Sejong, February 27 - The Ministry of Environment (Minister Han Wha-jin) signed the Memorandum of Understanding on making Incheon "the leading city for hydrogen buses" with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Incheon City, Hyundai Motors, and SK E&S at Songdo Convensia in Incheon on February 22, 2023.

The agreement was for the public and private sectors to cooperate in supplying 200 hydrogen buses in Incheon by 2023 and 700 by 2024. Incheon's target for transitioning to hydrogen buses in 2023 is the largest in the country. The city will increase the supply of hydrogen buses based on the world's largest liquid hydrogen production facility and hydrogen refueling station, which will be operated in the city. The Ministry of Environment signed the Memorandum of Understanding to Create a Leading City for Hydrogen Public Transportation" in March 2022 with Incheon City. According to the agreement, the Ministry has provided policy support to replace approximately 2,000 city buses in Incheon with hydrogen buses by 2030. 

Until now, 1,514 hydrogen cars were supplied in Incheon City. The city has seven hydrogen refueling stations, with seven more currently under construction. And, for the first time in Korea, four hydrogen high-floor buses were introduced in Incheon City in January 2023. Furthermore, a total of eight hydrogen refueling stations will be completed by the end of 2023 for hydrogen buses and other large commercial vehicles by the end of the year. Two hydrogen refueling stations opening by the fourth quarter of 2023 will store and transport liquid hydrogen, which is more efficient and safer than gas hydrogen.

After signing the agreement on February 22, Incheon City plans to host the "2023 Incheon Liquid Hydrogen Forum." The forum will be an opportunity for the city to share the government's policy directions to expand hydrogen mobility and bus companies' experience operating hydrogen buses.

Keum Han-seung, Deputy Minister of the Climate Change and Carbon Neutral Policy Office, stated, "I hope that Incheon's large-scale transition to hydrogen buses can set an example for other communities in the country and become a catalyst to distribute more hydrogen mobility." He added, "The Ministry of Environment will continue its policy support to offer more hydrogen buses to achieve carbon neutrality and provide a clean and healthy environment for citizens."

Contact: Kim Yoo-ran, Deputy Director

Air Quality Future Strategy Division / +82-(0)44-201-6881

Foreign Media Contact: Chun Minjo(Rachel)

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