On Monday, January 22, 2018, Incheon Metropolitan City and the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority (IFEZ) signed an investment agreement with Merck, a German science and technology company, in the life science sector. Under the agreement, Merck plans to invest KRW 22.1 billion (approximately USD 20.8 million) to build the Merck Korea Life Science Operations Headquarters in Songdo International City, which will manufacture and supply cell culture media and provide related services. Merck is a global science and technology company operating in the fields of life science, healthcare, and electronics.