North Jeolla Province constructs hydrogen mobility inspection centre

On 21 September, the province signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Hydrogen Mobility Inspection Center' with Wanju-gun and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority at the provincial office. The signing ceremony was attended by Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Governor Lee Won-taek, Wanju-gun Mayor Yoo Hee-tae, and Korea Transportation Safety Authority President Jeong Yong-sik. This project is being pursued to establish a professional safety inspection infrastructure in preparation for the expansion of hydrogen commercial vehicle supply, and to build a one-stop system in Wanju, the nation's only hydrogen commercial vehicle production site, that links production with inspection and safety management. The Hydrogen Mobility Inspection Center will be established within the Wanju Techno Valley Industrial Complex, with a total of 8.13 billion won invested over three years from 2026 to 2028, including 6.53 billion won in state funds and 1.6 billion won in local funds. The Korea Transportation Safety Authority will be in charge of the project implementation.

The centre will be equipped with specialised inspection equipment and safety facilities, including gas leak meters capable of inspecting pressure vessels in hydrogen passenger and commercial vehicles, as well as automatic ventilation systems for gas leak detection. Through this, the plan is to conduct safety inspections necessary for the operation of hydrogen vehicles and establish a specialized inspection system to prevent accidents.

Under this agreement, Jeonbuk Province and Wanju County will be responsible for the administrative and financial support necessary for the project, such as land acquisition and permits, while the Korea Transportation Safety Authority will be responsible for the construction and operation of the center and the introduction of hydrogen-specific inspection equipment.

The project will proceed with the goal of completion in 2028, following the start of detailed design in September of this year, site acquisition, and licensing procedures in the first half of 2027.

The province expects that the completion of the inspection center will strengthen its safety management capabilities for hydrogen vehicles, as it will secure specialized inspection facilities in Wanju, which already possesses a production base for hydrogen commercial vehicles. In particular, it views this as an opportunity to respond to the future expansion of hydrogen commercial vehicle supply while simultaneously strengthening the safety foundation of the hydrogen mobility industry in the Honam region.

Jeonbuk Governor Lee Won-taek said: “For the hydrogen commercial vehicle industry to grow, an inspection system that supports safety is crucial above all else. With this agreement as an opportunity, we will continue to cooperate with relevant agencies so that Jeonbuk can leap forward as a region that leads not only in the production of hydrogen commercial vehicles but also in inspection and safety management.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/24092026/north-jeolla-province-constructs-hydrogen-mobility-inspection-centre/