Hyundai Motor Group co-hosted the Hydrogen Council Global CEO Summit from December 2 to 4 in Seoul, Korea, convening around 200 global leaders and policymakers to chart the strategic direction of the global hydrogen industry and accelerate its transition.
The summit highlighted Korea’s emergence as a hub for hydrogen innovation and reinforced Hyundai Motor Group’s role in driving the clean energy transition. Notably, the event showcased fully hydrogen-powered transportation, featuring 50 all-new Hyundai NEXO SUVs and six UNIVERSE Fuel Cell buses in operation.
The Hydrogen Council, the world’s only CEO-led global hydrogen initiative, brings together leading companies across energy, chemicals, and automotive sectors. The summit serves as a platform for sharing long-term visions for hydrogen and exploring collaborative pathways for advancing the global clean energy transition.
“Hydrogen is not only a climate solution but a cornerstone for energy security and industrial competitiveness,” said Jaehoon Chang, Vice Chair of Hyundai Motor Group and Co-Chair of the Hydrogen Council. “This CEO Summit marked a decisive shift for the hydrogen industry, moving beyond ambition to action as leaders aligned on practical steps to boost demand, expand infrastructure, and accelerate global collaboration. The message from Seoul is clear: with strong policy support and public-private cooperation, hydrogen will deliver real impact.”
Key Summit Announcements
Held under the theme “Hydrogen 2030: Lead. Build. Deliver.”, the summit fostered collaboration among industries, governments, and international organizations to accelerate growth in the hydrogen ecosystem. Key outcomes included:
New Leadership: Francois Jackow, CEO of Air Liquide, joined Jaehoon Chang as Co-Chair of the Hydrogen Council, strengthening global hydrogen leadership and collaboration.
Strategic Roadmap: Leaders issued a communique emphasizing demand creation, infrastructure expansion, and global standards to scale hydrogen by 2030.
Government Commitment: Officials from Korea, France, Germany, and Australia, along with Sung Hwan Cho, President of the International Organization for Standardization, reaffirmed demand-side policies and public-private investment strategies.
Korea Market Session: Leading Korean companies, including SK Innovation and Doosan Fuel Cell, presented advanced hydrogen market cases. The session also featured keynote speeches by Lee Ho-hyeon, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and Young Hun Oh, Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.
As Co-Chair of the Hydrogen Council, Hyundai Motor Group showcased Korea’s hydrogen ecosystem, reinforcing its leadership in advancing the global clean energy transition.
