IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v17y2024i17p4325-d1466824.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Strategic Public Relations Policy for Accelerating Hydrogen Acceptance: Insights from an Expert Survey in South Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Minhyuk Cho

    (Regulatory Policy Research Center, CG Inside Co., Ltd., 122 Mapo-daero, Mapo-gu, Seoul 04213, Republic of Korea)

  • Youhyun Lee

    (Department of Public Administration, Ajou University, 206 Worldcup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea)

  • Youngjin Kim

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hannam University, 70 Hannam-ro, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon 34430, Republic of Korea)

  • Min Chul Lee

    (Department of Safety Engineering, Fire Disaster Prevention Research Center, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea)

Abstract

Hydrogen has great growth potential due to its green, carbon-neutral nature, but public acceptance is low due to negative perceptions of the dangers associated with hydrogen energy. Safety concerns, particularly related to its flammability and explosiveness, are an obstacle to hydrogen energy policy. In South Korea, recent hydrogen-related explosions have exacerbated these concerns, undermining public confidence. This study developed public relations (PR) strategies to manage risk perception and promote hydrogen energy acceptance by analyzing the opinions of government officials and experts using SWOT factors, the TOWS matrix, and the analytic hierarchy process. The findings highlight the importance of addressing weaknesses and threats in PR efforts. Key weaknesses include Korea’s technological lag and the low localization of core hydrogen technologies, both of which hinder competitiveness and negatively impact public perception of hydrogen energy. Notable threats include deteriorating energy dependency and expanding global carbon regulations. This information can be used to influence attitudes and foster public acceptance of hydrogen energy policies. Emphasizing weaknesses and threats may result in more effective PR strategies, even if they do not directly address the primary concerns of scientific experts. The persuasive insights identified in this study can support future policy communication and PR strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Minhyuk Cho & Youhyun Lee & Youngjin Kim & Min Chul Lee, 2024. "Strategic Public Relations Policy for Accelerating Hydrogen Acceptance: Insights from an Expert Survey in South Korea," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:17:p:4325-:d:1466824
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/17/4325/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/17/4325/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael Siegrist, 2021. "Trust and Risk Perception: A Critical Review of the Literature," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(3), pages 480-490, March.
    2. Savage, Ian, 2013. "Comparing the fatality risks in United States transportation across modes and over time," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 9-22.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Angela Bearth & Gulbanu Kaptan & Sabrina Heike Kessler, 2022. "Genome-edited versus genetically-modified tomatoes: an experiment on people’s perceptions and acceptance of food biotechnology in the UK and Switzerland," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(3), pages 1117-1131, September.
    2. Joshua D. Miller & Chad Staddon & Aaron Salzberg & Julius B. Lucks & Wändi Bruine de Bruin & Sera L. Young, 2024. "Self-reported anticipated harm from drinking water across 141 countries," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Arnold Barnett, 2020. "Aviation Safety: A Whole New World?," Transportation Science, INFORMS, vol. 54(1), pages 84-96, January.
    4. Gang Xu & Yuxin Liao & Yixin Jiang & Peiyao Xu & Lilin Yang & Wenhua Huang & Manru Zhang & Rong Wu, 2022. "The Impacts of Urban Environments on Community Trust of the Low-Income Group: A Case Study for the Pearl River Delta Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    5. Vukina, Tomislav & Nestić, Danijel, 2015. "Do people drive safer when accidents are more expensive: Testing for moral hazard in experience rating schemes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 46-58.
    6. Casey B. Mulligan, 2021. "The Incidence and Magnitude of the Health Costs of In-person Schooling during the COVID-19 Pandemic," NBER Working Papers 28619, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Casey B. Mulligan, 2021. "The incidence and magnitude of the health costs of in-person schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 188(3), pages 303-332, September.
    8. Xuemei Fang & Liang Cao & Luyi Zhang & Binbin Peng, 2023. "Risk perception and resistance behavior intention of residents living near chemical industry parks: an empirical analysis in China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 115(2), pages 1655-1675, January.
    9. Sajad Karimi & Zaniar Ardalan & Omid Poursabzi & B. Naderi, 2023. "Toward a safe supply chain: Incorporating accident, physical, psychosocial and mental overload risks into supply chain network," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 5579-5595, June.
    10. Clifford Winston, 2013. "On the Performance of the U.S. Transportation System: Caution Ahead," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(3), pages 773-824, September.
    11. Kenesei, Zsófia & Ásványi, Katalin & Kökény, László & Jászberényi, Melinda & Miskolczi, Márk & Gyulavári, Tamás & Syahrivar, Jhanghiz, 2022. "Trust and perceived risk: How different manifestations affect the adoption of autonomous vehicles," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 379-393.
    12. Svein Bråthen & Karoline L. Hoff, 2020. "Economic Impact Assessment of Regulatory Changes: A Case Study of a Proposed New ICAO Standard for Contaminated Runways," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-27, July.
    13. Rubinia Celeste Bonfanti & Benedetta Oberti & Elisa Ravazzoli & Anna Rinaldi & Stefano Ruggieri & Adriano Schimmenti, 2023. "The Role of Trust in Disaster Risk Reduction: A Critical Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-21, December.
    14. Tobia Spampatti & Ulf J. J. Hahnel & Evelina Trutnevyte & Tobias Brosch, 2024. "Psychological inoculation strategies to fight climate disinformation across 12 countries," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(2), pages 380-398, February.
    15. Anna Rita Graziani & Lucia Botindari & Michela Menegatti & Silvia Moscatelli, 2023. "Adaptive Coping Strategies at the Time of COVID-19: The Role of Social and General Trust," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(15), pages 1-19, August.
    16. İbrahim Aydın & Zübeyir Çelik & Kaan Yiğenoğlu & Ayhan Cesur, 2024. "Consumers' foresight for the digital Turkish lira: an empirical study," Journal of Financial Services Marketing, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(2), pages 214-228, June.
    17. Ghimire, Ramesh & Lancelin, Colby, 2019. "The relationship between financial incentives provided by employers and commuters' decision to use transit: Results from the Atlanta Regional Household Travel Survey," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 103-113.
    18. Arnold Barnett, 2020. "All The Same? On a Certain Pattern in Cross‐National Death Risk," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(9), pages 1831-1843, September.
    19. Cho, Sang-Hee & Ali, Faizan & Manhas, Parikshat Singh, 2018. "Examining the impact of risk perceptions on intentions to travel by air: A comparison of full -service carriers and low-cost carriers," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 20-27.
    20. Loo, Becky P.Y. & Banister, David, 2016. "Decoupling transport from economic growth: Extending the debate to include environmental and social externalities," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 134-144.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:17:p:4325-:d:1466824. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.