Located 28km from Seoul Capital (the Republic of Korea), with a population of about 2.8 million, modern and connected infrastructure, Incheon is an industrial port city and also the third biggest city in Korea, owning one of the best airports in the world.
Regarding administrative management, Incheon currently has 10 administrative districts including Jung, Dong, Michuhol, Yeonsu, Namdong, Bupyeong, Gyeyang, Seo, Ganghwa, and Ongjin. In present, Mr. Yoo Jeong-bok has held the position of Mayor of Incheon Metropolitan City, since July 01, 2022 when he was elected and took office.
Many projects on urban infrastructure development and tackling urban challenges carried out in the past and present have helped Incheon thrive as an international city. Also, enhancing investment in foreign affairs field, which is to expand relations and cooperation with big cities in the world, paying attention to developing qualified human resources in foreign affairs field, and joining in the common playground of the region and the world. Incheon established relations in frame of sister-city, friendship and cooperation with more than 20 cities of developed and developing countries across the world, such as Anchorage, Burbank, Honolulu, Philadelphia of the United States; Chongqing, Shenyang, Yangcheng of China, Kitakyushu, Kobe of Japan, Hai Phong, Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg of Russia, etc.
Established in August 2003 and planned for development in an area of 123,65km2, Incheon Free Economic Zone was designed and developed with 03 main cores – Songdo (focusing on techs), Yeongiong (logistics and tourism), Chengna (finance, tourism, entertainment, and leading industries), and developing districts including Yeonsu (Songdo international city), Jung (Yeongjong international city), Seo (Cheongna international city) of Incheon Metropolitan City.
Currently, many big groups in Korea and reputed companies in the world have invested, doing business in Incheon, some names include Samsung Biologics, Boeing, BMW, GM, LG Electronics, Celltrion, etc. Up to now, Incheon has 17 industrial complexes including 03 national industrial complexes, 08 local industrial complexes, and under-construction 06 industrial complexes.
2. Promoting Hai Phong – Incheon friendship towards 30th anniversary of Vietnam – Korea diplomatic relation establishment
Since 1997, when Incheon and Haiphong signed in the Memorandum of Understanding on friendship relation, the both cities’ friendship and cooperation have gained achievements in terms of healthcare, education – training, cultural exchange, high-profile delegation exchanges. It may be said that the both cities’ cooperative relation has been built and grown on the grounds of sharing cultural similarities between Vietnam and Korea.
In terms of culture, Hai Phong and Incheon have actively implemented many exchange programs to enhance mutual understanding, such as Hai Phong’s art troupe attending Asian Dance Festival organized in Incheon Opera House and in Incheon Citizenship Day Anniversary; Hai Phong Water Puppet Performance Group joining Incheon Global Expo in 2009; Incheon and Seoul’s art troupe performing at Hai Phong in occasion of annual Red Flamboyant Festival; Korean Language Contests have been held annually since 2016 to encourage local people to learn Korean language, Korean culture, and contribute Korean-speaking workforce to Korean enterprises in the city’s area.
In terms of education, Incheon has implemented programs to support the training of human resources of Hai Phong City through short courses in the fields of public administration, wastewater and urban solid treatment and management, etc. in Incheon, cooperative programs among universities of both sides, and technical cooperation programs in the healthcare field.
Regarding healthcare, the two cities operated meaningful activities, including Incheon’s support in humane heart surgery to children of poor families in the city’s area; in 2013, Eulji Hospital’s delegation visiting, doing medical examination and treatment, and giving free medicines to more than 1.000 inhabitants at Duong Kinh and An Lao districts of Hai Phong City; in 2014, Gumi Kangdong Hospital’s crew working and sharing experiment and cooperating with Hai Phong in health care technical development, particularly treatment to diseases related to bone, spinal cord injury, patients care, competence upgradation, and cooperation with Hai Phong International General Hospital; in 2019, working group including representatives of big hospitals in Incheon taking business trip to Hai Phong City and communicating cooperation opportunities in health care between the two cities.
In 2022, celebrating the 30th of the establishment of Vietnam – Korea Diplomatic Relation (22/12/1992 – 22/12/2022), Hai Phong and Incheon have been actively collaborated to implement cooperation programs such as online exchange program for teachers of junior and high schools, short courses for officers and civil servants of Hai Phong city on urban management, delegations exchange, etc. In particular, the official business trip led by Hai Phong City’s leader to Incheon in August will contribute to promoting the cooperation between the two cities to develop more and more effectively.