Hyundai Motor's 9 Trillion Won Saemangeum Investment... Jeonju Speeds Up Hydrogen Industry Development

"Hydrogen Industry Symposium" Held at Jeonbuk Techno Business Center

Jeonju City has begun developing plans and strategies to foster the hydrogen industry in line with Hyundai Motor Group’s investment in Saemangeum and the national strategy for balanced development.

On October 12, Jeonju City held the “2026 Jeonju Hydrogen Industry Symposium” at the auditorium of the Jeonbuk Techno Business Center, with around 100 participants from industry, academia, and research organizations.

The city of Jeonju held the 2026 Jeonju Hydrogen Industry Symposium on the 12th at the auditorium of the Jeonbuk Techno Biz Center, with around 100 industry, academic, and research representatives in attendance. The symposium focused on “Exploring the Future Direction of the Hydrogen Industry.” Provided by Jeonju City Hall.

The symposium was organized as the government’s “5 Mega-Regions and 3 Special Self-Governing Provinces” strategy for balanced national development identified a green hydrogen platform as a growth engine for Jeonbuk, while Hyundai Motor Group’s 9 trillion won investment plan for Saemangeum moved forward. A key topic of discussion was how to turn Saemangeum’s large-scale investment into an opportunity for growth in Jeonbuk’s hydrogen industry, and what role Jeonju City could play by leveraging its existing hydrogen infrastructure.

In the keynote address, Kim Jinhu, head of the Robot and Hydrogen Promotion Team at the Saemangeum Development and Investment Agency, discussed the changes and outlook for regional industries resulting from the Saemangeum investment under the title “Hyundai Motor’s 9 Trillion Won Investment in Saemangeum and Jeonbuk’s Future.” Lee Jihoon, a senior researcher at the Jeonbuk Research Institute, presented “Hyundai Motor’s Saemangeum Investment and the Era of 5 Mega-Regions and 3 Special Self-Governing Provinces: Jeonju’s Response to the Hydrogen Industry.” Kim Myunghwan, head of the Hydrogen Power Research Division at the Korea Automotive Technology Institute, introduced technology trends in hydrogen-powered transportation and ways to expand the industry under the title “Expanding Hydrogen Mobility for Eco-Friendly Transportation.”

In the panel discussion that followed, Choi Baekryeol, president of the Jeonbuk Research Institute, served as moderator. Participants included Kim Youngkwon, head of the Energy Industry Promotion Division at Jeonbuk Technopark; Kang Kyungsoo, director of the Hydrogen Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Energy Research; Professor Namgung Moon of Wonkwang University; and Lee Geunje, section chief in charge of RH business planning at Hyundai Motor. They discussed directions for fostering Jeonju’s hydrogen industry.

For the hydrogen industry to become a new regional growth engine, key challenges include linking the foundations for production and use, as well as expanding actual demand, alongside corporate investment and research and development. Another challenge identified was strengthening industrial ties between Jeonju and Saemangeum so that Saemangeum’s investment plans can help expand the regional industrial ecosystem.

Jeonju Mayor Jo Jihoon said, “Jeonbuk’s hydrogen industry is now at an important turning point. Jeonju will also do its utmost to foster the hydrogen industry based on the hydrogen infrastructure we have built over the years and to ensure that hydrogen energy becomes a natural part of residents’ daily lives.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.