Design Work Begins for 'Young Square,' Urban Regeneration Hub Facility near Incheon Jemulpo Station

Complex Cultural Space Supporting Youth Employment and Startups... Completion in 2026

The construction project of 'Young Square,' a key facility in the urban regeneration project around Jemulpo Station, the original downtown area of Incheon, is set to accelerate.

On the 12th, Incheon City announced that it has begun the design of Young Square, a complex cultural space aimed at revitalizing youth employment and entrepreneurship.

The city plans to build Young Square, a complex cultural space with three underground floors and ten above-ground floors, covering a total floor area of 6,600㎡ near Jemulpo Station in Dohwa-dong, Michuhol-gu, by the end of 2026. The project budget totals 36.1 billion KRW, including 10.6 billion KRW from the national government and 24 billion KRW from the city government. The design is expected to be completed by June next year, followed by construction commencement.

Young Square will be composed of the 'Cloud Zone,' a space that creates value through networking between residents and software talent; the 'Upload Zone,' a facility for scale-up tenants and a nurturing space for prospective young entrepreneurs; and the 'Download Zone,' a youth employment space designed to collaboratively address local issues and attract talent.

The city plans to develop Young Square as a hub for local talent supply and software (SW) education by linking it with the nearby Jemulpo Smart Town and Incheon IT Tower to support employment and entrepreneurship. The Incheon Urban Corporation, the overall project manager of the Jemulpo Station-J urban regeneration project, will oversee the construction.

Young Square is a core project of the Jemulpo Station-J urban regeneration initiative.

The Jemulpo Station-J project is an urban regeneration effort aimed at revitalizing the area around Jemulpo Station, which has declined following Incheon University's relocation to Songdo, by encouraging startups in various fields and supporting business growth to stimulate the local economy.

Perspective view of Young Square to be built near Jemulpo Station [Provided by Incheon City]

The area around Jemulpo Station was once sustained by commercial activities centered on Incheon University and nearby middle and high schools. However, after Incheon University moved to Songdo International City and due to a lack of differentiation in the commercial districts targeting students and youth, demand decreased, leading to decline. Furthermore, the emergence of large commercial districts diminished the appeal of shops near Jemulpo Station, raising calls for the creation of a unique commercial district with its own character.

In response, the city planned the Jemulpo Station-J urban regeneration concept with goals to induce youth and startup entrepreneurship, revitalize commercial districts, and improve residents' quality of life through housing and infrastructure enhancements. Covering 146,000㎡ in Dohwa and Sungui-dong, Michuhol-gu, Jemulpo Station-J was selected in 2021 for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Urban Regeneration New Deal project, securing 18 billion KRW in national funding.

By 2026, with a total project cost of 70.4 billion KRW, the city plans to develop Young Square, a software (SW) promotion complex, urban and architectural studios, 23 purchase-type rental housing units, and areas such as Damsso and Bunsik Street.

An official from Incheon City stated, "We will work diligently to complete the construction of Young Square without delay and support various events such as software education, business support, and citizen participation to contribute to the revitalization of the commercial district and the local community around Jemulpo Station."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.