Songdo, one of the best-known place names in Incheon, may have originated in Japan during the Japanese colonial period, raising questions over whether the name should be changed.
The Incheon Metropolitan Government said on the 14th that it has concluded Songdo most likely derives from a Japanese name, based on a project launched in 2021 to review place names suspected of Japanese origin.
Two theories surround the origin of the name. One holds that it was taken from the Matsushima, a main cruiser of the Japanese navy during the first Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. The other suggests that the area now covering Okryeon-dong and Dongchun-dong in Incheon's Yeonsu District was called Songdo in reference to the scenery of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, one of Japan's three most celebrated landscapes. Both Japanese names use the same characters as Songdo.
In August, the city sent Yeonsu District an interim report on the progress of the project and asked that the work be completed by next year. If the district decides to keep the name Songdo, it can conclude the process at the district level through a review by its place-name committee or by gathering residents' views. Changing or abolishing the name, by contrast, would require approval from both the Yeonsu District and Incheon city place-name committees.
The city is pursuing similar reviews of other names suspected of Japanese origin. Dumujin, a tourist site on Baengnyeong Island, has been designated for priority review on the theory that its earlier name, Dumojin, was changed after the Russo-Japanese War. The city has asked Ongjin County, the local government with jurisdiction, to address the issue. Baengmajang in Sangok-dong, Bupyeong District, is presumed to be of Japanese origin and is in the process of being abolished.
Songdo, however, is a more complicated case. Yeonsu District is still weighing whether to keep the name or replace it. The biggest concern is that Songdo has already become established as a name representing Incheon. It is used for the former Songdo Amusement Park and Songdo Station on the Suin-Bundang Line, as well as for Songdo International City. Songdo International City in particular is known overseas as one of Incheon's flagship development areas, prompting concerns that a name change could cause confusion.
"There are many place names tied to the name Songdo, so a careful decision is needed," a Yeonsu District official said. "We will hold further discussions on the name going forward."