More South Korean companies are heading to the Netherlands.

The Netherlands is situated at the northwestern border of the Eurasian continent and is the easternmost point of the North Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, it serves as a gateway to the European continent. It is recognized as one of the top logistics hubs globally. Followed by Singapore and Finland, the country was ranked third on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index in 2023, which is the higher place than Denmark and Germany.

Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport offers 319 direct routes worldwide, and the Port of Rotterdam is the world’s 10th largest containerized port. The Netherlands has a network of 141,820 kilometers of roads and 3,489 kilometers of railroads, making it possible to reach major European countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and France in less than 24 hours.

The Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is Europe's largest port with the world's 10th largest container volume. /Rotterdam=Jang Woo-jeong

In Korea, Samsung Electronics, LG, Hyundai Motor, Kia, SK Lubricants, Hankook Tire, Hansol, and LX Pantos are major players in sales and logistics. According to KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency), more and more Korean key companies, such as Samsung Electronics, LG, Hyundai Motor, Kia, SK Lubricants, Hankook Tire, Hansol, and LX Pantos, are investing in the European energy transition market and new technologies.

Hyundai Motor Company is currently the leader in the hydrogen vehicle market worldwide. After exporting hydrogen trucks to Switzerland, Germany, and Austria in 2020, the company is now considering the Netherlands as its next destination. The Netherlands aims to replace 30 percent of its energy consumption with hydrogen gas and bio by 2050.

Hydrogen filling stations are placed at a gas station in The Hague, Netherlands./ The Hague=Jang Woo-jeong

To promote the use of zero-emission vehicles like electric and hydrogen cars, the Netherlands is providing tax incentives and expanding its charging infrastructure. Currently, there are 21 active hydrogen refueling stations, with more in the works.

“We aim to supply more than 1,600 hydrogen trucks to the European market by 2025 and 25,000 by 2030, including the Netherlands,” said a Hyundai official.

Meanwhile, SK Ecoplant, a construction and energy arm of SK Group, acquired a 100 percent stake in Rotterdam-based e-waste recycling company TES in 2022 and plans to make it the centerpiece of its European battery business.