Uljin-gun Wins 'Korea Representative Brand' Grand Prize for Second Consecutive Year This Year

Award in the 'Hydrogen Industry City' Category

Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, received the Grand Prize in the Hydrogen Industry City category for the second consecutive year at the ‘2024 Korea Representative Brand Awards’ ceremony held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on the 17th.

Uljin County Office.

The county was designated as a new national industrial complex candidate site on March 15 last year. The government announced on February 14 this year that the Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex would be promoted with an exemption from the preliminary feasibility study. On March 26, it signed occupancy agreements with companies wishing to move in, including GS Construction, Lotte Chemical, GS Energy, Samsung E&A, Hyosung Heavy Industries, and BHI, mobilizing all administrative power to aim for exemption from the preliminary feasibility study by May this year.

Including Shin-Hanul Units 3 and 4, Uljin-gun will possess a total of 10 nuclear power plants in the future, making it the undisputed region with the ‘world’s largest number of nuclear power plants.’ For the past 40 years, it has actively pursued the nuclear industry to respond to national energy policies. By actively attracting the nuclear hydrogen industry, which is also included in the current government’s national agenda, it is expected to greatly contribute to sustainable national development and strengthening energy security in the carbon-neutral era.

Nuclear hydrogen is produced by utilizing the heat and electricity from nuclear power, offering high economic efficiency. Since there are no carbon emissions during the hydrogen production process, it is an optimal energy source to achieve carbon neutrality. Research and development are actively underway in major advanced countries such as the United States and France.

The Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex is expected to concentrate domestic hydrogen-related large corporations, materials and parts manufacturers, and research facilities. Along with specialization in hydrogen production, a full-cycle hydrogen industry ecosystem including storage, transportation, and utilization will be established, positioning Uljin at the center of the national hydrogen industry, a key task in the carbon-neutral era.

The Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex project will be developed on a scale of 460,000 pyeong (approximately 1.52 million square meters) with a budget of 400 billion KRW. It is expected to have an economic ripple effect of 17 trillion KRW and create 38,000 jobs, bringing hope and vitality to the region through local job creation and population inflow.

County Governor Son Byung-bok said, “The establishment of the Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex will be an alternative to overcoming the carbon-neutral era not only for Uljin but also at the national level.” He added, “Through continuous efforts and innovation, we will successfully promote the development of the nuclear hydrogen industry in Uljin and contribute to the local community and national development.”