Lawmaker Kim Gyo-heung Pushes for 50,000-Seat 'K-Arena' in Incheon's Yeongjong Island to Elevate K-Culture

National Assembly Member Kim Gyo-heung (Incheon Seo-gu Gap, Chairman of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee) is spearheading a grand vision to establish Incheon as the capital of K-culture, actively pushing for the construction of large-scale infrastructure.

Highlighting the paradox of South Korea, the birthplace of K-pop, lacking a major concert venue, Kim is driving the initiative to build a colossal 'K-Arena' with a 50,000-seat capacity on Yeongjong Island. He pointed out the current reality where K-pop artists successfully sell out tens of thousands of seats abroad, yet struggle to hold large-scale tours domestically.

"To foster the growth of the domestic performance market, a specialized venue with over 50,000 seats is essential," Kim stated. To this end, he plans to allocate 500 million KRW in government funding next year for research and development on constructing a medium-to-large arena in the Seoul metropolitan area. He has already proposed four potential sites on Yeongjong Island to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

Kim also highlighted the successful realization of the Cheongra Skyway Bridge opening, a project stalled for 14 years. This bridge directly connects Yeongjong and Cheongra International City, significantly reducing travel time from Incheon Airport to Seoul. He further plans to leverage the bridge's opening by hosting the '1st Korea Duathlon Championship,' aiming to enhance Incheon's status as a sports city.

Furthermore, Kim is committed to reforming the arts and living sports sectors. He aims to establish a K-Culture and Sports Convergence City in Incheon by creating a K-Arts Distribution Corporation and bolstering support for community sports to realize an 'everyone-plays-one-sport' era. "Incheon is the gateway to South Korea and holds immense potential," Kim affirmed. "We will do our utmost to develop the culture, sports, and tourism industries into future strategic sectors."

Netizens expressed excitement over the 'K-Arena' construction, commenting, "This is a facility that was needed long ago." Many also shared their anticipation, saying, "It's wonderful that world stars like BTS can perform freely in Korea," and expressed hopes that "Incheon will become the mecca of K-pop."