Honam's First Hydrogen Mobility Inspection Center to Be Built in Wanju

Jeonbuk Province and Korea Transportation Safety Authority Sign MOU
81 Billion Won to Be Invested by 2028

A dedicated facility for hydrogen vehicle safety inspections will be established in Wanju, Jeonbuk. With this new specialized inspection facility in Wanju, which already has a hydrogen commercial vehicle production base, the region is expected to build an industrial foundation that connects vehicle production to safety inspections.

On the 21st, Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province, Wanju County, and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Hydrogen Mobility Inspection Center" at Jeonbuk Provincial Government. The signing ceremony was attended by Lee Wontak, Governor of Jeonbuk, Yoo Heetae, Governor of Wanju, and Jeong Yongshik, President of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority.

The Hydrogen Mobility Inspection Center will be built in the Wanju Technovalley Industrial Complex. A total of 8.13 billion won will be invested in the project, including 6.53 billion won in national funds and 1.6 billion won in local funds, from 2026 to 2028. The project will be implemented by the Korea Transportation Safety Authority. The detailed design phase will begin in September 2026, with plans to start land acquisition and permitting procedures in the first half of 2027 and complete construction by 2028.

The center will be equipped with devices to inspect the pressure vessels of both hydrogen passenger vehicles and hydrogen commercial vehicles. As a specialized facility for evaluating the safety of high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, a core component of hydrogen vehicles, the center will serve to preemptively identify safety issues that may arise during vehicle operation.

The foundation of this project lies in the hydrogen commercial vehicle production base centered around Wanju. Wanju, home to the Hyundai Motor Jeonju Plant and related enterprises, has developed a regional hydrogen commercial vehicle industry, and Jeonbuk has been focusing on fostering hydrogen vehicle production and related industries.

Once the inspection center is established, there will be infrastructure in the region to connect vehicle production with subsequent safety inspections. If the number of hydrogen commercial vehicles increases, the center is also expected to help meet the growing demand for inspections.

Jeonbuk Province and Wanju County will be responsible for administrative and financial support, including land acquisition and permitting, while the Korea Transportation Safety Authority will oversee the construction, operation, and introduction of dedicated inspection equipment for hydrogen vehicles. Jeonbuk plans to use the inspection center as a base to strengthen the safety management system for the hydrogen mobility industry within the Honam region and expand connections with related companies, research, and inspection functions.

Lee Wontak, Governor of Jeonbuk, stated, "For the hydrogen commercial vehicle industry to grow, a robust inspection system ensuring safety is essential. We will cooperate with relevant organizations so Jeonbuk can not only produce hydrogen commercial vehicles but also play a leading role in inspections and safety management."