Incheon officials protest merger of four major port authorities

The South Korean government is facing intense opposition regarding its plan to merge four major port authorities—Incheon, Busan, Ulsan, and Yeosu Gwangyang—into a single entity, tentatively named the ‘Korea Port Authority.’ The government’s reform plan aims to increase efficiency by centralizing policy and planning functions while converting existing authorities into regional branches.

Incheon local politicians and the Incheon Metropolitan Council have issued statements demanding a complete reconsideration of the merger. Critics argue that the plan threatens the autonomy, financial stability, and specialized competitiveness of individual ports. Specifically, there are concerns that Incheon’s major projects, such as the development of the New Incheon Port and inner harbor redevelopment, could be deprioritized if decision-making and investment resources are centralized.

Labor unions from the four port authorities also held a joint press conference to protest the move, labeling it a ‘pre-integration, post-verification’ policy. They contend that the diverse industrial and logistical characteristics of each port—ranging from Busan’s transshipment focus to Incheon’s role as a gateway to the capital region—make a unified management structure counterproductive to international competitiveness.