The history of Incheon starts with Michuhol. Michuhol was the name given by a certain Biryu in 18 BC, to the city he chose for the capital of his new kingdom, present-day Incheon.

Later known as ‘Maesohol' and 'Soseong' successively, during the Goryeo Dynasty, the city was also referred to as 'yeongwongun' 'Inju' and 'yeongwonbu' which were honorific appellations earned due to its being the hometown of queens.
While in 1392, the founding year of the Joseon Dynasty, its name was changed to Inju, in 1413, it became 'Incheon-gun' during a local administrative district reform. The name 'Incheon' thus makes its first appearance in the early 15th century.
Jemulpo, present day's Jung-gu District, was long a quiet little fishing village with a handful of fishing boats afloat at its pier.

Starting in May 1882, the date of the conclusion of the Korea-US Trade and Amity Treaty, its fortunes changed dramatically.

Jemulpo inadvertently became a key military location coveted by world powers, and a center stage of diplomacy and political maneuvers.
Although a forcible opening, the beginning of exchanges between Joseon and the outside world immediately triggered a formidable inflow of people and goods to Jemulpo, and made the port into a pioneer town leading Korea's modernization process.
Paradoxically, Jemulpo's boom coincided with the equally rapid decline of Incheon-eup (present day? Gwangyo-dong), the original center of Incheon near Mt. Munhak.

In 1949, following the implementation of Korea? Local self-governance system, Incheon-bu became promoted to a city, while Jemulpo, pursuant to a 1956 ordinance, entered the jurisdiction of Jung-bu Administrative Agency, the antecedent of Jung-gu District. Jung-bu continuing in its role as the economic and cultural center of Incheon, Jung-gu District was at last created in 1968, and the area, aided by this new administrative status, soon became a fully-fledged downtown center of Incheon. With Wolmido Island placed under its jurisdiction in 1973, and Yeongjong-myeon and Yongyu-myeon in 1988, Jung-gu comes to dispose of its present-day size.
With the dawn of the 21st century, Jung-gu is taking another vigorous turn in its historic itinerary.

On March 29, 2001, a new air route was opened over the West Sea, a sea having historically nurtured so many civilizations as to be nicknamed 'East Asia' Mediterranean Sea.

Incheon International Airport, built on a reclaimed land between Yeongjongdo and Yongyudo Islands, is not only an all-weather seashore airport, open 24 hours for takeoffs and landings, but also an ultramodern, cutting-edge hub airport handling flights of large future-style supersonic aircraft.
The designation of the Wolmi Special Tourist District, which followed shortly thereafter on June 26, 2001, gave existence to Incheon's first special tourist district and the 21st of its kind in the nation, and equipped Jung-gu with the means to exploit the tremendous potential provided by the new airport.