The city of Incheon, with its world-ranked international airport and ports, is indisputably the main gateway to Korea. Its geography features a few impressive bridges over the West Sea. They are nothing like the straight and solid utilitarian bridges of Seoul linking the north and south sides of the Han River. The towering reach of these Incheon bridges creates a unique sight.
A recent new addition to Incheon's landscape is the Cheongna Haneul Bridge that connects Cheongna International City with Yeongjong Island where the airport is located, both parts of Incheon Free Economic Zone. The bridge makes a long sideways arc spanning 4.68 kilometers with a six-lane crossing, as well as the world's tallest offshore observation deck.
The bridge, however, is currently at the center of a dispute over what is supposed to be a beneficial policy for residents. The local government has decided to exempt toll fees on the new bridge for residents of Yeongjong, Cheongna and the islands of Bukdo Township, when the bridge opens to the public on Jan. 5. The toll exemptions range from 2,000 won ($1.36) to 4,000 won, depending on the type of vehicle. By April 2026, the exemption will extend to all residents of Incheon.
There is a big catch here: The vehicles must be owned by people who are enrolled as citizens of those neighborhoods under the Resident Registration Act, which excludes foreign residents under Article 6. The registration of foreign nationals in Korea, including their address records, is managed separately by the central government under the Immigration Act. Incheon's official stance as a local government is that foreigners do not fall under their management, and thus are excluded from the toll exemption.
Policymakers should consider small-scale innovations on these rigid, rather outdated laws, as Korea is becoming increasingly global and diversified in its residential makeup. If the overarching law does not serve foreign residents living in a so-called "international city," then actions such as ordinance revision can enable an exemption for them.
While the toll per passage looks like a mere sum of a few dollars or so, when counting the 4,239 foreign residents of the Yeongjong, Cheongna and Bukdo areas, it will add up. In Incheon, there are an estimated 94,595 foreign residents. More problematic is the sense of exclusion that will ultimately be detrimental to the health of the community.
The number of foreign residents of Korea reached a milestone of 2 million in May this year, soaring to more than 2.8 million in October as long-term work, study and seasonal employment drew them in. The presence of these foreign nationals has facilitated sustainability and productivity of the nation's labor markets and educational institutions. In certain sectors such as agriculture, elderly care and construction, Korea relies heavily on foreign workers. Foreigners residing in Korea should be considered and treated fairly and with dignity.
As the percentage of foreign residents rises, there are growing calls for immigration policy to go hand-in-hand with stronger integration drives. It is time to think longer term in providing robust legal protection, expanded social services and language education to foreign residents by involving local governments, the public and businesses. The U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in May called on Korea to "expedite the adoption of a comprehensive law that defines and prohibits direct and indirect racial discrimination ... in the public and private spheres."
Cheongna Haneul Bridge, another major landmark for Incheon, is expected to become a new link between the islands and special zones of the region, one that alleviates traffic challenges near the hub of Incheon International Airport. The expectations for the bridge are high, but the anticipation has been marked by disagreements, ranging from its name to the local laws governing its toll exemption policy. Local policymakers would do well to review these outdated regulations with respect to fairness and the inclusion of foreign residents.