An industrial complex to enjoy after work, too ... Multi-purpose cultural center opens at Incheon’s Namdong Industrial Complex

【Financial News, Incheon — Han Gab-soo, Staff Writer】 Having served as a production hub for Incheon’s economy for more than 40 years,, Namdong National Industrial Complex is seeking to transform itself into a place with cultural and leisure amenities. The city is improving the working environment by expanding cultural and lifestyle infrastructure at the factory-centered industrial complex so workers and young people can use it after work.
Incheon Metropolitan City held an opening ceremony for the multi-purpose cultural center Sandarak and a vision declaration ceremony for the Culture-Leading Industrial Complex initiative at the Namdong Industrial Complex K1 Knowledge Industry Center in Namdong-gu on the 12th.
Sandarak was built with a total project budget of 5.8 billion won and covers 1,408 square meters. It has a cafe, sports studio, music studio, art studio and community room, among other facilities, where visitors can exercise, enjoy music and art, and take part in club activities.
Starting this month, it is offering six pilot courses, including yoga, K-pop dance, urban sketching and French embroidery. The facility is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and Incheon Technopark is responsible for its management.
Starting with the opening of Sandarak, Incheon Metropolitan City is also pursuing a project to create the “Namdong Culture-Leading Industrial Complex,” investing 63.1 billion won through 2029. The project will expand cultural programs, regenerate industrial spaces, increase cultural content, create a cultural street and establish a platform for youth participation.
The plan is to transform the aging industrial complex from a mere concentration of production facilities into a place where work, culture and leisure coexist. Some also point out that, for expanded cultural facilities to actually attract young people and improve workers’ quality of life, programs must be run continuously and access to the facilities made more convenient.
Mayor Park Chan-dae said, “With Sandarak as our starting point, we will develop Namdong Industrial Complex into a cultural hub that workers, young people and residents visit together.”
[email protected] Han Gab-soo Reporter