Experiences in Urban Management from Incheon - Korea

To follow the Decision No.1728/QD-UBND dated October 15, 2008 by the People’s Committee of Hai Phong province on sending the official delegation of Le Chan district to visit Incheon city - Korea, two delegations were arranged, which were led by Pham Tu Thu – Deputy Secretary of district Party Committee – Chairman of district People’s Committee, and Nguyen Xuan Soi – Secretary of district Party Committee. The purpose is to exchange experiences in urban management, policies on compensation in ground clearance, and social issues.

 

During the visit in the end of October and mid-November, the delegations from Le Chan district were warmly welcomed by Park Yoon Bae – Chairman of Bupyeong-gu and Tae Jin Yoon – Chairman of Southeast district and heads of divisions. The local television station also broadcast the visit.

 

Bupyeong-gu is the largest self-controlled district in Incheon with the population of 570,000 people over an area of 31.98 square kilometres, located in the gateway of Seoul. The district administrative apparatus has 22 wards, 634 quarters and 4,181 residential groups. The administrative organisation includes four divisions, one office, 19 sub-divisions, one secretariat, one health centre, and one industrial complex. The number of officials is 925 people (one official per 616 people). The district budget is W337,198 billion. Thanks to the convenient transport network of hi-speed metro and central highway system like Bupyongro, Wonjieocsan and national road Diedin, the industrial park has attracted more than 300,000 workers from other localities. GM Daewoo Group is one of the successful businesses in the city with the output of nearly 300 cars a day.

 

Southeast district is the central district, which has the Town hall and the Municipal Council on the area of 56.4 square kilometres (5.8 per cent of Incheon’s area) with the population of 384,244 people (14.7 per cent of Incheon’s population). The biggest industrial complexes in Korea are located in this district, including the Southeast Industrial Park with 4,000 small and medium-sized enterprises that generate 60,000 jobs. The district has one secretariat, five departments, 14 specialised divisions, and 17 wards. Total officials are 716 people, 444 of whom work at the district’s offices. The district budget is W164.1 billion (USD110 million), W104 billion of which is spent on health care, W1.984 billion on the poor, W11.609 billion on car parking, and W10.017 on land adjustment. The welfare works in the district consist of five theatres, two cinemas, 70 publication houses, 25 printing houses, 313 karaoke rooms, 308 public computer hubs, 22 sports centres, 432 sports training houses (swimming, body building, skiing, bowling, and golf). The district has an ancient town with a system of narrow streets and houses of 1 to 2 storeys, which are mainly small business households, and traditional restaurants, the rest of the district is planned to be a modern urban centre including apartment buildings and super markets. Apartment buildings are equipped with water irrigation slab culverts to the city’s system of water treatment before flowing to the sea. The environment in industrial parks has separate treatment systems that do not cause pollution to surrounding areas. Il-sung Chemical Factory, where the delegations visited, is clean with fully automatic processes. Noise from the transport system near low-storey residential areas is minimised by the wall system. All roads are made clean by specialised car.

 

There is no drug evil in two districts. Such people as the homeless elderly and the invalid are brought to convalescence centres.

Compensation and ground clearance in Incheon is calculated 10 per cent lower than the market level. The Government imposes a 60-per-cent tax on citizens who receive compensation, which is explained as for social security. The district makes special policies to support small and medium-sized enterprises. The district government has a budget to provide enterprises with working capital, assistance in procedure, information, transport costs during overseas trips to exhibitions, create the best and fastest procedural conditions for start-up businesses.

 

 

In the exchange party with Incheon External Affairs Department, leaders of Le Chan district were invited to attend the Conference of Asian Cities' Leaders to be held in Incheon in September 2009. Leaders of Le Chan district also invited leaders of Southeast and Bupyeong-gu to visit the district at an appropriate future time.