The 1st Incheon Marine and Island Forum and Performance Sharing Festival

- Sharing a future vision for Incheon’s marine and island areas

The “1st Incheon Marine and Island Forum and Performance Sharing Festival,” aimed at exploring sustainable development strategies based on Incheon’s marine and island assets, was successfully held on January 20 at the Gyeongwonru Signature Hall in Songdo, Incheon.

The event was organized to discuss innovative directions for Incheon’s marine and island industries through the convergence of marine environment, tourism, culture, and ICT, and to share key achievements of the “Incheon Treasure Islands 168 Specialization and Competitiveness Enhancement Project.” About 120 participants attended, including representatives from the Incheon Metropolitan Government, the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education, related public institutions, universities and research institutes, companies, and citizens, reflecting strong interest in the forum.

In the first session of the forum, Professor Ho-seong Yoon of Kyungpook National University delivered a presentation on the future of marine industries based on blue carbon in the era of carbon neutrality. Dr. Soo-hyun Yuk of the Korea Island Development Institute then proposed strategies for advancing island tourism in Incheon through the integration of marine tourism, intangible heritage, and ICT.

The second session, the performance sharing segment, introduced a range of field-oriented achievements, including the Island Love “3-Ging” Competition (plogging, litter-picking jogging, and sea plogging), the youth PBL program “Global Young Islanders,” the development of eco-friendly marine leisure smart tech wear, the Incheon Island and Sea Teacher Academy, the Seungbongdo Treasure Island Project, and ecotourism utilizing tidal flat resources in Ganghwa. The collaborative model involving universities, local governments, companies, and Incheon citizens was evaluated as a meaningful achievement in terms of ESG practice, expanded youth participation, and revitalization of local communities.

Kyu-won Kim, Head of the RISE Project Group at Incheon National University, stated, “This forum marks a starting point for transforming islands from objects of protection into spaces where people gather and the future grows,” adding, “We will develop this into a mid- to long-term cooperative platform that links Incheon’s marine and island policies with education and industry.”

The discussions from this forum are expected to expand into future policy proposals, research initiatives, and the development of education and tourism content related to Incheon’s marine and island areas. These efforts will be gradually extended into Incheon-style marine and island specialization projects, youth entrepreneurship support, and international exchange programs.