Only National Assembly Approval Remains for Incheon 'Geomdan·Yeongjong-gu Establishment' Bill

Bill Submitted to National Assembly 5 Months After Government Proposal
If Enacted, 2-Gun and 9-Gu System to Start from 9th Elected Term

The plan to establish new autonomous districts overseeing Incheon’s Geomdan New Town and Yeongjong International City is rapidly gaining momentum.

On the 16th, Incheon City announced that the bill titled "Act on the Establishment of Jemulpo-gu, Yeongjong-gu, and Geomdan-gu in Incheon" was recently submitted to the National Assembly. This comes about five months after the official proposal was made to the government in June of this year.

The bill will undergo review by the relevant standing committee and deliberation and resolution in the plenary session of the National Assembly. Following approval by the State Council and promulgation, it is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. Accordingly, starting from the 9th term of the directly elected mayor, Incheon’s administrative system will be newly launched with 2 districts and 9 wards, instead of the current 2 districts and 8 wards.

The bill includes a plan to reorganize Jung-gu and Dong-gu into 'Yeongjong-gu,' centered on Yeongjong Island, and 'Jemulpo-gu,' covering the inland areas of Jung-gu and Dong-gu. Additionally, Seo-gu, with a population of 600,000, will have the Geomdan area separated to create the new 'Geomdan-gu,' while the remaining areas of Seo-gu will remain unchanged.

Incheon Administrative System Reform Plan [Provided by Incheon City]

Incheon City has been promoting the administrative system reorganization to address changes in administrative conditions, resolve residents’ inconveniences due to separation of living zones, proactively respond to future administrative demands, and establish a foundation for tailored regional development.

Since Incheon was launched as a metropolitan city in 1995 with a registered population of 2.35 million, the population has increased by 640,000 to approximately 2.99 million as of the end of September this year. In particular, Seo-gu’s population has more than doubled compared to 1995, reaching 620,000, and continues to grow.

Moreover, Jung-gu and Seo-gu face significant resident inconveniences and reduced administrative efficiency due to geographical and living zone separations within the regions. With new town developments and significant changes in the urban environment, they are experiencing difficulties in establishing strategies for smooth administrative service provision and balanced urban development.

With the 22nd National Assembly election scheduled for April next year, Incheon City has decided to concentrate administrative efforts to ensure the law is enacted during the 21st National Assembly’s term. In this regard, the city requested cooperation from the National Assembly regarding the administrative system reorganization during last month’s national audit and recent ruling and opposition party meetings with city party branches. Moving forward, the city plans to focus on swift enactment of the law through continuous visits to the National Assembly and communication with local lawmakers.

An Incheon City official stated, "After the enactment of the law, we will thoroughly prepare in advance to ensure that this administrative system reorganization remains a pioneering and innovative model case led by local government, and we will do our best to achieve this."

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