Uljin-gun to Host the 'Gyeongbuk Nuclear Hydrogen Industry Forum' This Year

On the 8th, Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, held the '2023 Gyeongbuk Nuclear Hydrogen Industry Forum' at Uljin Deokgu Oncheon Hotel, focusing on the development status and prospects of nuclear hydrogen in Gyeongbuk.

Uljin County hosted the 2023 Gyeongbuk Nuclear Hydrogen Industry Forum.

Co-hosted by Uljin-gun and Gyeongbuk Province and organized by Yeongnam Ilbo, the forum was attended by about 300 people, including Son Byeong-bok, the county governor, Kim Jung-kwon, head of the East Sea Regional Headquarters, Lee Seung-ik, president of Yeongnam Ilbo, Choi Deok-gyu, chairman of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Council's Special Committee on Nuclear Measures, Kim Won-seok, vice chairman of the same committee, as well as experts from industry, academia, and research, and residents of Uljin-gun.

In March, Uljin-gun was selected as a candidate site for the national nuclear hydrogen industrial complex as an optimal location for producing and utilizing hydrogen using nuclear power, a carbon-free energy source. This forum was organized to explore the role and development plans of the nuclear hydrogen industry and to lay the foundation for creating a nuclear hydrogen industrial ecosystem.

On this day, Governor Son Byeong-bok opened the forum with a keynote speech on ▲ the role of nuclear clean hydrogen in achieving carbon neutrality in the era of climate crisis ▲ the plan to foster the Uljin nuclear clean hydrogen industry centered on the national industrial complex ▲ and the pivotal role in Korea's hydrogen economy belt.

Following this, presentations by experts from industry, academia, and research were held on ▲ technology development and commercialization plans for the clean hydrogen industry ▲ domestic and international trends and prospects of nuclear hydrogen ▲ clean hydrogen production projects using I-SMR ▲ plans for establishing the Uljin nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex ▲ and mid- to long-term strategies for hydrogen technology development, along with a lively panel discussion on measures to revitalize the Gyeongbuk nuclear hydrogen industry.

The forum, continuing until the 9th, will include presentations on cooperation plans for the Uljin nuclear hydrogen production and demonstration complex, the current status and implications of CF100, and a tour of nuclear power-related facilities.

Currently, achieving carbon neutrality is challenging with limited use of renewable energy alone, so utilizing core resources such as nuclear power and hydrogen, which are key to CF100 (Carbon Free 100%), in industry can be a practical alternative from the perspectives of carbon neutrality and energy security.

Accordingly, the county plans to build infrastructure for hydrogen production and demonstration using nuclear power, involving public enterprises like Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), universities, and research institutes within the Uljin nuclear hydrogen national industrial complex. By 2030, it aims to establish an annual production base of 200,000 tons of nuclear clean hydrogen and promote the clustering of hydrogen production, distribution, and utilization companies, making comprehensive efforts to foster the entire nuclear hydrogen industry cycle.

Governor Son Byeong-bok stated, “I hope this forum will serve as an opportunity to share and widely promote the importance of nuclear clean hydrogen for overcoming the climate crisis, with Uljin-gun representing nuclear power.” He added, “We will work together with Gyeongbuk Province to create future growth engines and realize carbon neutrality through fostering the nuclear hydrogen industry.”