Incheon City Council "Ports are Part of the City"... Urges Transfer of Management and Supervision Rights of Incheon Port to the City

The Incheon City Council has urged that the management and supervision rights over the Incheon Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office and the Incheon Port Authority be transferred to the city of Incheon. This call arises from the recognition that the current structure, which monopolizes port policy at the central government level, has limitations in promoting comprehensive policies that link the city and the port.

The Construction and Transportation Committee of the Incheon City Council announced on the 30th of last month that it has passed the original resolution titled "Resolution Urging the Gradual Transfer of Management and Supervision Rights of the Incheon Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office and the Incheon Port Authority," which was proposed by Council Member Park Chang-ho (People Power Party, Proportional).

The Construction and Transportation Committee emphasized in its proposal that maritime and port policies are core functions directly related to national logistics competitiveness. In particular, it explained that Incheon Port, as a gateway port to the metropolitan area, can create synergy when port operations are organically combined with urban policies such as the development of hinterland areas, establishment of logistics hubs, and regeneration of the old city.

However, current port policies are operated with a focus on the central government. The city council pointed out that this leads to fragmented implementation of port development, transportation, safety, environmental, and local industry policies by different agencies, making comprehensive coordination difficult. This structure reduces the timeliness of on-site responses and creates ambiguity regarding accountability for policy outcomes.

The Construction and Transportation Committee also stated that the issue of relocating the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which is being discussed at the government level, should not be limited to a simple physical relocation. It argued that Incheon, which has a gateway port, should use this opportunity to redesign the national maritime and port governance to enable integrated planning and execution of port and urban policies.

Accordingly, the committee demanded that the management and supervision rights and key functions of the Incheon Regional Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Office and the Incheon Port Authority be gradually transferred to the city of Incheon to establish a local government-centered integrated governance system.

The resolution includes the following contents: ▲ Clarification of the scope of functions of the Incheon Maritime Affairs Office that can be transferred to local government ▲ Preparation of a gradual transfer plan for management and supervision rights ▲ Organic linkage of the operation of the Incheon Port Authority and local urban planning.

The committee also emphasized that the transfer of authority should not remain at a declarative level. It added that along with the revision of laws and regulations, finances, personnel, information, and systems must also be transferred, and a clear division of roles and coordination system between the central and local governments should be established to ensure stable institutional establishment.

The resolution is expected to pass at the 306th extraordinary session of the Incheon City Council, which will be held on the 12th. If the resolution is adopted, the city council plans to convey it to relevant institutions such as the Blue House, the National Assembly, the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.