First Hydrogen Charging Station on Gangwon Province Highways to Open at Chuncheon Rest Area This December

▲ Status of Hydrogen Charging Stations on National Expressways (Provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] In December, the first hydrogen refueling station on a highway in Gangwon Province will be established at the Chuncheon Rest Area on the Jungang Expressway.

On the 15th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it signed the "Agreement for the Construction of the Hydrogen Refueling Station at Chuncheon Rest Area on Expressway No. 55 Jungang Line" together with Chuncheon City Hall, Korea Expressway Corporation, and Hydrogen Energy Network at Chuncheon City Hall.

According to this agreement, a hydrogen refueling station with a charging capacity of 25 kg per hour (5 vehicles per hour) will be installed at the Chuncheon Rest Area on the Jungang Expressway in December. With a 5-minute charge, vehicles can travel up to 600 km on a full tank.

This refueling station is the first hydrogen refueling station to be installed at a highway rest area in Gangwon Province. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport expects that it will greatly improve accessibility for hydrogen vehicle users who have experienced inconvenience in charging and will also significantly contribute to the activation of hydrogen vehicle distribution within Gangwon Province.

In particular, the construction of this refueling station was achieved through close cooperation among the government, local governments, public enterprises, and private businesses. Of the total 3 billion KRW construction cost for the hydrogen refueling station, 1 billion KRW will be borne by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Expressway Corporation, who will also support by leasing the site free of charge for a certain period. Additionally, Chuncheon City will provide 500 million KRW in construction support. Based on this funding, the construction and operation of the station will be exclusively managed by Hydrogen Energy Network (HyNet), a special purpose corporation for hydrogen refueling stations established in March last year with investments from Korea Gas Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company.

Kim Yong-seok, Director of the Road Bureau at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "With the rapid construction of hydrogen refueling stations on highways, we will actively realize policies to expand the nationwide distribution of hydrogen vehicles, guarantee long-distance driving rights, and revitalize the hydrogen economy, which is a future growth engine." He added, "Through the establishment of this refueling infrastructure, not only Chuncheon citizens but also hydrogen vehicle users from other regions will be able to visit Gangwon Province without worrying about charging, which will also contribute to the revitalization of local tourism in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.