World Hydrogen Expo 2026, Asia's largest hydrogen industry event, will be held at Kintex from Nov. 4 to 6 under the slogan "Hydrogen Goes to Market: Turning Viable Projects into Reality."
The WHE 2026 Organizing Committee said Thursday it plans to use the event — timed to coincide with the fifth National Hydrogen Day, a statutory commemorative day observed Nov. 2 — to signal the government's policy commitment to supporting the hydrogen industry and to accelerate the commercialization of global hydrogen projects. The committee aims to expand practical business exchange and cooperation opportunities, including project development and investment, demand-supply linkages, and financial and technology collaboration.
This year, building on a joint industry statement issued by the Hydrogen Council in May, leading domestic hydrogen companies will participate in the opening ceremony to announce a "Joint Declaration for a Leap Forward in the Hydrogen Industry," with plans to further broaden the scope of global cooperation and communication.
The expo will showcase new technologies and products spanning the full hydrogen value chain — production, storage and transportation, and end-use applications. About 200 companies from roughly 20 countries, including Canada, Japan, China and the Czech Republic, are expected to participate this year.
The organizing committee is also expanding the event into a B2B-focused platform to facilitate investment cooperation and business matching between domestic and international companies, activating global B2B consultation sessions and running investor briefings.
The committee will pursue one-on-one matching programs and meetings between domestic and foreign companies through links with overseas investment institutions in national pavilions. Large companies not exhibiting at booths may participate in procurement consultations as buyers, and product promotion sessions targeting venture capital firms, financial institutions and institutional investors are also planned.
The accompanying conference will take a macro view of the current state and outlook of the global hydrogen industry and the hydrogen policies of major countries, while serving as an opportunity to expand global business cooperation on key sector-specific agenda items — including production, transportation and storage, trade, and standards.
A range of side events are also scheduled during the expo, including a plenary session of the Hydrogen Economy Policy Expert Committee on Nov. 4; the H2 Business Partnership Fair, co-organized by the committee and KOTRA, running Nov. 4-5; and the H2 Innovation Award on Nov. 4, which identifies breakthrough technologies across hydrogen sectors and recognizes outstanding companies.
"For the global hydrogen industry to complete its adjustment phase and take the next leap forward, a large number of projects that contribute to securing the economic viability of the global hydrogen ecosystem must be created," an organizing committee official said. "As this event integrates National Hydrogen Day, an international conference and a global exhibition into a single platform, we will work to maximize synergy, further expand global partnerships and generate substantial tangible outcomes."
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