Yeongjong-gu in Incheon has launched a citywide petition campaign to attract the main headquarters of the Incheon Maritime and International Commercial Court to the district.
The district announced Monday that it would pursue an extensive signature campaign to demonstrate community resolve and rally residents behind the bid.
The Incheon Maritime and International Commercial Court would be a specialized judicial body handling disputes in the shipping and maritime sectors as well as international commercial transactions.
Should the court be established, it is estimated to generate an annual economic impact of up to 500 billion won ($378 million), making competition among local governments for the site fierce.
Yeongjong-gu argues that its position as a gateway city home to Incheon International Airport, combined with world-class logistics infrastructure, gives it the strongest case for hosting the court.
The district points to its unrivaled transport accessibility, which would allow parties to disputes from around the world to arrive, attend proceedings and depart on the same day.
Additional strengths cited include its suitability for resolving complex multimodal disputes spanning maritime and air freight, as well as an abundance of global business support facilities such as five-star MICE venues.
The district also notes that available land — including a third reserved site — could be developed into a "global maritime legal zone" clustering the court building and affiliated institutions.
To build momentum for the bid, the district has designated the period through Nov. 15 as an intensive signature-collection phase, running campaigns through both online and offline channels.
"Yeongjong, with its world-class airport infrastructure and role as a logistics hub, is the ideal location to maximize the competitiveness of South Korea's maritime judiciary," District Mayor Son Hwa-jeong said.
gilbert@heraldcorp.com
