Korea’s Incheon to make some port areas accessible to the public

The eighth pier of the inner port in Incheon [Photo by Yonhap]

South Korea’s Incheon city will allow the public access to part of the inner port area for the first time in 140 years after the port’s opening.

According to industry sources on Thursday, the city of Incheon had consultations with the Incheon Port Authority (IPA) and other authorities to discuss opening some of the 23,000 square meters in the eighth pier of the inner port in October.

The city decided to hold an opening ceremony on Oct. 15 to commemorate the Incheon Citizens’ Day and reflect the purpose of opening the area, which has been inaccessible to the public since the port opened in 1883.

The city will invest 3 billion won ($2.25 million) in urban infrastructure for the open space. A parking space with 160 slots will also be built near the area. The city also plans to cooperate with ongoing development projects for the eighth pier.

The pier was built in 1985 as part of a project to enlarge the port facilities. It had been a primary dock station for steel and other carriers but was used less frequently later and became a space for storage.

“Though Incheon is a coastal city, it lacks open waterfront spaces for its citizens,” said an unnamed city official. “The inner port will be an open space in which citizens can feel relaxed coastal vibe.”

Port industry insiders, however, oppose opening a pier that’s still in operation, citing potential negative impacts on the port. In response to the opposition, IPA vowed to offer the Incheon Inner-Port Operation Co., the operator of the inner port, alternative spaces to use for storage.

“As Incheon Port still plays a major role in the city’s economy, a more thorough approach is needed in opening the port areas,” said an official from the Incheon Federation of Port and Transport Workers Union.