A critical analysis of the Incheon Free Economic Zone:Can Incheon move beyond being a gateway to Seoul?

Incheon, South Korea, is a rapidly growing port city that has long held an important role in the country. While for most of its history it has been considered more of a coastal extension of Seoul, it is now trying to grow from that role and become a global city. National and local initiatives and acts have led to the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ). This large zone connects three smaller districts into one large project. The goal of the project is to assert Incheon as its own city and go beyond its role as merely a gateway to Seoul. However, as most large-scale projects go, there are multiple issues and constraints faced by the IFEZ. This paper analyzes the project and gives critique on how the project could possibly achieve its goal more quickly.