Incheon in talks with Wycombe Abbey to establish 1st Korean campus

Planned design for Wycombe Abbey's regional campus on Incheon's Yeongjong Island / Courtesy of Incheon Free Economic Zone

Incheon Metropolitan City is in talks with Wycombe Abbey, a prestigious all-girls independent boarding school in Buckinghamshire, England, to establish a regional campus in the Korean port city, the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Authority said Monday.

IFEZ designated the British school as the preferred partner for an international school project in Midan City, a developing area on Incheon’s western Yeongjong Island. If an agreement is reached, the school will become the first international school in Yeongjong, with a completion date set for 2028.

On Friday, IFEZ selected Wycombe Abbey from a pool of seven candidate schools from the U.K., the United States and Canada that had applied to the city. The new campus, set to be built on a 96,000-square-meter site, is expected to drive the development of Incheon’s western coastal region and serve as a key anchor for attracting further foreign investment, IFEZ said.

With the addition of the new school, all three of Incheon’s free economic zones — Songdo, Cheongna and Yeongjong — will be home to foreign educational institutions.

“The introduction of Wycombe Abbey in Yeongjong is not just an expansion of local educational infrastructure; it marks a turning point in boosting the city's global reputation. This will enhance Incheon’s global educational competitiveness and attract foreign investments," Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok said, following the city government's announcement.

The IFEZ’s special evaluation committee selected Wycombe Abbey based on its global reputation, management competence and plans for financing, student enrollment and cooperation with local communities. The authority opened the application process for foreign schools interested in establishing a regional campus in Incheon in October.

Once completed, the new school will feature classrooms, libraries and facilities for art, performance and sports. Unlike its main campus, the new school will admit both boys and girls.

Wycombe Abbey currently operates five regional campuses outside the U.K., in Hong Kong and China. It also plans to open additional campuses in Singapore and Cairo.