Gyeongbuk Province, Uljin County, and Korea Testing Laboratory Sign MOU to Establish Nuclear Clean Hydrogen Industry Innovation Center

Governor Lee Cheolwoo, County Chief Son Byungbok, and Director Kim Sejong Attend

On the afternoon of the 12th at 2 p.m., Uljin County in North Gyeongsang Province signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for mutual cooperation with North Gyeongsang Province and the Korea Testing Laboratory (KTL) at the Hwarang Hall of the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government Office to establish a Nuclear Clean Hydrogen Industry Innovation Center.

On the 12th, Gyeongbuk Province, Korea Testing Laboratory, and Uljin County signed a mutual cooperation agreement at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office to establish the Nuclear Clean Hydrogen Industry Innovation Center.

The signing ceremony was attended by Lee Cheolwoo, Governor of North Gyeongsang Province, Son Byungbok, Uljin County Mayor, and Kim Sejong, President of the Korea Testing Laboratory.

This agreement aims to lead new economic growth in the region, such as fostering local industries and creating jobs, by establishing a comprehensive cooperation system for nurturing the nuclear clean hydrogen production innovation industry.

Under the agreement, various efforts will be made to systematically promote the early realization of the national hydrogen economy implementation plan, the development of the local hydrogen industry, and the cultivation of the nuclear clean hydrogen ecosystem.

The main contents include establishing strategies and supporting the discovery of projects to build a regional hydrogen economy foundation, building a cooperative system necessary for the establishment and implementation of plans to foster the nuclear hydrogen industry, supporting the development and commercialization of new hydrogen industries through the use of nuclear hydrogen, supporting the growth of related companies in hydrogen production, distribution, utilization, and greenhouse gas reduction, and discovering programs to foster talent and promote employment and entrepreneurship tailored to corporate demand for the sustainable growth of the hydrogen industry.

The Korea Testing Laboratory is a public comprehensive testing and certification institution established under Article 41 of the Industrial Technology Innovation Promotion Act, providing testing and evaluation of product performance, safety, and reliability, quality certification support, safety diagnosis and technical supervision of various facilities, calibration and measurement technology support for measuring instruments, and training of specialized personnel for these purposes.

The Uljin Nuclear Hydrogen National Industrial Complex is a large-scale industrial complex covering approximately 1.52 million square meters, with a budget of about 400 billion KRW. It is expected to generate an economic effect of about 17 trillion KRW and create 37,000 jobs, and is projected to become a key hub for the national economy and balanced regional development through the realization of carbon neutrality.

Since the start of the 8th popularly elected administration, Uljin County was selected as a candidate site for the national industrial complex in March 2023 through a hydrogen production strategy utilizing non-transmission power and proactive efforts to secure tenant companies. On June 28 this year, exemption from the preliminary feasibility study was confirmed, allowing for a shortened administrative procedure period until the groundbreaking of the national industrial complex.

Mayor Son Byungbok stated, "This agreement is an important step toward creating a full-cycle hydrogen industry cluster. By cooperating with the Korea Testing Laboratory, we can evaluate the safety and performance of materials, components, and devices necessary for the production and storage of clean hydrogen using nuclear power, and establish a comprehensive demonstration support system. In addition, by collaborating with companies, universities, and research institutes, we can fully utilize the expertise and human resources of the Korea Testing Laboratory to discover and foster new businesses in the hydrogen field. Uljin County will do its utmost to lead the national hydrogen economy and realize its vision as a global nuclear hydrogen hub city that exports hydrogen worldwide."