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The Bukpyeong National Industrial Complex was designated as a national industrial complex in 1975 and completed in September 1995 for the purpose of building an industrial center of the east coast region and to develop a trade base for exchanges with Korea’s northern neighbors. The Bukpyeong General Industrial Complex was established in December 1995, followed by the completion of the Bukpyeong Industrial Complex 2 in 2020. They are located in a region connected to a free trade zone, and the international ports of Donghae and Mukho are located nearby, providing favorable conditions for importing raw materials and exporting products. The complexes are home to more than 200 companies, including Korea East-West Power, GS Donghae Electric Power, and GS Caltex.

Until now, the Bukpyeong Industrial Complex did not have a specific industry that it specialized due to its small number of operators and its focus on non-manufacturing facilities such as large-scale power generation facilities. However, it is currently promoting projects to transform into an industrial complex specializing in the hydrogen industry.

Gangwon State is implementing a project to build a hydrogen storage and transportation cluster in Donghae and Samcheok as one of its six core strategic projects. The project passed a preliminary feasibility study in December 2023. The mega project involves a total investment of KRW 317.7 billion (KRW 43.9 billion by the central government, KRW 42.3 billion by the local government and KRW 231.5 by the private sector) from 2024 to 2028 to create an industrial base for hydrogen storage and transportation in the Gangwon region, including Samcheok (hydrogen supply facilities) and Donghae (industrial development facilities).

As part of the project, the Bukpyeong Industrial Complex is being developed into a special zone for hydrogen and low-carbon green business development; the Donghae New Port is being developed into a port dedicated to hydrogen supply; and a project is being implemented to build a production base to produce hydrogen with water electrolysis. The project will build a space for 63 hydrogen-related companies to move in and operate, including hydrogen storage tanks, valves, and pipes, as well as an industrial promotion center (technology development support, commercialization support, etc.), a safety test center (verification and certification support, technology stability test support, etc.), and a demonstration test bed (for supporting the performance evaluation of products in various hydrogen forms).

Bukpyeong General Industrial Complex 2 is currently home to seven hydrogen-related companies, including Keum Kang C&T, the first hydrogen company invested by Gangwon State. In addition, 19 existing tenants are preparing to transition to hydrogen-related industries with the support of Donghae City

Based on these efforts, the complex is expected to promote the localization of key materials and components related to liquid hydrogen storage and transportation, which are currently imported from overseas, contribute to building the country’s solid supply chain, and serve as a base for supplying hydrogen used for transportation in Gangwon and Gyeongbuk provinces. Hopes are high that the Bukpyeong Industrial Complex will transform into a center of Korea’s liquid hydrogen industry.