Must-go Place
The Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Public Relations Office has emerged as a place key figures at home and abroad must go. In particular, most foreign visitors were potential investors and officials from other institutions which seek to benchmark the zone. Therefore, the office is expected to help promote the IFEZ overseas and attract investment in the future. The IFEZ recently announced that the number of visitors to the IFEZ Public Relations Office increased 130 percent last year, reaching a record high on an annual basis, and the number of foreign visitors also grew more than 42 percent.
The IFEZ Public Relations Office is located on the 33rd floor of G-Tower in order to induce investment and provide people with visual treats. A total of 230,136 people visited the office last year, up a whopping 130 percent from 99,786 in 2015. The IFEZ Authority moved the public relations office from Get Pearl Tower to the 33rd floor of G-Tower at the end of March, 2015.
Last year, the number of foreign visitors to the office stood at 11,094, showing a significant increase from 2015. This is largely due to the increase in investors who are interested in the IFEZ and institutions and organizations which seek to benchmark the development and experience of the IFEZ. Accordingly, the public relation office has emerged as a domestic base to attract investment and a must-go spot.
In fact, three heads of state visited the office last year – Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in March, Myanmar President Htin Kyaw in July and Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis in October. This hints so much interest from other countries in the IFEZ development.
Moreover, 1,489 key figures in other countries of higher than cabinet minister and vice-minister ranks, such as Luosangjiangcun, Chairman of Tibet Autonomous Region, Union Minister for Finance and National Planning U Kyaw Win of Myanmar, Urban Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher of Australia and Trade Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed of Kenya, visited the public relation office. They expressed their amazement for the IFEZ development phases after being debriefed on projects of the IFEZ development and eco-friendly and smart city creation.
At the IFEZ Public Relations Office, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view of the Yellow Sea and Songdo International City. Notably, there are four 84-inch multivision displays as well as an investment counsel office and a lounge. With full-motion graphics, each display shows four themes, including the introduction that raises the curiosity of the IFEZ which turned from the sea to the land, the history of the IFEZ that introduces the modern history and main events of Incheon in chronological order with images and subtitles, the past and present of the IFEZ that shows the backdrop, outline, strength, competitiveness and vision of the IFEZ, and the future of the IFEZ that is turning into a ubiquitous city.
In addition to the intent of inviting investment by increasing understanding of the IFEZ, the public relations office has reinforced its experience functions. When visitors wear 3D glasses and ride “flying bicycle,” they can feel like they are flying over the IFEZ and see the future shape of the IFEZ. They also can collect creatures in the tidal flat by touching a 42-inch monitor.
The IFEZ Authority will give a customized briefing to domestic and foreign visitors to the public relations office according to the purpose of their visits, build a database of key visitors and make use of the office as a regular promotion channel in the future, enhancing the brand value of the IFEZ and promoting more foreign investment.
Meanwhile, the public relations office opens from 10am to 8pm from Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. Those who want to visit the office can call at 032-453-7882~3 or visit the IFEZ official website (http://www.ifez.go.kr/eng/main.do) to arrange a visit.