Incheon Songdo 'Bio Cluster' Development and Implementation Plan Change Completed... Infrastructure Construction Next Year

Expansion and Reallocation of Industrial Site in Section 11
Strengthening Linkage with Bioindustry and Arrangement of Housing, Parks, and Schools
Establishment of Special Planning Zone for Landmark and Waterfront Commercial Facilities

Aerial View of District 11 Development in Songdo International City [Provided by Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] The development and implementation plan changes to transform District 11 of Songdo International City in the Incheon Free Economic Zone into a world-class bio cluster have been completed, and infrastructure construction is expected to begin next year.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority announced that it has finalized procedures such as consultations with related agencies, education, environmental, and traffic impact assessments regarding the "Songdo International City Development Plan (Amendment) and Advanced Industry Cluster (C) Implementation Plan (Amendment)" and will officially notify the public through the government gazette and city bulletin on the 20th.

The development and implementation plan changes, promoted to enhance synergy by linking with the existing Songdo Districts 4 and 5 bio clusters, mainly involve expanding and rearranging the industrial facility sites in Songdo District 11.

First, the industrial and research facility sites in District 11 were positioned adjacent to the existing bio clusters in Songdo Districts 4 and 5 to strengthen connections within the bio industry.

Regarding the main land use plans, out of the total area of 12.45㎢, various uses were complexly arranged, including ▲industrial and research sites 1.82㎢ ▲commercial facility sites 0.42㎢ ▲residential sites 0.9㎢ ▲parks and green spaces 7.27㎢ ▲other sites such as schools and cultural facilities 0.16㎢.

In particular, to activate the waterfront, which is the internal waterway of District 11, and create specialized spaces, special planning zones called the so-called 'Mini Venice (0.35㎢)' and 'Mini Malibu (0.47㎢)' were newly established, where landmark facilities and waterside commercial facilities can be developed.

The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority began the development plan amendment in 2017, went through the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's notification in July last year, and has now completed the development and implementation plan changes.

Accordingly, infrastructure construction such as roads will commence from the second half of next year, and plans are in place to actively attract global anchor companies leading the advanced bio sector.

In Songdo International City of the Incheon Free Economic Zone, about 60 prominent research, manufacturing, and service companies in the bio and healthcare fields, including Samsung Biologics and Celltrion, are currently located.

Lee Won-jae, head of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, stated, "The development and implementation plan to grow Songdo into a world-class bio cluster has been finalized," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that plans to additionally attract production and research and development facilities in the bio and healthcare sectors to Songdo, which has secured the world's largest bio-pharmaceutical production facilities based on a single city, gain momentum."

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