What happened to Incheon's Jung-gu, Dong-gu and Seo-gu?

They were redrawn on July 1, 2026. All of Dong-gu and the mainland part of Jung-gu became Jemulpo-gu, home to Chinatown and Wolmido; Jung-gu's islands, including Incheon Airport, became Yeongjong-gu. Seo-gu was split at the Gyeongin Ara Waterway: the south was renamed Seohae-gu and the north became Geomdan-gu. Road-name addresses did not change, but many signs and blogs still use the old names.

How many districts and counties does Incheon have?

Eleven since July 1, 2026: nine districts (gu) and two counties (gun). The districts are Jemulpo, Yeongjong, Michuhol, Yeonsu, Namdong, Bupyeong, Gyeyang, Seohae and Geomdan; the counties are Ganghwa and Ongjin, both made up of islands. Before the change Incheon had eight districts and the same two counties.

Which part of Incheon is best for a first day trip from Seoul?

Jemulpo-gu. Line 1 runs from Seoul Station or Yongsan to Incheon Station in about 60–80 minutes, and Chinatown, the Jjajangmyeon Museum, the open-port streets, Jayu Park and the Wolmi Sea Train are all a short walk or ride from there. Most museums and the Sea Train close on Mondays.

Can I see Incheon on a layover?

Yes, with about 6 hours between flights. Eurwangni Beach on Yeongjong and Chinatown or Wolmido in Jemulpo-gu each need about 6 hours independently; Muuido needs 7–8. The airport's free 3-hour Sinpo Market transit tour makes 5 hours workable. Leaving the airport means entering Korea, so you need a visa or K-ETA if your nationality requires one.

Incheon Travel Guide: All 11 Districts and Counties

Incheon is the metropolitan city on the coast directly west of Seoul, and most visitors pass through it without stopping: Incheon International Airport sits on its airport island, Yeongjong. Beyond the terminals it is a port city with a long list of Korean firsts. Jemulpo opened to foreign ships in 1883, Korea’s first railway left Incheon Station in 1899, and the country’s oldest Chinatown grew up on the hill above the harbour. To the north-west lies Ganghwa, an island of dolmens and Joseon forts; out in the Yellow Sea, ferries run to the islands of Ongjin, as far as Baengnyeongdo near the North Korean coast.

Since July 1, 2026 Incheon has been divided into 11 local governments: nine districts (gu) and two island counties (gun). Four of the districts are new or renamed, and plenty of maps, signs and blogs still use the old names. We wrote a guide to each of the 11, and each one answers the same questions: how to get there from Seoul, what the place is known for, what to see and where locals eat. This page is the index of the series. Use the tables to find the district that fits the time you have, then follow the link for routes, opening hours and restaurants.

The short answer

First day trip: Jemulpo-gu, for Chinatown, the 1883 open-port streets and Wolmido, at the end of Line 1.
Layover: the beaches of Yeongjong-gu or Chinatown in Jemulpo-gu, with about 6 hours between flights.
Quick half day: Bupyeong (Line 1, roughly 50 minutes), Gyeyang or Cheongna in Seohae-gu (AREX, 25–39 minutes).
History: Ganghwa-gun for dolmens, Goryeo's wartime capital and Joseon forts; Jemulpo-gu for the open port.
Islands: Ongjin-gun. Seonjaedo is reachable by road, Deokjeokdo is about 1 hour 10 minutes by fast ferry, and Baengnyeongdo needs two nights.
Old names: Jung-gu and Dong-gu are now Jemulpo-gu and Yeongjong-gu; Seo-gu is now Seohae-gu and Geomdan-gu.

What changed in Incheon's districts on July 1, 2026?

Incheon went from eight districts and two counties to nine and two: Jung-gu and Dong-gu were redrawn as Jemulpo-gu and Yeongjong-gu, and Seo-gu was split into Seohae-gu and Geomdan-gu. The legal basis is a national law on setting up Jemulpo-gu, Yeongjong-gu and Geomdan-gu, passed by the National Assembly on January 9, 2024 and promulgated on January 30, 2024; it took effect on July 1, 2026. Seo-gu’s new name came from a separate law, passed on May 7, 2026 and promulgated on June 2, 2026.

🗺️ Old and new district names (Incheon Metropolitan City; national laws of 2024 and 2026)

Until June 30, 2026	Area	Since July 1, 2026
Jung-gu, mainland part	Sinpo, Yeonan, Sinheung, Dowon, Yulmok, Dongincheon and Gaehang-dong: Chinatown, the open-port streets, Wolmido	Jemulpo-gu
Dong-gu	All 11 administrative dong, including Baedari’s book alley and Hwapyeong-dong’s naengmyeon street	Jemulpo-gu
Jung-gu, island part	Yeongjongdo with Yongyu and Muuido, including Incheon Airport	Yeongjong-gu
Seo-gu, south of the Gyeongin Ara Waterway	Cheongna, Gajeong and Ruwon, Seongnam, Gajwa, Yeonhui, Gyeongseo	Seohae-gu (renamed)
Seo-gu, north of the Ara Waterway	7 dong over 47.7 km²: Geomdan, Bullo-Daegok, Wondang, Dangha, Oryu-Wanggil, Majeon, Ara	Geomdan-gu (new)
Michuhol-gu, Yeonsu-gu, Namdong-gu, Bupyeong-gu, Gyeyang-gu, Ganghwa-gun, Ongjin-gun	No change	Same names and boundaries

Jemulpo-gu has 18 administrative dong in all and, until a new office is built, works from both former district offices. Road-name addresses kept their road names and numbers; only the district name changed. Kakao Map switched to the new names on July 2, 2026, but older blogs, brochures, street signs and travel sites still put Chinatown in “Jung-gu” and Cheongna in “Seo-gu”. Search the old name and you will still land in the right place.

Watch for two traps. Jeongseojin, the plaza at the western end of the Ara Waterway, stayed in Seohae-gu, but its legal address is Oryu-dong, so some maps and databases list it under Geomdan-gu. And Jemulpo Station on Line 1 is not in Jemulpo-gu: it is in Michuhol-gu, three stops short of Incheon Station. Michuhol-gu itself was called Nam-gu until July 1, 2018; the 2026 change did not touch it.

What are Incheon's 11 districts and counties known for?

Every district has one clear reason to go, from Chinatown at the old port to Mokseom’s tidal sand path in the Yellow Sea. The table puts them side by side; the routes are the fastest options given in each district guide.

📍 Incheon's 11 districts and counties (sights, dishes and routes from each district guide, Oct 2026)

District	Old name	Best for	Top sight	Top eat	Fastest route from Seoul
Jemulpo-gu	Jung-gu (mainland) and Dong-gu	Chinatown, open-port history, Wolmido	Jjajangmyeon Museum and the concession stairs	Jjajangmyeon in Chinatown	Line 1 Seoul Station → Incheon Station, about 60–80 min
Yeongjong-gu	Jung-gu (islands)	Beaches, seafood, long layovers	Eurwangni Beach at sunset	Grilled clams on the Eurwangni strip	AREX express Seoul Station → Airport T1, about 43 min
Michuhol-gu	Nam-gu (until 2018)	Baseball, a short hike, local food	Munhaksan and the Incheon Dohobu Government Office	Braised monkfish in Yonghyeon-dong	Line 1 Seoul Station → Juan, 50–70 min
Yeonsu-gu	—	Songdo skyline, war history, crab	Free G-Tower observatory and Central Park	Blue crab stew on Songdo Crab Street	Line 1 to Bupyeong, then Incheon Line 1 to Central Park, about 1.5 hrs
Namdong-gu	—	Fish market, salt-pan walk, park with kids	Sorae Wetland Ecological Park	Sashimi from the Sorae Port fish market	Line 4 to Oido, then Suin-Bundang Line to Soraepogu, about 1.5 hrs
Bupyeong-gu	—	Market food, shopping, modern history	Bupyeong Modu Mall and Camp Market	Ganjjajang at Bokhwaru (since 1945)	Line 1 Seoul Station → Bupyeong, roughly 50 min on a local train
Gyeyang-gu	—	Half-day hike, canal walk	Gyeyangsan and Gyeyang Fortress	Oak-grilled duck at Hayarobi	AREX all-stop Seoul Station → Gyeyang, 25–35 min
Seohae-gu	Seo-gu (south of the Ara Waterway)	New-town parks, a sea-bridge view	THE SKY184 observatory on Cheongna Haneul Bridge	Oyster bossam at Mongno Jujeom	AREX all-stop Seoul Station → Cheongna International City, 39 min
Geomdan-gu	Seo-gu (north of the Ara Waterway)	Repeat visitors, families	Dream Park Wildflower Complex (April–November)	Yukgaejang at Danpungnamu	AREX to Gyeyang, then Incheon Line 1 north
Ganghwa-gun	—	Korean history, North Korea views	Bugeun-ri dolmen and Gwangseongbo	Jeotguk galbi in Ganghwa-eup	Bus 3000 Sinchon → Ganghwa Bus Terminal, up to about 2 hrs
Ongjin-gun	—	Island trips by road or ferry	Mokseom sand path off Seonjaedo	Seafood at the Yeongheung fisheries co-op market	Line 4 to Oido, then red bus 790 to Seonjaedo

Most of the famous sights are on the old-port side, in Jemulpo, Michuhol and Yeonsu. Gyeyang, Seohae and Geomdan are mainly residential, and their guides say plainly who they suit. Ganghwa and Ongjin need a full day or a night away.

Which Incheon district is best on an airport layover?

Yeongjong-gu, the airport island itself, and Jemulpo-gu on the mainland side of the Yeongjong Bridge. Both need about 6 hours between flights; 4 hours is not enough for either. Leaving the airport means entering Korea: you go through immigration like any visitor and need a passport valid for entry and, depending on nationality, a visa or K-ETA. Check the K-ETA rules by nationality before you plan.

Yeongjong-gu: about 6 hours for Eurwangni Beach or Masian, 7–8 hours for Hanagae Beach on Muuido.
Jemulpo-gu: about 6 hours for Chinatown or Wolmido independently. The airport's free 3-hour transit tour to Sinpo Market (15:00–18:00 daily) makes 5 hours workable if your flights line up.
Seohae-gu: Cheongna International City is 20 minutes from Terminal 1 on the AREX all-stop train, a realistic outing on a long layover.
Yeonsu-gu: Songdo is about 40 minutes from the airport by road over Incheon Bridge; allow eight hours or more for Central Park and G-Tower.
Bupyeong-gu: reachable by AREX and Incheon Line 1 without going through Seoul, for a long connection.

Michuhol, Namdong, Geomdan, Ganghwa and Ongjin are better as separate trips. The one exception in Ongjin is Sindo, a short drive over the new bridge from the airport side of Yeongjong. For lounges, showers and short plans, see our Incheon layover guide for 4, 8 or 24 hours; for an overnight connection, Incheon Airport transit and stopover hotels; for the ride into the capital, Incheon Airport to Seoul compared.

Where can you go in Incheon for a half day from Seoul?

Bupyeong, Gyeyang and Cheongna in Seohae-gu are the quickest: Line 1 or AREX gets you there in under an hour, with no transfer.

Bupyeong: Line 1 from Seoul Station opens straight into Bupyeong Modu Mall; the open zone of Camp Market is free and open 24 hours.
Gyeyang: AREX in 25–35 minutes, then a hike up Gyeyangsan or a walk along the Ara Waterway.
Seohae-gu: AREX in 34–39 minutes for the bridge observatory (book online), Cheongna Lake Park and the free National Institute of Biological Resources.
Yeonsu-gu: half a day covers Songdo's free G-Tower observatory and Central Park.

Half a day also suits an SSG Landers game in Michuhol-gu (about 70–90 minutes door to door), Sorae Port in Namdong-gu, or the wildflower park in Geomdan-gu. For a full day, Jemulpo-gu has the most to see on foot. Our Incheon day trips guide compares doing the classic routes by subway with joining a tour.

Which Incheon districts are best for food?

Go where a dish is tied to a street: jjajangmyeon in Chinatown, monkfish in Yonghyeon-dong, blue crab in Okryeon-dong and at Sorae Port, clams on Yeongjong.

Korean-Chinese: jjajangmyeon in Jemulpo-gu's Chinatown, where Gonghwachun, opened in 1912, is credited with creating the dish; ganjjajang at Bokhwaru in Bupyeong, open since 1945.
Seafood: grilled clams at Eurwangni in Yeongjong; sashimi and blue crab at Sorae Port in Namdong; blue crab stew in Yeonsu; oyster bossam in Seohae-gu; the fisheries co-op market on Yeongheungdo in Ongjin.
Cold noodles: washbasin-sized naengmyeon in Hwapyeong-dong, Jemulpo-gu; Hwanghae-style buckwheat noodles in Namdong; Baengnyeongdo-style noodles at Bupyeong Makguksu; Hwanghae-style naengmyeon in Gyodongdo's Daeryong Market, Ganghwa.
Braised and simmered: monkfish on Yonghyeon-dong's multeombeong street in Michuhol; jeotguk galbi, pork ribs simmered with salted shrimp, in Ganghwa-eup.
Market snacks and world food: dakgangjeong at Sinpo Market in Jemulpo-gu and Singi Market in Michuhol; plov and lamb shashlik in Hambak Village, Yeonsu-gu.
After a hike: pork gukbap in Gyesan-dong, Gyeyang; yukgaejang at Danpungnamu in Geomdan.

Where can you see Incheon's history?

Ganghwa holds the oldest layers, Jemulpo-gu the 1883 open port, and Yeonsu-gu the story of the Korean War landing. The rest of the city fills in the gaps:

Prehistory: the UNESCO-listed dolmens of Ganghwa, and the free Geomdan Prehistory Museum in Geomdan-gu.
Goryeo and Joseon: the Goryeo Palace Site and the Joseon forts of Ganghwa, including Gwangseongbo; the Incheon Dohobu Government Office and Incheon Hyanggyo below Munhaksan in Michuhol-gu; Gyeyang Fortress, a Historic Site since 2020, in Gyeyang-gu.
The open port: the Qing–Japanese concession stairs, the Open Port Museum, Jayu Park (1888) and the Hwadojin fort (1878) in Jemulpo-gu.
The Korean War: the Incheon Landing Operation Memorial Hall in Yeonsu-gu, and the MacArthur statue in Jayu Park.
The 20th century: Camp Market, a US Army base returned in 2019, and the story of ASCOM City in Bupyeong-gu; the Suddokguksan hillside village museum in Jemulpo-gu.

Which Incheon islands are best for a weekend?

Ongjin-gun for ferries and beaches, Ganghwa-gun for history across a bridge, and Muuido on Yeongjong if you want sand without a boat.

In Ongjin-gun, Seonjaedo and Yeongheungdo are reachable by road via Daebudo, and Sindo, Sido and Modo over the Sindo Peace Bridge from Yeongjong, open since July 14, 2026. Deokjeokdo is about 1 hour 10 minutes on the fast ferry from Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal in Jemulpo-gu and suits one night; Baengnyeongdo takes 3 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours each way, so book two nights. Ferries do get cancelled, mostly for fog and strong wind: the Incheon–Baengnyeong route had cancellations on 71 days in 2025. Keep the day after your return free.

Ganghwa-gun fills a full day, or two if you cross to Seokmodo for Bomunsa or to Gyodongdo for Daeryong Market; the sights are spread across three islands, so a car helps. On Yeongjong, Hanagae Beach on Muuido and the low-tide crossing to Silmido make an easy island day close to the airport.

Check the closed day before you go

Mondays are the problem day in Incheon. Jemulpo-gu's museums and the Wolmi Sea Train, the Incheon Dohobu Government Office, the G-Tower observatory, the Sorae Wetland exhibition hall, the Bupyeong History Museum, THE SKY184 bridge observatory, the Dream Park Wildflower Complex and the Ganghwa History Museum all close on Mondays. The Incheon City Tour's Ocean Line on Yeongjong skips Mondays and Tuesdays, and the Incheon Asiad Memorial Hall in Seohae-gu closes on Sundays instead. Each district guide lists hours and closed days.