- Incheon Institute
- Annual Report 2026
- Incheon Institute is a comprehensive research institute that was established to support the self-governance of Incheon. Since its establishment in 1996, it has served as a think tank of Incheon providing in-depth analysis and suggesting reasonable alternatives.
02. Major research tasks implemented in 2025
“Incheon Policy Roadmap 2040” – Second-year research:
Presented practical policy models focusing on future strategic areas including population aging, the experience economy, metropolitan transportation networks, and livable cities.
▶ Responding to population aging: Developed an integrated Incheon-specific strategy based on work-care-housing systems.
▶ Experience economy: Proposed future industrial strategies utilizing regional assets and revitalizing experience-based service ecosystems.
▶ Metropolitan transportation: Identified strategic tasks for realizing a 30-minute city transportation framework.
▶ Livable city: Proposed composite living-zone models integrating housing, jobs, and urban space, along with implementation plans.
“Global Urban Competitiveness” research: Presented strategies and implementation tasks for advancing Incheon as a global city, based on the development models of Singapore and Yokohama and the key implications drawn from them.
▶ Singapore: Strengthened global networks based on port and airport infrastructure and enhanced global competitiveness by establishing innovation strategies in key areas such as future industries and eco-friendly sectors.
▶ Yokohama: Enhanced global competitiveness through integrated urban development combining tourism, culture, and the environment, fostering an innovation ecosystem, and strengthening regional identity.
Research tasks by research division: Carried out a total of 253 projects.
▶ Urban Society Research Division
- (Population Change Response) Conducted research on the causes of ultra-low birth rates based on regional characteristics, and proposed policy directions.
- (Foundation for Cultural Tourism City) Proposed initiatives to support Incheon's growth into Korea's leading city in cultural tourism.
- (Citizen Welfare Policy Development and City Council Support) Identified policy needs across different citizen age groups.
- (Foundation of a Peace, Security & Human Rights City) Continuously organized forums to promote Incheon as a city of peace.
▶ Economic Environment Research Division
- (Experience Economy Revitalization) Proposed future-oriented development measures for Incheon's industrial ecosystem by revitalizing experience-economy sectors such as gastronomy, beauty, and performing arts.
- (Global City Research) Derived strategies to strengthen Incheon's economic and industrial competitiveness through in-depth studies of global cities such as Singapore and Yokohama.
- (Customized Youth Policy) Identified diverse policy demands among youth and proposed practical, experience-based tasks including employment policies, along with measures to enhance policy effectiveness.
- (Renewable Energy and Low-carbon City Development) Explored strategies for sustainable energy transition and low-carbon urban development, including hydrogen and wind-power industries.
- (International Cooperation and Exchanges) Played a pivotal role in Korea-China exchanges through the INCHINA Forum and expanded cooperation networks with East Asian city think tanks.
▶ Transportation and Logistics Research Division
- (i-Sea Pass Implementation) Identified as the policy with the highest level of citizen satisfaction.
- (Policy Support for the 3rd Yeongjong-Cheongna Link Bridge Project) Contributed to policy decisions on toll support for Yeongjong residents.
- (City Bus Operations Support) Analyzed city bus operation performance and proposed strategies for operational improvement.
- (Incheon Maritime Court Initiative) Reflected in key government pledges to establish the Incheon Maritime Court for rapid and specialized resolution of maritime cases in the capital region.
- (Support for Policy Issues) Provided policy support for restructuring the taxi industry and improving mobility and convenience for transportation-vulnerable groups.
- (Municipal Administration Policy) Proposed changes to administrative district names away from directional address naming in preparation for administrative reorganization and supported the naming of intersections and parks in newly developed areas.
▶ Urban Management Research Division
- (Livable City Incheon Initiative) Explored directions for transitioning to living-population-oriented spatial policies in response to the era of population decline.
- (Creative Urban Planning and Architecture) Fostered competitive urban spaces through creative and innovative urban planning and architecture to support Incheon’s leap toward becoming a global city.
- (Future Urban Space Restructuring) Conducted policy research on urban spatial restructuring tailored to Incheon's future development needs.
- (Response to Policy & Current Issues) Proposed policy directions to address current city administration challenges proactively.
- (External Cooperation) Held policy meetings and policy seminars with Incheon Metropolitan City and the Incheon Housing and City Development Corporation on urban planning-related matters.
Academic events: Hosted a total of 75 academic events
▶ Domestic Events (65 events)
- February
- Incheon Architectural Heritage Forum 2025
- Expert Presentation on the Livable City Incheon Initiative
- February-December
- Incheon Institute Policy Seminar on City Management Research (1st-9th) - Strategies for promoting “Global Top10 City INCHEON”, Singapore’s development history, The first locally led reorganization of Incheon’s administrative system, Incheon as a global transportation city for citizen happiness, Strategies for implementing Incheon’s policy pledges related to the 21st presidential election, Directions and tasks for Incheon-style veterans policy, Local creators and regional economic revitalization, Reform of the regional allocation system for local consumption tax and response measures, Development of an Incheon-style life-cycle asset-building support program mode
- February-December
- INCHINA Cluster Meetings (1st-13th) - Sharing the 2025 business plan and discussing cooperation matters with the Greater China region, Trends in Cross-Strait relations in the “Trump 2.0” era and agenda for Incheon-Taiwan exchange and cooperation, Key outcomes of China’s 2025 Two Sessions and an assessment of China’s national policy direction, etc.
- March
- Incheon City Research Network (ICReN) - General Assembly and Joint Research Presentation
- February-November
- Incheon Green Climate Academy (1st-4th) - Indicators of climate change, The Arctic and Antarctic, AI and responses to climate-related disasters, Survival strategies in the era of extreme heat: key insights, Blue carbon and Incheon: from greenhouse gas reduction to climate adaptation measures
- March-December
- Incheon Climate and Environment Forum (1st-4th) - Sea-level rise and coastal flooding, Policies for promoting green buildings in urban areas, The new administration’s “Energy Superhighway” and the current landscape of national energy policy, Establishment and operation of the Climate Response Fund
- March-June
- Policy Research Seminar on Global Urban Competitiveness - Yokohama Study (1st-2nd) - Downtown revitalization using Yokohama’s historical and modern cultural assets; Yokohama’s urban development process and its characteristics as a global city
- April-July
- City information colloquium (2025 - 1st Session) - Trends and Applications of Generative AI
- City information colloquium (2025 - 2nd Session) - Wise Use of AI for Research
- April-September
- 28th City Research Seminar - Cities and Climate Disasters
- 29th City Research Seminar - Youth and the Future of Regions
- April-October
- 2025 Spring Conference of the Korean Society of ITS - Incheon Institute Session
- 2025 Fall Conference of the Korean Society of ITS - Incheon Institute Session (1)
- 2025 Fall Conference of the Korean Society of ITS - Incheon Institute Session (2)
- June-November
- 2025 1st Local Fiscal Investment Project Training and Individual Project Consulting - Training on Investment Review and Consulting for Local Fiscal Investment Projects
- 2025 2nd Local Fiscal Investment Project Training and Individual Project Consulting - Training on Investment Review and Consulting for Local Fiscal Investment Projects
- June
- Policy Seminar on the Transition to a Sustainable Hydrogen Society - Transition toward a Hydrogen Society
- July
- 2025 Incheon Economic Trends Seminar - Development of a Regional Economic Monitoring Model for Incheon Using Big Data and Review of Relevant Cases
- 2025 Incheon Economic Forum - Preparing for and Responding to Incheon’s Future in an Era of Global Economic Uncertainty
- Seminar on Support Measures for Incheon SMEs’ Carbon Neutrality Response - Domestic Cases of Carbon Neutrality Support in the Industrial Sector
- Expert Forum on Promoting Sorae Salt Farm as a National Urban Park - “Park City Incheon: National Urban Parks will Lead the Way”
- August
- Joint Seminar on Flood Damage Prevention in Preparation for Baekjung Spring Tides - Coastal Flood Prevention Measures During the Baekjung Spring Tide Period
- 2025 Incheon Society for Economic Research - 3rd Seminar - Unplanned Success: The Korean Wave
- Incheon Metropolitan City Council-ICReN Policy Communication Forum - Directions for Establishing an Incheon Metropolitan City Resident Safety Council
- October
- Incheon Institute-Korea Island Development Institute Joint Academic Seminar - Introducing and Advancing Basic Mobility Rights for Island Residents: From Lifeline to Lifestyle
- Forum on Sharing Cases of Historical and Cultural Asset Valorization in Incheon - Sharing Best Practices in Enhancing the Value of Historical and Cultural Assets
- Capital Region Economic Trends Forum - Case Study on the Development of a Region-specific Economic Trends Index
- November
- 2025 Disaster and Safety Expert Workshop - Sharing Research Outcomes on Regional Disaster and Safety Policies
- November-December
- Natural Environment Policy Seminar (1st-4th) - The Concept and Application of OECM (Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures), Urban nature-based solutions and practical cases, Policy directions in the 4th National Basic Plan for the Environment and related local government initiatives, Airport development, offshore wind power, and bird migration management policies
- December
- Research Exchange Meeting with the Airport Industry Technology Research Institute - Duty-free Consumption Analysis at Incheon Airport and Strategies for Revitalizing Sea & Air Multimodal Transportation in Incheon
- 2025 On-site Training and Individual Consulting for Local Fiscal Investment Projects
- Housing Policy Seminar on Establishing the Incheon-style Childcare-Senior Residential Ecosystem - Building a Childcare-Senior Integrated Residential Ecosystem for Incheon
- 2025 ICReN Joint Seminar - Improving Working Conditions through Support for Work-family Balance
- Incheon Safe City Seminar - Assessing Incheon’s Disaster and Safety issues and Exploring Cooperation Strategies
▶ International Events (10 events)
- June
- The 9th East Asia Gate City Policy Forum - Mutual Learning among East Asian Gateway Cities: Cultural Heritage and Urban Renewal
- July
- 2025 Academic Exchange Seminar between Incheon Institute and Shandong Academy of Social Sciences – Korea-China Economic and Industrial Cooperation and Technological Innovation
- August
- The 5th International Forum on Low Carbon Cities - Low-carbon Cities and Demographic Change
- September
- 2025 INCHINA Forum International Conference - An Age of Transition: The World and Korea-China Relations
- The 18th Incheon Institute-University of Kitakyushu Joint Research Presentation - Response to Super-aged Society
- 2025 Incheon Peace and Security Forum - Incheon as an International Peace City and the Future of Korea
- 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo Side Event: International Conference on Climate Adaptation and Disaster Communication for Living Labs - Climate Adaptation and Disaster Management
- 2025 International Disaster Resilience Leaders Forum Incheon - Strengthening Global Cooperation for Disaster Risk Reduction toward a Sustainable Future
- The 9th Megacity Think Tank Alliance Forum - Megacities in a Global Transition: Toward Sustainable, Inclusive, and Resilient Urban Futures
- The 12th International Conference on Climate Finance and Industry - Climate Resilience and a Just Transition
03. Major Research Plans for 2026
Focal Projects in 2026
▶ Third-year Study of Incheon Policy Roadmap 2040:
Future-oriented municipal research focusing on original downtown revitalization, balanced development between new towns and the original downtown, specialized strategies for a maritime city, and strategies for advancing Incheon as a leading carbon-neutral city.
- Strategy for revitalizing the original downtown
- Economic and industrial strategies for balanced growth between new towns and the original downtown
- Spatial structure changes resulting from administrative reorganization and corresponding response strategies
- Citizen-led action strategies for advancing Incheon as a leading carbon-neutral city
- Specialized strategies for developing Incheon as a maritime city
- Developing an integrated employment model for senior citizens linked with local communities
- Future vision for Incheon’s urban policy
▶ Future Vision for Incheon’s Urban Policy:
Identifying major issues faced by Incheon across sectors and examining changes in the policy environment
- Systematic analysis of policy shifts and key achievements and limitations in each municipal sector through time-series analysis of city administration policies
- Assessment of how major macro-environmental changes-such as demographic shifts, AI-driven innovation, economic conditions, and climate change-affect municipal governance and generate new policy demands
Research Plan by Research Division
▶ Urban Society Research Division: Conducts research on urban administration and local fiscal policy, the development of local autonomy, culture and the arts, tourism promotion, inter-Korean cooperation policy, education, and social welfare enhancement.
- (Response to Super-aged Society) Developing an integrated employment model for senior citizens linked with local communities
- (Urban Policy Change and the Future) Presenting future agendas in the urban society sector
- (Urban Vitality) Strategies for revitalizing the original downtown to create vibrant spaces where people and daily life thrive
▶ Economics and Industrial Research Division: Conducts research on the regional economy and labor market, local industries and innovation policy, and strategies for international trade, international cooperation, and investment promotion.
- (Balanced Industrial Development) Strategies for balanced growth between new towns and the original downtown
- (Urban Policy Change and the Future) Presenting future agendas in the economic sector
▶ Transportation and Logistics Research Division: Conducts research on transportation and road planning and operations, public transportation policy, logistics policy, and planning and support for international logistics (airport and port).
- (Response to Super-aged Society) Strategies to ensure integrated transportation safety and mobility rights for the elderly amid demographic change
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-Sea Pass) Specialized strategies for developing Incheon as a maritime city
- (Urban Policy Change and the Future) Presenting future agendas in the transportation and logistics sector
▶ Urban Management Research Division: Conducts research on urban space design and development projects, architecture and housing policy, and development of rural, fishing, and island areas.
- (Administrative District Reorganization) Spatial strategies in response to administrative system reorganization
- (Urban Policy Change and the Future) Presenting future agendas in urban planning and urban regeneration policy
▶ Environment and Safety Research Division: Conducts research on eco-friendly urban development and environmental management, the urban ecosystem and green spaces, climate crisis response, and urban resilience policy.
- (Carbon Neutrality) Developing pioneering action plans for implementing carbon neutrality
- (Urban Policy Change and the Future) Presenting future agendas in the environment and safety sector
Academic Event Schedule
▶ Domestic Event
▶ International Events
- 04. Periodical publications
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