The Port of Incheon is near the mouth of the Han River in northwestern South Korea about 40 kilometers southwest of Seoul. It is Seoul’s chief seaport and was designated a “special city” directly controlled by the Home Minister and administrative status of a province in 1981.
Port History
Archeological evidence suggests that the location has been inhabited by humans as early as the New Stone Age about 8000 BC. Its estuary makes a natural harbor. Incheon was a fishing port from the late 14th Century to the early 20th Century.
The earliest written record of the area dates to 475 AD, during the reign of King Jangsu. Over the centuries, the Port of Incheon had many names as kingdoms and dynasties changed. It received the name of Incheon in 1413 AD, though the name was not used frequently until 1883.
In 1883, the Port of Incheon was one of three Korean treat ports and was developed as an international commercial port before the Japanese occupied the area in 1910. During Japanese occupation, they developed modern industries and port facilities. During World War II, the Japanese used Incheon as a POW camp.
During the Korean War, United Nations troops crippled the North Korean invasion there in 1950, resulting in a large statue of General Douglas MacArthur in the city park. In fact, the USS Inchon was named after the city and the critical battle.
Today, the Port of Incheon is vital to the economy of Seoul’s metropolitan area due to its proximity and the link between the two cities’ subway systems. In 2005, the City of Incheon was home to over 2.6 million residents. It is the third largest city in Korea behind Seoul and Busan.
Port Commerce
The Port of Incheon is Korea’s gateway to northeast Asia. In 1989, several other cities were merged into Incheon. The Port was first opened in 1883, and the first dock was completed in 1923. From 1966 to 1974, the Port of Incheon Dock was constructed. The Container Wharf was opened in 1973, and a new 9-story cargo warehouse began operating in 1978. Through the 1980s, new facilities were added including a grain silo and new wharves. In 1990, the port was expanded to accommodate vessels up to 50 thousand tons. In 2000, the International Passenger Terminal opened.
The Port of Incheon’s container terminal handled over 2.5 million tons of cargo in March 2008, including over 155 thousand TEUs. The Port also handled over 13 million tons of general cargo. Major cargo types included petroleum and other gases, sand, petroleum products, grain, coal, and cement.
Cruising and Travel
Visitors to the Port of Incheon will enjoy visiting several points of interest. These include the Bupyeong Station, where the Incheon and Seoul subways intersect. The Station contains underground shopping and above-ground restaurants and shops. Within easy travel are some of Korea’s most beautiful western islands (which the City of Incheon administers), including Ganghwa, Yeongjong, and Baengnyeong Islands. Jayu (or Freedom) Park contains the famous statue of General MacArthur. Korea’s only Chinatown is located near Jayu Park. Wolmido, a landing site of the UN forces during the Korean War, is now a local tourist attraction featuring a boardwalk, amusement part, and restaurants.
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