Songdo-dong, or Songdo International Business District, in Incheon, South Korea, is a smart city. It is a city using informational technology to support and manage the infrastructure and maintain a focus on efficiency. Located along the waterfront of Incheon and 64 kilometres south-west of the capital, Seoul, is part of the larger urban area of Songdo City. More than just another city, it aims to set a new vision of urban development, one designed around the people who live there, hoping to enhance lifestyles in a safe, sustainable and smart environment.
Visiting Songdo-dong is a truly unique cultural experience. As a modern city with limited history and state of the art technology, it a futuristic paradise. There is the tallest building in Korea, the Northeast Asia Trade Tower, an iconic piece of Songdo skyline as well as Central Park, based around the famous one in New York City; both best for touristic entertainment. The main appeal of the area is the technology that makes up the city itself as computers are intrinsically part of buildings where citizens can control the electricity of their house from a control panel and communicate about things from crime alerts to bus timetables.
The location of Songdo-dong is an important part of its goal of efficiency, as it is specifically designed to be well-connected. Songdo International Business District is next to one of the world’s most celebrated airports, Incheon International Airport. Inside the city, the streets are wide and safe for cyclists, as well as being accessible to bus routes and Line 1 of the Incheon Metro.
With construction started in 2005, the history of the city is a short, yet interesting one. It was developed from intentions of sustainability, wanting to reserve areas for green space, encourage electric cars and develop a waste system eliminating the need for garbage trucks. It is a city of innovation and creativity, not to mention exceptional technological advancement and a special place for any tourist to visit.