Incheon is a city located in northwestern

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

, bordering

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

and

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

to the east. Inhabited since the

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

, Incheon was home to just 4,700 people when it became an international port in 1883. As of February 2020, about 3 million people live in the city, making it South Korea's third-most-populous city after

and

Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...

. The city's growth has been assured in modern times with the development of its port due to its natural advantages as a coastal city and its proximity to the South Korean capital. It is part of the

Seoul Metropolitan Area The Seoul Metropolitan Area (Sudogwon; , ) or Gyeonggi (region), Gyeonggi region (), is the metropolitan area of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, located in north-western South Korea. Its population of 26 million (as of 2024) is ranked ...

, along with Seoul itself and

, forming the world's fourth-largest metropolitan area by population. Incheon has since led the economic development of South Korea by opening its port to the outside world, ushering in the modernization of South Korea as a center of industrialization. In 2003, the city was designated as South Korea's first free economic zone. Since then, large local companies and global enterprises have increasingly invested in the Incheon Free Economic Zone, including

Samsung Samsung Group (; stylised as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean Multinational corporation, multinational manufacturing Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in the Samsung Town office complex in Seoul. The group consists of numerous a ...

which chose Songdo International City as its new investment destination for its bio industry. As an international city, Incheon has held numerous large-scale international conferences, such as the Incheon Global Fair & Festival in 2009. The 17th Asian Games Incheon 2014 was also held in Incheon on 19 September 2014. Incheon is also a major transportation hub in northeast Asia, with

Incheon International Airport Incheon International Airport is the main international airport serving Seoul, the capital of South Korea. It is also one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. This airport opened for business on 29 March 2001, to replace the old ...

and Incheon Port. The large volume of port traffic makes Incheon a Large-Port Metropolis using the Southampton System of Port-City classification.

History

The first historical record of the Incheon area dates back to 475 AD, during the reign of King Jangsu of

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...

, by the name of Michuhol, which is supposed to be located on modern Munhak Hill (). The area underwent several name changes with successive kingdoms and dynasties. In

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

era, Incheon was called Gyeongwon () or Inju (). The current name was turned to Incheon in 1413. Later, Incheon County became Incheon Metropolitan Prefecture (dohobu, ). Old Incheon consisted of modern southern Incheon (i.e. Jung-gu, Dong-gu, Nam-gu, Yeonsu District, and Namdong District) and the northern part of Siheung. The city center was Gwangyo-dong, where the prefecture office () and the local academy (hyanggyo, ) were located. The "original" two remaining buildings of the Incheon prefecture office are located in Munhak Elementary School, while the newly built (in 2001) prefecture office buildings are right across from Munhak Baseball Stadium.

Modern history

Another historical name of the city, Jemulpo (alternatively Romanized as Chemulpo), was not widely used until the opening of the port in 1883. It was frequently used until the Japanese annexation. After the opening of the Incheon port, the city center moved from Gwangyo to Jemulpo. Today, either Jemulpo or Gwangyo-dong is considered "Original Incheon" (). It was internationally known as Jinsen during Japanese rule, based on the Japanese pronunciation of Incheon's Sino-Korean name. In 1914, the Japanese colonial government merged outer parts of old Incheon (including the former center of Gwangyo) with Bupyeong County, forming

Bucheon Bucheon (; ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Bucheon is located away from Seoul, of which it is a satellite city. It is located between Incheon and Seoul. Bucheon is the second most densely populated city in South Korea after Seo ...

County. Between 1936 and 1940, some part of Bucheon County was recombined into Incheon, by which some part of "old" Bupyeong was annexed into Incheon. Incheon was originally part of

, but was granted ''Directly Governed'' (now Metropolitan) City status on 1 July 1981; the city officially separated from the province. In 1989, neighboring islands and Gyeyang township of Gimpo County were ceded to Incheon and in 1995 Geomdan township of Gimpo County and two counties of Ganghwa and Onjin were annexed to Incheon. Incheon was known as Inchon prior to South Korea's adoption of a new Romanization system in 2000. City attacked with tear gas 1987-05-10

Major events

The city was the site of the Battle of Chemulpo Bay, where the first shots of the

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...

were fired. During the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, Incheon was occupied by North Korean troops on 4 July 1950. Incheon was the site of the

Battle of Inchon The Battle of Inchon (), also called Inchon landing, was an Amphibious warfare, amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The opera ...

when the United States troops landed to relieve pressure on the Pusan Perimeter and to launch a United Nations offensive northward. The result was a decisive UN victory and it was recaptured on 19 September 1950. was named after the tide-turning battle that ensued. Prior to and during the June Democratic Movement in 1987, Incheon was the site of several pro-democracy protests. Incheon has also hosted a series of major international events. The Global Fair & Festival 2009 Incheon was held in the Songdo District in August 2009. It was open from 7 August to 25 October for a period of 80 days. It was a comprehensive international event with global institutions and corporations as participants. Various musicians and artists performed during the event. The city hosted a meeting of the G20 Finance Ministers in February 2010. Incheon was the site of the third Global Model United Nations Conference, held from 10 to 14 August 2011. It first hosted the

Incheon Women Artists' Biennale The Incheon Women Artists' Biennale, held in Incheon, South Korea, and inaugurated in 2004, subsequently had editions in 2007, 2009, and 2011 that focused on the work of contemporary art, contemporary Female artists, women artists. It is the first a ...

in 2004 which expanded into welcoming international artists in its subsequent 2007, 2009 and 2011. Incheon hosted the

Asian Games The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...

in 2014. It hosted the 6th

OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...

World Forum in 2018. Incheon was designated as the

World Book Capital The World Book Capital (WBC) is an initiative of UNESCO which recognises cities for promoting books and fostering reading for a year starting on April 23, World Book and Copyright Day. Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital carry out acti ...

for the year 2015 by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Education

On 27 February 2007, Incheon declared itself an "English City", and inaugurated the "Incheon Free English Zone" program. The goal of the program is to make the city as proficient in English as

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

. 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 a number of colleges and universities: *

George Mason University George Mason University (GMU) is a Public university, public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George Mason, a Founding Father ...

Korea Campus *

Ghent University Ghent University (, abbreviated as UGent) is a Public university, public research university located in Ghent, in the East Flanders province of Belgium. Located in Flanders, Ghent University is the second largest Belgian university, consisting o ...

Global Campus *

Gyeongin National University of Education Gyeongin National University of Education (GINUE) () is a teacher training institution for future public elementary school teachers in South Korea. It was founded on May 23, 1946 under the name of Gaeseong School of Education in Gyeonggi-do (). ...

Incheon campus *

Inha University Inha University () is a private research university located in Incheon, South Korea. Known traditionally for research and education in the engineering and physical sciences, the university was established by the first president of South Korea, S ...

(formerly Inha Institute of Technology) * Gachon University Medical·Ganghwa campus * Gyeongin Women's College * Inha Technical College *

Incheon Catholic University Incheon Catholic University () is a private university located in the Yeonsu District of Incheon, South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, ...

* Incheon City College * Incheon National University * Jaineung College *

University of Utah The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...

Asia Campus * SUNY South Korea * Anyang University Ganghwa campus *

Yonsei University Yonsei University () is a Private university, private Christian university, Christian research university located in Seoul, South Korea. Yonsei is one of the three most prestigious universities in the country, part of a group referred to as SK ...

International campus * Korea Polytechnics II * Seongsan Hyo University * Juan International University

Climate

Incheon has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Cwa'') using the isotherm, and

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

''Dwa'', respectively) using the isotherm. Like other metropolitan cities, Incheon has a strong

urban heat island Urban areas usually experience the urban heat island (UHI) effect; that is, they are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent when winds ar ...

effect. Incheon's climate is about average compared to the rest of Korea, with 8 locations being cooler and 10 locations being warmer, and with 9 locations being wetter and 9 locations being drier. Incheon experiences each of its four seasons, distinctly feeling the rise and fall of temperature and humidity. The temperature however, never rises to an extreme, and the climate of the city is essentially mild. Incheon is swept by the seasonal winds as the northwesterly winds strike the city in the winter and the summer in Incheon is affected by gusts of the warm southwesterly winds.

Economy

Incheon forms the heart of Capital Industrial Region. During the industrialization of South Korea, several industrial complexes were built throughout the city, and as a result, the city was largely dependent on manufacturing industry. But with the designation of Incheon Free Economic Zone in 2003, the city is now making an effort to foster new growth industries. Major industrial parks include Bupyeong industrial complex, which hosts GM Incheon plant(formerly a GM Daewoo Incheon plant), Juan industrial complex, and Namdong Industrial complex. In recent years, bio industry is emerging as a new growth industry of the city. Currently, with the total production capacity of 330kℓ per year, the city ranks 2nd in the world by production capacity along with

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

, United States. The capacity is under expansion, and after completion in 2018, the city will rank 1st with the production capacity of 510kℓ. Also, logistics industry is also experiencing a rapid growth, thanks to Incheon Airport, which was ranked fourth in the world by cargo traffic, and the expansion of Incheon Port.

Transportation

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

Air

is South Korea's primary international airport and a regional air hub. In 2015, it was the world's 22nd busiest airport by passenger traffic, with 49,412,750 passengers. There were a total of 305,446 flights (300,634 international, 4,812 domestic) to and from Incheon International Airport in 2015, an average of 837 flights (824 international, 13 domestic) daily. Korea's two main carriers,

Korean Air Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. (KAL; ) is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations, and international flights. It is owned by the Hanjin, Hanjin Group. The present-day Korean Air tra ...

and

Asiana Airlines Asiana Airlines Inc. ( ) is a South Korean airline headquartered in Seoul.Home
." Asiana Airlines. Retrieved 13 September 2 ...

, serviced 50.9% of flights, while low-cost and foreign carriers serviced the remaining 49.1% of flights. The airport is experiencing a rapid increase in passengers, and the opening of Terminal 2 in December 2017 spurred additional traffic. The airport was also featured in the Korean drama series, ''Air City''. Incheon International Airport ranked "5th in the world" among international airports in late 2018.

Sea

Incheon's sea port is the second largest port in Korea after Busan Port. The International Passenger Terminal located at the port offers

ferries A ferry is a boat or ship that transports passengers, and occasionally vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A small passenger ferry with multiple stops, like those in Venice, Italy, is sometimes referred to as a water taxi or water bus. ...

to five cities in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

Dalian Dalian ( ) is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China (after Shenyang ...

Qingdao Qingdao, Mandarin: , (Qingdao Mandarin: t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˩ tɒ˥) is a prefecture-level city in the eastern Shandong Province of China. Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, Qingdao was long an important fortress. In 1897, the city was ceded to G ...

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

Dandong Dandong ( zh, s=丹东 , t=丹東 , p=Dāndōng; lit. "Red East"), formerly known as Andong, is a coastal prefecture-level city in southeastern Liaoning province, in the northeastern region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest ...

, and

Weihai Weihai ( zh, t=, p=Wēihǎi), formerly Weihaiwei ( zh, s=, p=Wēihǎiwèi, l=Mighty Sea Fort, first=t), is a prefecture-level city and major seaport city in the easternmost Shandong province of China. It borders Yantai to the west and the Yellow ...

. There are also ferries to Incheon's outlying islands as well as Baengnyeongdo inside of the Northern Limit Line.

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

Gimpo Gimpo (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It borders Incheon, with which it shares the South Korean side of the Han River (Korea), Han River estuary, as well as Seoul and the lesser cities o ...

, and Siheung. File:인천공항T1 버스매표소 2024.jpg, Incheon Air Bus Terminal File:인천버스터미널.jpg, Bus Terminal File:Cheongna GRT Bi-modality tram stop at Cheongna International City Station.jpg, Cheongna GRT File:Incheon City Tour 1289.JPG, Incheon City Tour Bus File:Incheon City Bus No 30.JPG, Incheon City Bus No 30

Trains

Local service to Guro,

, Cheongnyangni,

Uijeongbu Uijeongbu (; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is the tenth-most populous city in the province and a suburb of Seoul within the greater Seoul Metropolitan Area. History Uijeongbu was estab ...

and Soyosan is offered by Seoul's subway Line 1. The line has 11 stations within Incheon and connects to the Incheon Subway at Bupyeong and Juan stations. Rapid service on the same line to Yongsan station in Seoul depart from Dongincheon station and stops at major stations. The Airport Express (

AREX AREX (Airport Railroad Express; ) is an airport rail link and commuter rail line in the Seoul Metropolitan Area of South Korea, linking Incheon International Airport and Gimpo International Airport with Seoul Station. The section between the ...

) line runs from

Seoul Station Seoul Station () is a major railway station in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The station is served by the Korail Intercity Lines and the commuter trains of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. Services KTX Seoul Station is the terminus of m ...

via

Gimpo International Airport Gimpo International Airport , sometimes referred to as Seoul–Gimpo International Airport but formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the Jung District, Seoul, cen ...

. The Incheon-Gimpo section was opened in March 2007 and was extended to Seoul station in December 2010. Passengers can choose a high-speed service stopping only at Incheon airport and Seoul, which takes 43 minutes but departs only every half-hour; or the all-station service which takes 53 minutes but leaves every six minutes. KTX service was introduced on the AREX line on 30 June 2014, with stops at Incheon International Airport station and Geomam station. There are additional plans to use the newly built Suin Line to bring KTX service to Incheon station by 2021.

Subway

The Incheon Subway has two subway lines serving the city. The first line connects to the

Seoul Metropolitan Subway The Seoul Metropolitan Subway () is a urban rail transit, metropolitan railway system consisting of 23 rapid transit, Medium-capacity rail transport system, light metro, commuter rail and people mover lines located in northwest South Korea. T ...

system at Bupyeong station (

Seoul Subway Line 1 Seoul Subway Line 1 (dubbed ''The Dark Blue Line'') of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is a rapid transit and commuter rail line which links central Seoul, South Korea to Yeoncheon station, Yeoncheon in the northeast, Incheon in the southwest, an ...

), and

line at Gyeyang station. It connects International Business District station in Songdo to Gyeyang station. The line has 28 stations on of track. The line also has transfer stations with the Suin Line at Woninjae station, with the Incheon Subway Line 2 at Incheon City Hall station, and with Seoul Subway Line 7 at Bupyeong-gu Office station. Incheon Subway Line 2 opened in July 2016 and runs from Geomdan Oryu station to Unyeon station. The automated line is long, and has 27 stations, including transfer stations at Geomam station with the

line, Juan station with

and Incheon Subway Line 2 at Incheon City Hall station. The Incheon subway is operated by the Incheon Rapid Transit Corporation (IRTC).

Korail The Korea Railroad Corporation () is the national railway operator in South Korea. It is branded as KORAIL () and changed its official Korean name () in November 2019. Currently, KORAIL is a public corporation, managed by Ministry of Land, ...

has also constructed a new commuter rail line named Suin Line. The line opened in 2012 from Oido station in Siheung to Songdo station in Incheon. It was then extended in 2016, and now reaches Incheon station where passengers can transfer to

. In 2020, the line was extended from Oido station to Suwon Station. SMRT (one of three operating companies of Seoul Metropolitan Subway) has extended Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 7 to Bupyeong-gu office by 2011 and provided transfers to the Incheon Subway system. It has 3 stations within Incheon. By 2020, the line will further be extended westwards to Seoknam station where it will be possible to transfer to Incheon Subway Line 2.

Free Economic Zone

The Incheon Free Economic Zone (''IFEZ'') comprises the regions of Songdo, Cheongna, and Yeongjong Island, covering a total area of 51,739 acres (20,938 hectares). IFEZ was established to develop these areas into centres for logistics, international business, leisure, and tourism, aimed primarily at the Northeast Asian region. The designation of "''Free Economic Zone''" refers to efforts to enhance the business environment for foreign enterprises and improve living conditions for expatriates. It was the first zone of its kind in South Korea, formally designated in August 2003. The region includes infrastructure for air and sea transportation, logistics, international business, financial services, and residential facilities, alongside educational, medical, and leisure amenities.

New Songdo City

Development of Songdo International City began in 1994 on

reclaimed land Land reclamation, often known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamatio ...

and has been intended as a centre for international business, trade, technology, and environmentally conscious urban living. Initially projected to be completed by 2020, some areas continue to be under development, with evolving projects and adjustments to the original master plan. Songdo houses various multinational companies and hosts several international institutions, including the

Green Climate Fund The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a Funding, fund for climate finance that was established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Considered the world's largest fund of its kind, GCF's objective ...

. The city is also recognised for its smart city technologies and eco-friendly design, featuring extensive green spaces, smart infrastructure, and advanced waste management systems. * Development area: * Planned population: 252,000 persons

Yeongjong Island

As of 2012, Yeongjong International City, centred around

, has been under development as an eco-friendly airport city. Originally scheduled for completion by 2020, certain projects are still ongoing as the area continues to evolve. The development aims to combine logistical facilities with residential, business, and tourism sectors, leveraging its proximity to the airport. * Development area:

Cheongna

Cheongna, located on the mainland near Yeongjong Island, is designed to focus on entertainment and leisure. It includes residential zones, sports facilities, and a business district catering to international finance. Although initially slated for completion by 2008, development timelines have since been extended, with some projects, such as the theme park, still in the planning or early construction stages. * Development Size: * Planned population: 90,000 persons File:Dwppp.png, Cheongna District File:South Korea, Incheon, Songdo, the Sharp Central Park Towers and Prugio Central Park Towers.jpg, Songdo International City File:Yeongjong Bridge2.jpg, Yeongjong Bridge

Administrative divisions

Incheon is divided into 8 districts (''gu'') and 2 counties (''gun''). * Bupyeong District () * Dong District () *

Gyeyang District Gyeyang District (, IPA: /kje.jaŋ.ɡu/) is a ward in Incheon, South Korea. History The first historical record of Gyeyang District goes back to the Goguryeo kingdom in 470 AD under the name of Jubuto-gun. It was renamed to Bupyeong-dohobu in 1 ...

() *

Jung District Jung District (), meaning "Central District", is the name of a ''gu'' (district) in several South Korean cities: *Jung District, Busan *Jung District, Daegu *Jung District, Daejeon *Jung District, Incheon *Jung District, Seoul *Jung District, Ulsan ...

() * Michuhol District () * Namdong District () * Seo District () *

Yeonsu District Yeonsu District () is a district in southern Incheon, South Korea. To the east is Namdong District (Namdong District), on its north border is Nam District (Nam District), and the Yellow Sea is on the west and south sides. Munhak Mountain (Munha ...

() *

Ganghwa County Ganghwa County () is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in Incheon, South Korea. The county is composed of Ganghwa Island and the minor islands around it. History Ganghwa County contains some of the most important historical sites ...

() * Ongjin County ()

Demographics

According to the 2015 census, 32.6% of the population follow

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(23.1%

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

and 9.5%

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

) and 8.7% follow

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

. 57.9% of the population is irreligious. 0.8% of the population follow other religions including

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

Muism Korean shamanism, also known as () is a religion from Korea. Religious studies, Scholars of religion classify it as a folk religion and sometimes regard it as one facet of a broader Korean vernacular religion distinct from Buddhism, Taoism, Dao ...

, and

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...

Sports

Incheon is home to the following professional and semi-professional sports teams: ;Association football The

K League 2 The K League 2 () is the men's second-highest division of the South Korean football league system. It is contested between thirteen professional clubs and operates on a promotion and relegation system with K League 1. History In 2011, the or ...

team

Incheon United FC Incheon United FC () is a South Korean professional association football, football club based in Incheon that competes in the K League 2, the second tier of South Korean football league system, South Korean football. Founded in 2003, the club is ...

was founded in 2003. The club was known to have a rivalry against former Bucheon SK (now Jeju SK FC) due to the teams' close geographical relationship. The K4 League team FC Namdong is based in the Namdong District of Incheon. The

WK League The WK League (Hangul: WK리그) is a semi-professional women's football league, run by the Korea Football Association (KFA) and the Korea Women's Football Federation (KWFF), which represents the sport's highest level in South Korea. Icheon D ...

women's team is called the Hyundai Steel Red Angels. ;Baseball The

KBO League The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most success ...

team SSG Landers. The first Incheon-based professional baseball team were Sammi Superstars. ;Basketball The WKBL team Incheon Shinhan Bank S-Birds is based in Incheon. Between 1997 and 2021, Incheon hosted the KBL team Incheon Electroland Elephants. ;Volleyball The V-League teams are

Incheon Korean Air Jumbos Incheon Korean Air Jumbos () is a South Korean professional volleyball team. The team was founded in 1969 and became fully professional in 2005. They are based in Incheon Incheon is a city located in northwestern South Korea, bordering Seou ...

(men's) and Incheon Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders (women's). ;Munhak Sports Complex The Munhak Sports Complex houses both a football stadium and a

baseball stadium A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into two field sections called the infield and the outfield. The infield is an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined in part ba ...

. The football stadium was Incheon's venue for the 2002 Football World Cup, and is also the home venue for Incheon United. The baseball stadium is the home venue for the SSG Landers. In April 2007, Incheon was selected as the host city for the 2014 Asian Games, beating out

New Delhi New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...

. ;Yeonhui Cricket Ground Yeonhui Cricket Ground is a purpose-built cricket stadium in Incheon built for cricket events at the 2014 Asian Games. The 2014 Asian Games featured cricket for both the men's and the women's event and this ground was used for the scheduled cricket matches played at the games. It is the first cricket stadium in South Korea. ;Incheon Football Stadium (Sungui Arena) Incheon Football Stadium is the first football-only stadium in Incheon. It was built in 2012 with a capacity for 20,891 spectators.

Points of interest

Incheon administers several of Korea's western islands, including

Ganghwa Island Ganghwa Island (), also Ganghwado, is an island in Ganghwa County, Incheon, South Korea. It is in the Yellow Sea and in an estuary of the Han River. The island is separated from Gimpo (on the South Korean mainland) by a narrow channel spanned ...

, Yeongjong Island, and Baengnyeongdo, with Baengnyeongdo being South Korea's westernmost point. Key points of interest in Incheon include: * Bupyeong Station: A major transport hub where

and Incheon Subway Line intersect. Bupyeong is known for its vast underground shopping centre, featuring 1,408 stores over 31,692 square metres (as recorded by the National Archives of Korea). This centre was recognised by the American World Record Academy in 2014 for having the largest number of stores in the world. Above ground, Bupyeong offers a lively mix of restaurants, shops, and a Lotte Mart. * Jayu (Freedom) Park: Located near Incheon's port, this park is home to a statue of General

Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...

and a memorial marking the centennial of U.S.-Korea relations. *

Chinatown Chinatown ( zh, t=唐人街) is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, O ...

: Korea's only official Chinatown, situated across from Incheon Station, close to Jayu Park, offering a taste of Chinese culture and cuisine. * Incheon Bus Terminal Area: Centred around the city's bus terminal, this area also features a subway station and a performance venue. The bustling Rodeo Street in Guwol-dong is lined with restaurants, department stores, and shops. * Wolmido: A former military site at Green Beach, used during the Incheon Landing. It is now a popular tourist destination with a

boardwalk A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway typically built with wooden planks, which functions as a type of low water bridge or small viaduct that enables pedestrians to ...

amusement park An amusement park is a park that features various attractions, such as rides and games, and events for entertainment purposes. A theme park is a type of amusement park that bases its structures and attractions around a central theme, often fea ...

, and seafood restaurants. Ferries to Yeongjongdo and Jakyakdo depart from here. * Jakyakdo Island: A small island located between Wolmido and Yeongjongdo. Visitors can enjoy scenic walks, picnic spots, a restaurant, and seasonal accommodation. * Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall: This site commemorates the Incheon Landing with a plaza and museum displaying weapons and artefacts from the operation and the Korean War. * Incheon Dohobu Cheongsa: The former government complex of Incheon, dating back to at least the reign of King Sejong in the 15th century. It is located near Munhak Stadium. * Ara Canal: A waterway linking the Han River to the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea, also known as the North Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. Names It is one of four ...

. The canal is bordered by parks and a popular bike path. * Korean-Chinese Cultural Centre: Built by the Jung-gu District, this centre promotes cultural exchange and understanding between Korea and China. * Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village: Created as part of a renovation project, this vibrant village is now a popular attraction for children and young visitors. * Baedari Secondhand Bookstore Alley: Historical space in Dongu-gu housing multiple bookstores. File:Korea-us100.jpg, Monument to 100 years of friendship between Korea and the US in Jayu Park File:Jayuwalkway.jpg, A walkway in Jayu Park File:Korea-Incheon-Chinatown-01.jpg, The only official

in South Korea File:Peking opera wall chinatown.jpg, Peking Opera wall Chinatown, Incheon, South Korea File:Korean-Chinese Cultural Center.jpg, Korean-Chinese cultural center

in South Korea File:Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village.jpg, Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village in Incheon in South Korea File:Incheon-port.jpg, Port of Incheon File:Incheon bridge 2009.jpg, Incheon Bridge File:Jakyakdo.jpg, The tiny island of Jakyakdo File:Walmido promenade.jpg, Wolmido promenade File:Seoul Incheon Airport (27833094934).jpg, Incheon International Airport File:SSG 랜더스 문학경기장 문학스타디움 전경 2024.jpg, Incheon Munhak Stadium File:인천버스터미널 택시타는곳.jpg, Lotte Department & Incheon Bus Terminal File:박태환수영장 2024.jpg, Park Taehwan Swimming Stadium File:SSG 랜더스 문학경기장(문학스타디움) 2024.jpg, Incheon Munhak Stadium (SSG Landers Baseball Team Home) File:인천로데오거리 스타벅스.jpg, Guwol Rodeo Street File:구월아시아드근린공원 환영의장 2023.jpg, Guwol Asiad Park at Night (2014 Asian Game Park) File:인천대공원남문 2023.jpg, Incheon Grand Park File:소래해넘이전망대 야경 2024.jpg, Sorae Bridge File:남동소래아트홀 야경 2 2024.jpg, Sorae Art Center & Halls

Notable people

* Lee Je-no, member of NCT and its subunit

NCT Dream NCT Dream () is the third sub-unit of the South Korean boy band NCT (group), NCT, formed by SM Entertainment in 2016. They were initially intended to be the teenaged unit of NCT with an admission-and-graduation system, in which members would l ...

* Miyeon,

(G)I-dle I-dle (; stylized in all lowercase), formerly known as (G)I-dle (), is a South Korean girl group formed by Cube Entertainment in 2018. The group consists of five members: Miyeon, Minnie (singer), Minnie, Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua. Originally a se ...

Hapkido Hapkido ( , , ), also spelled ''hap ki do'' or ''hapki-do'' is a Korean martial art. It is a hybrid form of self-defense that employs joint locks, grappling, chokeholds, throwing techniques, kicks, punches, and other striking attacks. ...

Grand Master Han Bong-soo *

Hangzoo Yoon Hyung-joon (), better known by his stage name Hangzoo (), is a South Korean rapper and member of Rhythm Power. He was the winner of '' Show Me the Money 6''. He released his first album, ''Best Driver'', on 25 August 2015. Discography Ex ...

, Rhythm Power * Han Ji-sung,

Stray Kids Stray Kids (often abbreviated to SKZ; ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The band consists of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han (musician), Han, Felix (rapper), Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. For un ...

* Kim Ryeo-wook,

Super Junior Super Junior (; stylized in all caps), also known as SJ or SuJu, is a South Korean boy band. The group is composed of Leeteuk, Heechul, Yesung, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun. Han Geng, Kibum, and ...

* Kim Hyo-yeon,

Girls' Generation Girls' Generation (), also known as SNSD, is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group is composed of eight members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun. Originally a nine-piec ...

Choi Min-ho Choi Min-ho (; Korean pronunciation: Help:IPA/Korean, sʰø.min.ho born December 9, 1991), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously as Minho, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, rapper and actor. In May 2008, he debuted as a member of South Kore ...

Shinee Shinee ( ; ; ; stylized as SHINee) is a South Korean boy band formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group consists of four members: Onew, Key (entertainer), Key, Choi Min-ho, Minho, and Taemin. Originally a five-piece band, Jonghyun died on ...

Kang Ki-young Kang Ki-young (; born October 14, 1983) is a South Korean actor. He is well-known for his supporting roles in a number of popular Korean drama Korean drama (), also known as K-drama or Koreanovela, refers to Korean language, Korean-language ...

* Michaela Dietz, voice actress * Kim Gu-ra * Kim Nam-il, footballer * Cho Yong-hyung, footballer * Shin Ji, Koyote * Yoon Chae-kyung,

April April is the fourth month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Its length is 30 days. April is commonly associated with the season of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is the ...

* Kang Hye-jung, actress * Kwon Nara, actress * Go Kyung-pyo, actor * Lee Sung-hyun, kickboxer * Choi Ji-man, baseball player (

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

) * Ku Hye-sun, actress * Hyolyn,

Sistar Sistar (; stylized in all caps) was a South Korean girl group formed in 2010 by Starship Entertainment. The group consisted of Hyolyn, Yoon Bo-ra, Bora, Soyou and Kim Da-som, Dasom. They made their official debut with the song "Push Push (Sistar ...

* Roh Ji-hoon, singer * Ryu Hyun-jin, baseball player (

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon that competes in the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark. They have won the Korean Series once, in 1999, and the league penn ...

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

) * Park Cho-a, soloist and former member of AOA * Bang Min-ah, Girl's Day *

Nam Ji-hyun Nam Ji-hyun (; born September 17, 1995) is a South Korean actress. Nam began her career in 2004 as a Child actor, child actress in the television series ' (2004). She is best known for her roles in ''Queen Seondeok (TV series), Queen Seondeok' ...

* Kyung Soo-jin * Kim Young-kwang *

JinJoo Lee JinJoo Lee (; born November 15, 1987) is a Korean-American musician, best known as the guitarist for the pop rock band DNCE. Early life JinJoo Lee was born in Incheon, South Korea on November 15, 1987. Lee taught herself to play guitar at t ...

DNCE DNCE is an American dance-rock band consisting of lead singer Joe Jonas, drummer Jack Lawless, and guitarist JinJoo Lee. Bassist and keyboardist Cole Whittle was a part of the band from when it started in 2015 to when it went on hiatus in 2018. ...

* Ong Seong-wu, former member of Wanna One, actor and soloist * Yoo Seung-ho, actor * Lee Kang-in, footballer * Kim Sung-joo, singer, actor,

UNIQ uniq is a utility command on Unix, Plan 9, Inferno, and Unix-like operating systems which, when fed a text file or standard input, outputs the text with adjacent identical lines collapsed to one, unique line of text. Overview The command is ...

Sung Dong-il Sung Dong-il (; born April 27, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Sung made his acting debut in theater in 1987, then was recruited at the 1991 Seoul Broadcasting System, SBS open talent auditions. He rose to fame as the comic, Jeolla dialect-speak ...

, actor * Sohee, singer and member of

Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...

* Park Nam-choon * Doyeon, singer, actress and member of Weki Meki and WJMK *

Young Kim Young Oak Kim (, born October 18, 1962) is a South Korean-born American politician and businesswoman serving as the U.S. representative for California's 40th congressional district, previously representing the 39th congressional district fr ...

* Hong Soo-hyun, actress * Peggy Gou, DJ * Kim Won-pil, singer-songwriter, keyboardist and member of

Day6 Day6 (; stylized in all caps) is a South Korean pop rock band under the label JYP Entertainment. The group debuted on September 7, 2015, with the EP '' The Day,'' which peaked at No.2 on '' Billboard''s World Album Chart a week following its r ...

* Do Han-se, rapper and member of

Victon Victon (; stylized as VICTON, an acronym for Voice to New World) is a South Korean boy group formed in 2016 by IST Entertainment (formerly A Cube Entertainment, Plan A Entertainment, and Play M Entertainment). The group is composed of six member ...

International relations

Tianjin Water Park Tianjin and Incheon Friendship City Memorial Sculpture

Incheon is twinned with: *

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, Egypt (2000) *

Anchorage Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolita ...

, United States (1986) *

Banten Banten (, , Pegon alphabet, Pegon: بنتن) is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province on the island of Java, Indonesia. Its capital city is Serang and its largest city is Tangerang. The province borders West Java and the Special Capi ...

, Indonesia (2009) *

Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...

, United States (1961) *

Chongqing ChongqingPostal Romanization, Previously romanized as Chungking ();. is a direct-administered municipality in Southwestern China. Chongqing is one of the four direct-administered municipalities under the State Council of the People's Republi ...

, China (2007) *

Haiphong Haiphong or Hai Phong (, ) is the third-largest city in Vietnam and is the principal port city of the Red River Delta. The municipality has an area of , consisting of 8 urban districts, 6 rural districts and 1 municipal city (sub-city). Two o ...

, Vietnam (1997) *

Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...

, United States (2003) *

Kitakyushu is a Cities of Japan, city located in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of June 1, 2019, Kitakyushu has an estimated population of 940,978, making it the second-largest city in both Fukuoka Prefecture and the island of Kyushu after the city of Fuk ...

, Japan (1988) *

Kobe Kobe ( ; , ), officially , is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. With a population of around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's List of Japanese cities by population, seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Port of Toky ...

, Japan (2010) *

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

, India (2007) *

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

, Philippines (2008) * Mérida, Mexico (2007) *

Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...

, Panama (2000) *

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, United States (1983) *

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...

, Cambodia (2009) *

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, United States *

Shenyang Shenyang,; ; Mandarin pronunciation: ; formerly known as Fengtian formerly known by its Manchu language, Manchu name Mukden, is a sub-provincial city in China and the list of capitals in China#Province capitals, provincial capital of Liaonin ...

, China (2014) * Taoyuan, Taiwan (2009) *

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( or , ; ), sometimes rendered as Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and usually referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline and with a popula ...

, Israel (2000) *

, China (1993） *

Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Mongolia, most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipa ...

, Mongolia (2017) *

Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...

, Italy (2010) *

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...

, Russia (2012) *

Yekaterinburg Yekaterinburg (, ; ), alternatively Romanization of Russian, romanized as Ekaterinburg and formerly known as Sverdlovsk ( ; 1924–1991), is a city and the administrative centre of Sverdlovsk Oblast and the Ural Federal District, Russia. The ci ...

, Russia (2009) *

Gödöllő Gödöllő, officially the City of Gödöllő, is a city in Pest County, Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, about northeast from the outskirts of Budapest. Its population is 34,396 according to the 2010 census and is growing rapidly. It can b ...

, Hungary (2023)

Notes

References

External links

*
National Institute of Biological Resources on Google Cultural Institute
{{Authority control Seoul Metropolitan Area Special Cities and Metropolitan Cities of South Korea Port cities and towns in South Korea