Moon observes S. Korea's first hydrogen-fueled city bus

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- President Moon Jae-in attended a symbolic ceremony to unveil a hydrogen bus in a southern town Wednesday, a move to demonstrate his administration's resolve to foster next-general vehicles as a new growth engine.

Moon observed South Korea's first hydrogen-fueled car for regular intra-city bus service. The bus is scheduled to make its debut in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, on Thursday. He boarded the bus after participating in the World Environment Day event at Changwon Exhibition Convention Center (CECO) in the city located about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

He had a trial ride in a hydrogen-powered Nexo taxi during a visit to Paris in October last year. He also inspected a hydrogen-charging station.

Earlier this year, Moon's office announced that it would strategically develop the next-generation car, non-memory chip and bio-health sectors as the nation's future economic growth engines.

South Korea plans to run 35 hydrogen buses for residents in Changwon and six other cities -- Seoul, Busan, Ulsan, Gwangju, Asan and Seosan -- this year. It aims to produce a total of 1.8 million hydrogen cars and install 660 charging stations nationwide by 2030.

In a speech to commemorate World Environment Day, Moon, who took office in May 2017, said, "The past two years were a process to create a foundation necessary for the health and safety of the people, including a reduction in fine dust, the safe use of chemical materials and a response to climate change."

He added, "Going forward, (the government) will make every effort to make the people feel the accomplishments of (policies) to improve the environment."

lcd@yna.co.kr
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