South Korea said Wednesday it has launched a committee on carbon neutrality with automobile firms in line with efforts to effectively reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050.

The committee will pave the way for the government to expand cooperation with local carmakers, including Hyundai Motor Group, in rolling out policies related to carbon neutrality, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

"In the long term, we plan to beef up our competitiveness in the electric and hydrogen fuel cell automobile industry," the committee said in a joint statement.

"The automobile firms will make efforts to strengthen their capabilities by carrying out research and development projects, building charging infrastructure, and revamping their industrial ecosystem based on the support from the government," it added.

The transportation sector accounts for 14 percent of the country's emissions of greenhouse gases.

South Korea has already unveiled a set of measures to foster the industry for eco-friendly automobiles, including helping 1,000 automotive firms revamp their business portfolios and penetrate deeper into the segment.

The country also plans to build at least 500,000 units of charging stations for electric vehicles by 2025, along with 450 units for hydrogen fuel cell cars. Starting this year, all newly purchased automobiles in the public sector must be environment-friendly.

Last year, South Korea declared its plans to accelerate the reduction of its reliance on fossil fuels as it nurtures eco-friendly industries and builds up a low-carbon economic structure, eventually achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. (Yonhap)