By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

Gyeonggi-do Governor Kim Dong-yeon met with Jennifer Scanlon, chairwoman and CEO of UL Solutions (UL), at the provincial government office on June 26 to discuss attracting investment in the establishment of an advanced automotive and battery safety testing center.

As UL is a global leader in industrial safety certification, the two leaders paid their respects to the victims of the Hwaseong lithium battery factory fire and discussed ways to cooperate in the field of industrial safety.

According to Gyeonggi Province, Governor Kim said, “Although I canceled all other schedules, meeting with Mr. Scanlon has a special meaning,” adding, “I intend to use the Hwaseong factory fire as an opportunity to be alert and prepared for safety issues, and I hope UL and Gyeonggi Province can work together to make good progress in solving the problem.”

Mrs. Scanlon said, “It's very unfortunate,” and added, “If UL can contribute to safety management with its expertise, we will be happy to do so.” After the meeting, the two leaders visited the “Hwaseong Factory Fire Joint Memorial Center” in the provincial capital and laid a wreath together.

Governor Kim expressed his gratitude, saying, “With this investment, many companies in Korea will be able to work with UL to receive safety certifications,” while Mrs. Scanlon said, “I think it's important for both countries to work together to build safe and sustainable supply chains, and that's why this investment in Pyeongtaek is so important to our future growth.”

UL's advanced automotive and battery testing center in Pyeongtaek will evaluate and certify the performance, durability and reliability of electric vehicle components such as batteries, motors and inverters. The center will also conduct fire safety evaluations for batteries used in EVs and energy storage systems (ESS).

Most of UL's standards are recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSL), and UL certification is required for exporting products to North America.

Gyeonggi Province said the UL investment means that South Korea will become the first country to host a global industrial safety certification organization for electric vehicle batteries.