'chän, Korean ēnchən) , city (1995 pop. 2,307,618), Gyeonggi (Kyonggi) prov., NW South Korea, on the Yellow Sea. The country's second largest port, Incheon has an ice-free harbor (protected by a tidal basin) and is the port and commercial center for Seoul. Incheon's economy is heavily dependent on shipping and the transshipment of goods. Incheon is one of South Korea's major industrial centers: iron, steel, coke, light metals, plate-glass, textiles, chemicals, and lumber are among its manufactures. Fishing is also an important industry. Large salt fields have been developed in the tidal flats off Incheon. Increasing urbanization and subway and expressway links with Seoul have made Incheon and Seoul into one large urban region, and the city is the site of a new international airport (2001) serving the area. The city was opened to foreign trade in 1883. It was called Jinsen by the Japanese, who ruled Korea from 1905 to 1945. During the Korean War, U.S. troops landed at Incheon (Sept. 15, 1950) to relieve pressure on the Busan (Pusan) perimeter and to launch the subsequent UN drive northward. Incheon has several universities, including Inha Univ. The city was formerly called Chemulpo.

Incheon Metropolitan City
Port of Incheon.
Korean name
Hangul 인천광역시 Hanja 仁川廣域市 Revised Romanization Incheon Gwang-yeoksi McCune-Reischauer Inch'ŏn Kwang'yŏkshi
Short name
Hangul 인천 Revised Romanization Incheon McCune-Reischauer Inch'ŏn
Statistics
Area  km² ( sq mi) Population (2005 est.)  [1] Population density /km² (/sq mi) Government Metropolitan City Mayor Ahn Sang-soo Administrative divisions 8 wards (Gu), 2 counties (Gun) Region Sudogwon Dialect Seoul
Location map
Map of South Korea highlighting the city.

Incheon is a metropolitan city and a major seaport on the west coast of South Korea, near Seoul. Its geographical location is 37°29′N, 126°38′E.

Human settlement at the location goes back to the Neolithic. In modern times Incheon became important because its location on an estuary made it a good harbor; when the port was founded in 1883, the city, then called Chemulpo (hangul: 제물포, hanja: 濟物浦, revised: Jemulpo), had a population of only 4,700. Incheon is now home to almost 2.5 million people, and is also under the control of one of the two free economic zone authorities in Korea, aimed at attracting foreign investment; the city aims to turn itself into a financial and corporate hub along with the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority.

The city boundaries include an area of 964.53 km², of which 21 percent is rice paddies and another 44 percent is forested.

Incheon is regarded as part of the greater Seoul metropolitan area due to its close proximity to the capital, and the fact that the Seoul Metropolitan Subway and the Incheon Subway systems are linked. Incheon is, however, a major city in its own right and is a separate jurisdiction from Seoul.

History

The first historical record of the Incheon area dates back to 475 A.D. during the reign of King Jangsu of Goguryeo by the name of Michuhol. The area underwent several name changes with successive kingdoms and dynasties. The current name was established in 1413 A.D. during the reign of King Taejong of Joseon. The name Jemulpo was not widely used until the opening of the port in 1883. [1] [2]

The city was the site of a Japanese POW camp during World War II.

On September 15, 1950, during the Korean War, Incheon was the site of the Battle of Inchon, when United States troops landed to relieve pressure on the Pusan Perimeter and to launch a United Nations offensive northward. The USS Inchon (MCS-12) was named after the tide-turning battle that ensued.

Incheon was originally part of Gyeonggi Province, but was granted Metropolitan City status on July 1, 1981.

Education

On February 27, 2007, Incheon declared itself an "English City," and inaugurated the "Incheon Free English Zone" program. The goal of the program is to make Incheon as much an English speaking city as Hong Kong and Singapore are. This is for the ultimate purpose of establishing Incheon as a commercial and business hub of northeast Asia (see Free Economic Zone below). The official slogan of the program is "Smile with English."

Higher education

Incheon is home to several colleges and universities:

• Gachon Medical School
• Gachongil College
• Gyeongin National University of Education [3]
• Gyeongin Women's College [4]
• Inha Technical College [5]
• Inha University
• Incheon Catholic University
• Incheon City College [6]
• University of Incheon

See also: Category:Universities and colleges in Incheon

Sports

The city is home to K-League soccer team Incheon United, the KBL basketball team Inchon ET Land Blackslamers, and KBO baseball team SK Wyverns. Incheon was also one of the venues for the 2002 Football World Cup.

On April 19, 2007, Incheon was selected as the host city for the 2014 Asian Games, beating out New Delhi. ^[2]

Munhak Sports Complex is the location of the baseball stadium and soccer stadium of their respective pro teams.

Transportation

Incheon is a major domestic and international transportation hub for Korea.

Air

Incheon International Airport, a regional air hub, is South Korea's primary international airport.
There was a total of 160,843 flights (157,134 international, 3,709 domestic) to and from Incheon International Airport in 2005, an average of 441 flights (431 international, 10 domestic) daily. 59.7% of the flights were serviced by Korea’s two national carriers, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, with foreign carriers servicing the remaining 40.3%. A breakdown by destination is as follows : China 45,125 flights, 28.1% of total, Japan 32,352, 20.1%, Southeast Asia 30,567, 19%, Americas 27,916, 17.4%, Europe 11,082, 6.9%, Domestic 3,709, 2.3%, Oceania 2,811, 1.7%, others 7,281, 4.5%.

Sea

Incheon Sea Port is second largest in Korea after Pusan Sea port.
The International Passenger Terminal located at the port offers ferries to four cities in China: Dalian, Qingdao, Tianjin, and Weihai. There are also ferries to Incheon's outlying islands as well as Jeju Island and Baekryung Island.

Buses

Incheon Bus Terminal, located at its eponymous subway stop, offers express bus transportation to all parts of Korea. Many city bus lines offer transportation within city limits as well as to the neighboring cities of Bucheon, Gimpo and Siheung.
Many BRT lines offer transportation between Seoul and Incheon.

Train

Train service to Seoul Station is offered by Seoul's subway Line 1. The line has 11 stations within Incheon and connects to the Incheon Subway at Bupyeong station.
Rapid trains to Yongsan Station in Seoul depart from Dong Incheon station, but stop at only the major stations.
Airport Rail was opened for traffice between Gimpo Airport and Incheon International Airport in March 2007. The line has 6 stations on 40.3 km of track and is operated by Airport Railroad Corporation. It connects to the Incheon Subway at Geyang station and Seoul Metropolitan Subway at Gimpo Airport station. It will be extended to Seoul station by the end of 2009. The extended line has 4 stations on 20.7 km.

Subway

Main article: Incheon Subway

The Incheon Subway is a single subway line serving the South Korean city of Incheon. It connects to the Seoul Metropolitan Subway system at Bupyeong station. The line has 22 stations on 24.6 km of track. The Incheon subway is operated by the Incheon Rapid Transit Corporation(IRTC).
Three more lines are planned.
First, IRTC has plan to construct Subway Line 2, will be from Oryu to Incheon Grand Park. But, It is not decided the detailed route.
Second, Korail is construting a new subway line from Incheon staion to Suwon station by 2013. It has 10 stations within Incheon.
Third, SMRT, which is one of several operating companies of Seoul Metropolitan Subway, has plan to extend Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 7 to Bupyeong-gu office by 2010 and connect the Incheon Subway system at Bupyeong-gu office station. It has 3 stations within Incheon including Bupyeong-gu office station.

Free Economic Zone

Designated by the Finance Ministry of Korea in 2003, FEZ comprise an essential part of the government`s plans to transform the country into a financial and logistics hub of Northeast Asia.
Incheon is home to the Incheon Free Economic Zone. Based on Professor Jack Kasarda's concept of the aerotropolis, a city built around a major airport, the zone, now under construction, aspires to play a central role in Northeast Asian trade.
Incheon Free Ecomonomic Zone is divided into 3 areas such Songdo, Cheongna and Yeongjong.

Administrative divisions

Incheon is divided into 8 wards ("gu") and 2 counties ("gun").

• Bupyeong-gu (부평구; 富平區)
• Dong-gu (동구; 東區)
• Gyeyang-gu (계양구; 桂陽區)
• Jung-gu (중구; 中區)
• Nam-gu (남구; 南區)
• Namdong-gu (남동구; 南洞區)
• Seo-gu (서구; 西區)
• Yeonsu-gu (연수구; 延壽區)
• Ganghwa-gun (강화군; 江華郡)
• Ongjin-gun (옹진군; 甕津郡)

Points of interest

Bupyeong Station is where the Seoul Subway Line 1 and Incheon subway line intersect. There is a large under ground shopping center there mostly selling trendy women's clothing and cell phones. Above ground, there are many restaurants, additional shops, and a Lotte Mart.

A number of Korea's western islands, including Ganghwa Island, Yeongjong Island, and Baengnyeong Island are also administered by Incheon. Baengnyeong Island is South Korea's westernmost point.

Jayu (Freedom) Park- The statue of General MacArthur as well as a memorial to the centennial anniversary of U.S. and Korea relations is located within.

Korea's only official Chinatown is located in Incheon, nearby Jayu Park. [7]

Wolmido- Location of Green Beach, one of the landing sites for MacArthur's invasion force. It is now a local tourist attraction with a boardwalk, an amusement park and many raw fish restaurants.

Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall- A plaza and small museum dedicated to the Landing. Weapons and artifacts from the war and operation are displayed.

People from Incheon

• Myung Jae Nam

Sister cities

• - Dalian, China
• - Tianjin, China
• - Tel Aviv, Israel
• - Kitakyushu, Japan
• - Anchorage, Alaska, United States
• - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
• - Burbank, California, United States
• - Honolulu, Hawaii,United States

See also

• List of Korea-related topics
• List of cities in South Korea
• Battle of Chemulpo Bay
• Battle of Incheon
• Inchon (film)
• Incheon Chinatown

References

External links

• Incheon Metropolitan City government website
• Incheon Free Economic Zone(IFEZ) Official Homepage
• Incheon travel guide from Wikitravel
• Incheon on the Galbijim Wiki
• Incheon at the Open Directory Project
• Amateur Incheon Guide

Incheon
Wards (Gu)	Bupyeong-gu · Dong-gu · Gyeyang-gu · Jung-gu · Namdong-gu · Seo-gu · Nam-gu · Yeonsu-gu ·
County	Ganghwa · Ongjin

Regions and administrative divisions of South Korea
Regions	Capital area · Gwandong (Yeongdong · Yeongseo) · Hoseo · Honam (Jeju) · Yeongnam
Provinces	Chungbuk · Chungnam · Gangwon · Gyeonggi · Gyeongbuk · Gyeongnam · Jeonbuk · Jeonnam
Autonomous province	Jeju
Special city	Seoul
Metropolitan cities	Busan · Daegu · Daejeon · Gwangju · Incheon · Ulsan

zh-classical:仁川

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