Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex Project, Final Approval for Exemption from Preliminary Feasibility Study

On the 28th, Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province announced that the preliminary feasibility study exemption for the ‘Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex Development Project’ has been officially confirmed.

Son Byungbok, Uljin County Governor, explaining the progress of the Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex at a press conference earlier this year.

This exemption is the first among the regional candidate sites for national industrial complexes promoted by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration?of the 15 candidates nationwide?to receive a preliminary feasibility study exemption. The exemption was finalized just 10 days after the national industrial complex development plan was approved at the Cabinet meeting on June 18.

This outcome signifies the government's recognition that the Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex has sufficient tenant demand and significant economic ripple effects.

With the confirmation of this exemption, the development of the Uljin National Industrial Complex is expected to accelerate.

As the preliminary feasibility study is now exempted, the project budget for the complex will be finalized, and various administrative procedures for the development of the complex will proceed alongside the establishment of the development plan.

Additionally, projects related to the complex, such as the construction of a four-lane access road, are expected to gain momentum.

The Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex (covering the Hujeong-ri area in Jukbyeon-myeon) is planned to be developed on a 460,000-pyeong site with an investment of about 400 billion KRW. In the future, large-scale clean hydrogen will be produced using carbon-free nuclear power generated from Uljin County’s ten nuclear reactors. Companies covering the entire hydrogen industry cycle?including production, storage, transportation, and utilization?are expected to move in.

Uljin County has been proactively preparing for the successful operation of the Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex.

First, to establish a hydrogen industry cluster centered around the Uljin Industrial Complex, the county has been in discussions with various companies. Currently, GS E&C, Hyundai Engineering, Lotte Chemical, GS Energy, Samsung E&A, SK Ecoplant, Hyosung Heavy Industries, DL E&C, BHI, SK D&D, and Samsung C&T are scheduled to move in.

Additionally, Uljin County is in close consultation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, KEPCO, and KHNP to directly supply carbon-free nuclear power to the national industrial complex.

Furthermore, at the recent pan-government support task force meeting, Uljin County Mayor Son Byeongbok proposed measures for transporting hydrogen produced at the Uljin Industrial Complex, and the government is actively reviewing various transportation methods.

Other long-term projects under consideration include building a maritime terminal for the introduction and shipment of liquid hydrogen?which can be transported at 1/800th the volume to enable larger shipments at once?connecting the railway from Jukbyeon Station to the complex for land transport, expanding National Route 36, constructing an expressway, and building a hydrogen transport pipeline.

Mayor Son Byeongbok, together with companies scheduled to move into the complex, is advocating for the designation of a hydrogen-specialized cluster, the addition of hydrogen to the list of advanced strategic industries, and for Uljin Industrial Complex to be designated as a hydrogen-specialized cluster for advanced strategic industries to ensure systematic development.

If designated as a specialized cluster for advanced strategic industries, incentives for attracting businesses, R&D maintenance and expansion, workforce training, and collaborative system improvements will be systematically implemented at the pan-governmental level.

This will also enable the diversification of advanced industry development, qualitative advancement of the labor market structure, and substantial strengthening of the workforce training system from specialized high schools to graduate schools.

Mayor Son expressed his gratitude, saying, “I would like to thank all the officials and county residents who have cooperated and participated up to this point for the exemption of the preliminary feasibility study for the national industrial complex.”

He added, “With the confirmation of this exemption, not only can the Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex be established in a timely manner, but it also lays the foundation for the development of Uljin County and contributes to national energy self-sufficiency. As there is still much to be done before the full operation of the national industrial complex, I ask all county residents to join together with one heart and mind as we move forward step by step.”