Lee Jae-myung: "I fully support attracting Suwon City's hydrogen product inspection support center"

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung pledged active cooperation with Suwon City to attract the hydrogen product inspection support center, which is currently undergoing government recruitment, to Tapdong area in Gwonseon-gu, Suwon.

On the 4th, Governor Lee Jae-myung met with Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young at Suwon City Hall to hold a "Gyeonggi Province-Suwon City hydrogen energy industry cooperation meeting."

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation are conducting a project to recruit sites for the hydrogen product inspection support center from local governments, with the final announcement scheduled for the 17th.

Gyeonggi Province, which is promoting a Green New Deal, plans to cooperate with Suwon City to attract the hydrogen product inspection support center to foster future new industries and create jobs.

Governor Lee stated, "In the current situation where a major transition in energy is necessary and we must take the lead in responding to the climate crisis, I fully support Suwon's plan to establish a hydrogen-specialized industrial zone and attract a hydrogen product inspection center as its foundation," and added, "From the province's perspective, we must make industrial restructuring swift and bold. While the provincial level is important, pioneering planning and efforts at the city and county level are also crucial."

He continued, "Suwon has high development pressure, excellent access to Seoul, and a very solid industrial foundation, so it will be able to sufficiently attract future advanced projects such as a hydrogen-specialized industrial zone. While we will do our best to attract the center, regardless of the success or failure of this endeavor, Gyeonggi Province will also show interest in the creation of a hydrogen-specialized industrial zone and provide active cooperation."

Governor Lee also requested Suwon City's understanding regarding the third-phase public institution relocation being promoted by the province.

The governor stated, "Balanced development is a very important policy objective, and fairness to ensure no region or individual feels wronged is the subject of this era," and added, "Naturally, it may feel frustrating, and in some ways unfair, and it will be very difficult for employees, but I hope you understand that it is truly a great hope project for the relevant region."

The governor particularly cited the example of Dongducheon City, where the Jobs Foundation relocation is scheduled, saying, "From Suwon's perspective, among the numerous companies and affiliated organizations, even a single affiliated public institution does not exist in a place like Dongducheon, where conditions are so poor that there is not even a building available for lease, so we decided to build one," and requested understanding again, stating, "Since citizens of the province have very high expectations, I would appreciate it if the residents of Suwon City could understand and accept this."

While citing the example of his tenure as Seongnam City Mayor when government public institution relocation sites were developed into Second Pangyo Techno Valley, the governor said, "Rather than feeling like Suwon City is losing out, if the Gyeonggi Province exercises sufficient consideration and you feel you have received corresponding compensation, I will actively support and cooperate on good projects besides the hydrogen-specialized industrial zone."

Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young stated, "Since the hydrogen economy is positioned as a very important axis to the national economy as the core of the Green New Deal, the government has created the hydrogen law (the Act on Promotion of Hydrogen Economy and Hydrogen Safety Management) for the first time in the world," and added, "Given the great significance of the hydrogen industry ahead of the carbon-neutral era, I hope you will support Suwon's final selection for the hydrogen product inspection support center."

Meanwhile, the hydrogen product inspection support center to begin operations from 2023 is the top core institution for hydrogen product legal inspection and hydrogen industry safety. With a scale of 16,500 square meters including a hydrogen product testing building (4,200㎡) and main building and customer support building (12,300㎡), it will establish a one-stop integrated safety system for the safe management of hydrogen products and facilities such as fuel cells, water electrolysis equipment, and hydrogen extractors, as well as a hydrogen safety technology institute.

The total project cost is 48.3 billion won, funded by national treasury, local government funding, and support from the Gas Corporation.