WHE 2026 Opens; Climate Vice Minister: "Government to Set Policy Direction to Revitalize Hydrogen Industry"

Held jointly with the 5th Hydrogen Day ceremony
266 companies from 22 countries and 30,000 attendees expected

World Hydrogen Expo (WHE) 2026 opened with a ceremony at 11 a.m. on the 4th. Major guests announce the opening of WHE 2026 during a message performance. From left: Lee Gyeongsil, CEO of Kohygen Co., Ltd.; Kang Gyeongsu, director of the Korea Institute of Energy Research; Kim Jaehong, chairman of the Korea Hydrogen Alliance; Lee Hohyeon, vice minister of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment; Lee Jongbae, co-chair of the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum; Jeong Daejin, chairman of the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association; Kim Wanjin, CEO of YL Energy Technology; and Kim Jinhyeong, vice mayor of Chungju. WHE 2026 Organizing Committee

World Hydrogen Expo Organizing Committee, co-chaired by Kim Jaehong, chairman of the Korea Hydrogen Alliance, and Jeong Daejin, chairman of the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, is hosting World Hydrogen Expo 2026 (WHE 2026) at KINTEX in Goyang for three days, from the opening ceremony on the morning of November 4 through November 6.

This year, WHE 2026 is being held in conjunction with the fifth Hydrogen Day, a statutory commemorative day. About 30,000 people are expected to attend, including officials from domestic and foreign governments and international organizations, hydrogen companies, and experts from industry, academia, and research institutions.

WHE 2026 is Asia's largest hydrogen industry event, comprising an exhibition featuring 266 companies from 22 countries and an international conference.

The international conference will feature programs including Leadership Insights, Hydrogen Deep Dive, Country Day, and Future to Tech.

Global hydrogen industry leaders, including Ivana Jemelkova, CEO of the Hydrogen Council; Uwe Remme, division head at the International Energy Agency (IEA); Laurent Antoni, executive director of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE); and Tetsufumi Ikeda, chair of ISO/TC 197, will speak at the event. They will share insights on hydrogen policies and market trends in their respective countries and explore ways to foster global cooperation.

The exhibition will bring together 197 companies from 12 countries to showcase new technologies across the hydrogen value chain, from production to storage, transportation, and utilization.

Domestic participants include Hyundai Motor Group, Kolon Industries, Hylium Industries, Lightbridge, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, and Bumhan Fuel Cell, while global companies such as TMEIC, Henkel Korea, and Ebara will also take part. Research institutions, including the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials and the Korea Testing & Research Institute (KTR), will also participate.

World Hydrogen Expo 2026 kicked off with an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. on the 4th. Key guests are touring the exhibition hall. WHE2026 Organizing Committee

About 300 people attended the opening ceremony, including Lee Hohyeon, Second Vice Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment; Assemblyman Lee Jongbae, co-chair of the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum; and the co-chairs of the organizing committee, Kim Jaehong, chairman of the Korea Hydrogen Alliance, and Jeong Daejin, chairman of the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, as well as representatives of foreign governments and international organizations, domestic and international industry, and related institutions.

In his welcoming remarks, Kim Jaehong, co-chair of the organizing committee, said, "The global hydrogen industry is at a crucial turning point. It must attract tangible investment in areas where emissions-reduction benefits and economic viability have been demonstrated, and expand trade between countries. I hope this event will provide a meaningful opportunity to discuss cooperation, including technological innovation to generate large-scale demand for clean hydrogen, the establishment of global supply chains, and the expansion of trade, while identifying new business opportunities in response to changes in the global industry."

In his welcoming remarks, Jeong Daejin, co-chair of the organizing committee, said, "Under the slogan 'Hydrogen Moves to the Market: Turning Viable Projects into Reality,' this event offers an opportunity to discover innovative technologies from leading hydrogen companies such as Hyundai Motor Group, as well as from small and medium-sized companies with specialized capabilities across the entire value chain, from production to storage, transportation, and utilization. We will do our utmost to make this a platform for global exchanges and business opportunities by sharing the latest trends in the hydrogen industry and exploring future commercialization opportunities together."

Lee Hohyeon, Second Vice Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, said, "Hydrogen is a key means of decarbonizing industries where greenhouse gas emissions are difficult to reduce, and it plays an important role in the green transformation. The government will establish policy directions to revitalize the hydrogen industry and build an ecosystem in which domestic clean hydrogen production and utilization create a virtuous cycle."

Meanwhile, 34 awards were presented at the ceremony to individuals and organizations that contributed to the promotion of the hydrogen economy. Kang Gyeongsu, head of research at the Korea Institute of Energy Research, and Kim Wanjin, CEO of YL Energy Technology, received the Industrial Service Medal. Lee Gyeongsil, CEO of Cohaigen, received a Presidential Commendation, while Chungju City in North Chungcheong Province received a Prime Minister's Commendation.

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