Korea Gas Corp. is taking a leading role in fostering the country’s hydrogen industry, backing the government’s Green New Deal initiative which aims to roll out 200,000 hydrogen vehicles and 450 hydrogen charging stations.

The state-run natural gas company said Sunday it will transition to an eco-friendly hydrogen firm from a conventional fossil fuel-based company, pledging to produce and introduce cheap hydrogen to the market by making timely investments and securing source technologies.

“Kogas will execute its hydrogen road map as planned to propel Korea’s low-carbon and eco-friendly hydrogen era,” Kogas CEO Chae Hee-bong said on Aug. 18 in his speech celebrating the company’s 37th anniversary.

On Tuesday, Kogas announced its partnership with the municipal government of Gwangju to establish a hydrogen production base that can cover South Jeolla Province by December 2022. Another hydrogen production base will be built in Changwon to cover South Gyeongsang Province.

In July, Kogas signed a memorandum with Hyundai Motor Group to build and operate integrated hydrogen charging stations that can accommodate eco-friendly vehicles that run on hydrogen, liquefied natural gas and electricity.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)