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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Cha Hye Young] Seoul, South Korea — The Korea H2 Business Summit (hereinafter “the coalition”), once regarded as a flagship organization representing Korea’s hydrogen industry, is facing growing concerns over its diminishing presence following a series of withdrawals by key member companies.
Launched with the ambition of leading the global hydrogen economy, the coalition is now widely viewed as having lost its early momentum.
According to industry sources on December 2, several major companies that had played central roles in the coalition—including POSCO, which served as a co-chair alongside Hyundai Motor and SK, as well as LG Chem, Hanwha, E1, GS Group, and ISU Chemical—have either withdrawn or suspended participation. These firms represent core sectors such as energy, materials, refining, and chemicals.
The departure of such influential members has caused a significant decline in the coalition’s representativeness and leadership within the hydrogen industry.
Formed in 2021 under the Moon Jae-in administration, the coalition initially drew strong attention due to active participation from top business leaders. However, following the change in government, the national policy push behind hydrogen has weakened, with greater policy focus shifting toward emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI). This shift has contributed to a noticeable decline in the coalition’s vitality and influence.
This trend is reflected in industry events as well. The former H2 MEET exhibition and the hydrogen international conference were merged and rebranded this year as WHE, yet participation from major corporations was limited to Hyundai Motor, Kolon, and HD Hyundai.
Some member companies—including SK, Lotte, and Hyosung—maintained nominal membership but did not take part in the exhibition. Korea Zinc, which had operated a booth last year, also opted not to participate this year.
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