An inter-regional network analysis of hydrogen distribution for transportation in Korea

This study empirically analyzes Korea’s inter-regional hydrogen distribution network for transportation using complete transaction census data, covering flows between production hubs, dispatch centers, and refueling stations across 17 metropolitan and provincial regions. A weighted and directed 17× 17 matrix was constructed to reveal the structure of actual hydrogen trade. Network indicators, including degree, strength, HITS, PageRank, betweenness, and community structure, show selective concentration (density = 0.195). Core supply hubs include Chungnam, Jeonnam, Incheon, and Gyeonggi, while Incheon, Gyeonggi, Gyeongnam, and Jeonbuk serve as core demand hubs. Incheon and Gyeonggi, both located in the Seoul metropolitan area, exhibit dual centrality. Based on a normalized supply-allocation matrix and a Moore–Penrose pseudoinverse baseline, regional hydrogen production and supply requirements were simulated under the government’s 2030 target of 301,000 hydrogen vehicles plus trams. National transportation-hydrogen demand rises from 7978 t in 2024–302,264 t in 2030. The highest 2030 requirements occur in Gyeonggi (60,844 t), Chungnam (34,995 t), Seoul (34,771 t), and Incheon (29,867 t), while production capacity remains centralized in Incheon, Ulsan, and Chungnam, yielding a national shortfall of about 200,000 t. The transaction-based, network-oriented analysis highlights structural asymmetry and hub-and-spoke dependence, providing quantitative insights for spatially balanced and resilient hydrogen-infrastructure planning to achieve Korea’s 2030 FCEV deployment goal. • Built 17 × 17 network from 2025 station–supplier census data. • Found selective concentration with dual hubs Incheon and Gyeonggi. • Simulated 2030 supply using normalized allocation matrix. • Identified ∼200 kt shortfall and hub-and-spoke dependence.