From left: Jin Soo-nam, Acting President of Korea Gas Technology Corporation; Kim Dong-wook, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group’s Strategic Planning Division; Kim Young-hwan, Governor of North Chungcheong Province; Lee Beom-seok, Mayor of Cheongju; Park Kyung-guk, President of Korea Gas Safety Corporation; and Lee Joong-ho, Head of Korea Electric Power Corporation’s North Chungcheong Branch, pose for a commemorative photo during the MOU ceremony | Photo courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company
Hyundai Motor Group signed a multilateral memorandum of understanding (MOU) on June 24 at OSCO in Cheongju to promote the establishment of a hydrogen city in North Chungcheong Province. The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Dong-wook, Executive Vice President of Hyundai Motor Group’s Strategic Planning Division; Kim Young-hwan, Governor of North Chungcheong Province; Lee Beom-seok, Mayor of Cheongju; Park Kyung-guk, President of Korea Gas Safety Corporation; Jin Soo-nam, Acting President of Korea Gas Technology Corporation; and Lee Joong-ho, Head of Korea Electric Power Corporation’s North Chungcheong Branch.
The hydrogen city initiative is a large-scale project aimed at transforming Cheongju into an eco-friendly smart city powered by hydrogen energy. It aligns with the South Korean government’s Carbon Neutral 2050 goal and policies to boost the hydrogen economy. The project focuses on establishing a hydrogen ecosystem throughout the central inland region of the country.
Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor Group plans to quadruple the capacity of its clean hydrogen production facility in Cheongju, which uses biogas. Once expanded, the facility will be capable of producing 2,000 kilograms of clean hydrogen daily, ensuring stable local supply.
Hyundai will also support the expansion of hydrogen refueling infrastructure and the introduction of hydrogen mobility solutions in the region.
The North Chungcheong provincial government and Cheongju city will provide active support in terms of budgeting and regulatory approvals necessary for the hydrogen city initiative.
Korea Gas Safety Corporation will oversee the establishment of a Hydrogen Gas Safety Hub Center and facilitate training programs for specialized personnel, while Korea Gas Technology Corporation will be responsible for project progress and performance management. Korea Electric Power Corporation will build smart power infrastructure to support the hydrogen city.
Hyundai Motor Group expects this initiative to energize the regional hydrogen economy and accelerate the transition to a hydrogen-powered society.
At the “North Chungcheong Hydrogen Economy Forum” held following the MOU ceremony, Hyundai Motor Group presented the status and future plans of its global hydrogen initiatives centered on HTWO, the company’s hydrogen brand and business platform.
The group emphasized that by spearheading the first hydrogen city project in North Chungcheong Province, it aims to revitalize the local hydrogen economy and contribute to national carbon neutrality. Hyundai also reaffirmed its commitment to expanding the full hydrogen value chain—from production to utilization—through strategic partnerships and global investments.
The group is also pursuing a range of hydrogen ecosystem projects, including a hydrogen production demonstration project at the Food Waste Bio Center in Chungju, a circular hydrogen project with Paju City and the Korea Institute of Advanced Technology to build a mini hydrogen city, and a resource-circulating hydrogen solution project in West Java, Indonesia, where the group operates major production facilities.
Korea Central News Net 