Sejong, October 14 - On October 7, the Ministry of Environment (ME, Minister Han Wha-jin) held the "hydrogen fueling station" completion ceremony in front of the Seoul City Hall Seosomun Building 5. It is the first hydrogen fueling station inside the four main gates of the old Seoul. The completion ceremony was attended by Environment Minister Han Wha-jin, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, the Speaker of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Kim Hyeon-ki, Permanent Vice President of the Environment and Water Resources Committee of the Seoul Metropolitan Council Jung Jun-ho, President of Seoul Energy Corporation Kim Joong-sik, Vice President of Hyundai Motors Yoo Won-ha, and CEO of JNK Heaters Kim Bang-hee. 

The hydrogen fueling station, located at the Seosomun branch of the Seoul city office, faced difficulties with regulations on installation, such as being a cultural heritage protection zone and the distance from the protection facility. However, the "Ministerial Hydrogen Station Task Force" solved these challenges through cooperation among the central and local governments. The Ministry of Environment supported KRW 1.5 billion of government expenditure in 2020 to establish the hydrogen fueling station. The construction was completed in August 2022 after going through reviews for cultural heritage conservation by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (February 17, 2021), regulatory exceptions by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (March 11, 2021), and shared property by the Seoul Metropolitan Council (April 27, 2021). The newly built station's hydrogen capacity was 200kg/day (or 40 hydrogen vehicles) and its operation (reservation-based) officially begins on October 7. However, at the early stage of the operation, 100 kg of hydrogen (about 25 hydrogen vehicles) will be supplied daily and increased in phases.

The Ministry of Environment predicted that the hydrogen fueling station's opening would improve the hydrogen charging environment in the Seoul area. There are currently nine hydrogen fueling stations (13 chargers) in Seoul, including the new fueling station. This figure will increase by one hydrogen charging station, with another at the National Assembly expected to be completed in November this year. The ministry hopes the cooperation in installing the Seosomun hydrogen fueling station will serve as an example for more hydrogen stations to be established in downtown Seoul.

The Ministry of Environment has been supporting the installation of hydrogen fueling stations in symbolic locations in the center of cities, including the National Assembly, Government Complex Sejong, and the city halls of Hwaseong and Cheonan, by partnering with relevant ministries, local governments, and private enterprises. These partnerships are expected to increase residents' receptivity to hydrogen fueling stations and boost the demand for hydrogen vehicles. As of September 30, there are 196 hydrogen chargers nationwide and 26,868 hydrogen vehicles.

Minister of Environment Han Wha-jin said, "The recent opening of the Seosomun hydrogen fueling station is an achievement made by cooperation between the central and the local government to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce fine particles. The accomplishment will be evaluated as moving Seoul, the capital of South Korea, one step closer to becoming a carbon-neutral city." She added, "We ask everyone's active participation in making a clear sky, free of fine particles."

Contact: Lee Se-ho, Deputy Director

Air Quality Future Strategy Division/ +82-(0)44-201-6884

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

+82-(0)44-201-6055 / rachelmchun@korea.kr