Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) Climate Change Response Project Team (Director Kang Yoon Hee) conducted a ‘Field Trip to Jeonnam Energy Transition Infrastructure’ in the Yeonggwang area of Jeonnam Province from December 17 to 18, spanning two days and one night. Planned as part of the Humanities and Social Sciences Convergence Talent Development Project (HUSS) Environmental Consortium, the tour involved 21 participants, including students and faculty from the Global Climate and Environmental Convergence Department.

This field trip focused on ‘energy transition,’ a core task in responding to the climate crisis. Participants visited key energy infrastructure sites in Yeonggwang, Jeollanam-do, a major domestic energy hub: ▲Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant ▲Wind Power System Evaluation Center ▲Electrolysis System Performance Evaluation Center. They examined the trends in carbon neutrality and clean energy transition technologies, deepening their understanding of the related industrial structure.

Students compared and analyzed nuclear, wind, and hydrogen production facilities, confirming the technical characteristics and operational methods of each energy source. They comprehensively examined their roles and limitations within the national carbon neutrality scenario. Beyond simply touring the facilities, they broadened their understanding of climate and energy policy by examining the full scope of on-site operations, including power generation equipment, the power grid, the policy environment, and industrial linkage structures.

On the first day, they visited the Hanbit Nuclear Power Plant located in Hongnong-eup. After completing safety and security training, the students toured the information center and key facilities, connecting the nuclear-related theories learned in class with actual operational examples. On-site explanations covered the plant's operational status and domestic/international trends in the nuclear power industry.

Through this process, students confirmed that nuclear power generation is closely linked not only to energy security and industrial competitiveness but also to technology exports, extending beyond being a simple means of electricity production. They also gained firsthand experience of how the nuclear power industry operates based on complex factors including technology, policy, and international cooperation.

On the second day, they visited the Jeonnam Wind Power System Evaluation Center in Baeksu-myeon and the Electrolysis System Performance Evaluation Center within the Daema Industrial Complex. At the Wind Power System Evaluation Center, explanations followed regarding the testing and evaluation system for wind power generation facilities and the technical standards for the stable operation of renewable energy equipment. Students also examined policy challenges emerging during the diffusion of wind power technology, issues of local community acceptance, and the structure of interests among the central government, local governments, industry, and local communities.

At the subsequent visit to the Electrolysis System Performance Evaluation Center, they received explanations focused on the development process of hydrogen production technology, currently applied electrolysis methods, and the industrial landscape. This highlighted that advancing the hydrogen industry requires not only technological development but also concurrent institutional design and social consensus.

Furthermore, field personnel explained that while the Jeonnam region has excellent conditions for renewable energy production, insufficient transmission network infrastructure to deliver power to demand centers creates constraints for industrial utilization. Through the on-site explanations, students also recognized the importance of expanding transmission networks during the energy transition process.

This field trip provided an opportunity to step outside the classroom and directly observe how energy transition organically links technology, industry, and policy in practice. Students gained practical insights relevant to their future studies and career planning by experiencing the complex realities of energy transition firsthand.

Meanwhile, Kookmin University, as the lead institution of the HUSS Environmental Consortium, is fostering future-oriented humanities and social sciences talent equipped with problem-solving capabilities and convergent thinking. This is achieved through interdisciplinary education that breaks down boundaries between universities and majors, under the theme ‘Coexistence and Mutual Prosperity in the Era of Climate Crisis,’ in collaboration with Duksung Women's University, Ulsan University, Inha University, and Chosun University.