K-Hub Partnership Conference held in Seoul and Gwangju from Tuesday through Thursday

Database covers over 1,200 firms including 400-plus Korean companies; Korea office under consideration

Ministry of Economy and Finance [Yonhap]
Ministry of Economy and Finance [Yonhap]

South Korea is expanding climate technology cooperation with the Asian Development Bank to help domestic companies enter developing-country markets. The initiative aims to connect Korea's AI and digital technology expertise and climate policy experience to ADB development projects, and the government is also pursuing the establishment of a Climate Technology Hub — known as K-Hub — office in Korea.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it is co-hosting the "ADB Climate Technology Hub Partnership Conference" with the ADB from Tuesday through Thursday, at the Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Gangnam hotel and at venues in the Gwangju-South Jeolla integrated special city area.

Held for the second consecutive year, the conference centers on two themes: "Korea's experience in energy security and transition" and "linking climate technology with institutional innovation." More than 100 participants are expected, including senior government officials and state-owned utility representatives from 10 Asia-Pacific countries, as well as researchers, climate technology companies and investment institutions. The National Institute of Green Technology and the National Research Council of Science and Technology are organizing the event.

K-Hub is a Korea-ADB climate cooperation platform that connects Korea's climate technology and policy experience with the technology needs of developing countries in the ADB region. The two sides signed a related MOU in May 2023. The platform has since built a database of more than 1,200 climate technology companies — including over 400 Korean firms — and has accumulated 57 climate technology and knowledge solutions.

Moon Ji-seong, the ministry's director general for international economic affairs, said at the opening ceremony that K-Hub serves as a bridge linking developing countries' needs with domestic and international climate technologies and ADB development projects. Moon said sustaining the expansion of climate technology cooperation requires not only the use of advanced technologies but also the policy and institutional frameworks and market-based innovation to support them.

Moon introduced examples of AI and digital technology applications in climate response, including smart grids, digital twins and AI-based early warning systems. Moon also shared Korea's climate policy experience, highlighting the Global Verified Carbon Market, which aims to boost greenhouse gas reduction projects in developing countries through private investment, and the Korea Green Transformation initiative, which supports climate technology development, commercialization and the growth of green industries.

Presentations and discussions running through Wednesday will cover technical areas including power grids, AI and digital technologies, and clean fuels, as well as institutional innovation topics such as research and development ecosystems, land and infrastructure, and regulatory sandboxes. AI-based climate scenarios, distributed energy virtual power plants and blockchain-based electricity trading are also among the key discussion topics.

On Thursday, participants will visit Korea Electric Power Corporation in Naju, South Jeolla Province, a community-led energy transition site, and the Solaseado solar power plant in Haenam-gun.

The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it plans to work with the ADB K-Hub to provide technology, financing and policy expertise tailored to developing-country needs, and to expand business opportunities for climate technology companies at home and abroad. It also intends to pursue the establishment of a K-Hub office in Korea to strengthen connections among domestic and international companies and institutions.


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