ATMOsphere Network South Korea 2026

Arneg Korea hosted the ATMOsphere Network South Korea 2026  seminar in collaboration with ATMOsphere at the Mayfield Hotel Seoul on June 25. More than 130 professionals from the retail, refrigeration, and cold chain industries attended the event to discuss global natural refrigerant trends, South Korea's evolving refrigerant policies, and real-world applications of CO₂ refrigeration technology. 

In his opening remarks, Sungkyu Lee, CEO of Arneg Korea, stated, "The Korean market is now entering a full-scale transition toward natural refrigerants. We currently operate approximately 50 CO₂ refrigeration installations in Korea and overseas, and another 200 sites are scheduled to come online beginning this August." He added that Arneg Korea will continue to expand its expertise and strengthen its capabilities to support the country's transition to natural refrigerants.

In a video message, National Assembly Member Lee Hak-young emphasized that transitioning to environmentally friendly refrigerants is an essential step toward achieving carbon neutrality. Kim Min-soo, Chairman of the Cold Chain Industry Development Council, noted that, following HFCs, concerns over the safety of HFO refrigerants are accelerating the industry's shift toward natural refrigerants such as CO₂, propane, and ammonia.

Global CO₂ Market Surpasses 150,000 Transcritical System Installations 

The first presentation was delivered by Jan Dusek, Co-founder and COO of ATMOsphere, who highlighted the rapid global adoption of CO₂ refrigeration systems. He noted that the number of transcritical CO₂ system installations worldwide has already exceeded 150,000. 

Approximately 34% of supermarkets in Europe have already adopted CO₂ refrigeration systems, with more than 12,000 new installations added each year. While North America currently has a market penetration rate of around 2%, it is one of the fastest-growing markets, with more than 1,000 new installations expected annually. Japan has also seen strong adoption, particularly in the convenience store sector, where CO₂ systems have achieved a 24% market penetration rate.

In contrast, South Korea's adoption rate remains at approximately 0.1%. Jan Dusek remarked, "It is surprising that a technologically advanced country like South Korea has relatively few CO₂ installations. Just as Europe accelerated market adoption through clear regulatory direction, South Korea is now at the right stage to begin its transition toward natural refrigerants."

 Arneg Korea Delivers End-to-End CO₂ Refrigeration Solutions 

As one of the pioneers of CO₂ refrigeration technology in South Korea, Arneg Korea has accumulated 18 years of experience since installing the country's first subcritical CO₂ refrigeration system in 2008.

During the seminar, Junha Hwang, Executive Director of Arneg Korea, introduced the company's comprehensive CO₂ Total Solution, covering engineering, manufacturing, installation, and after-sales service. He also presented Arneg Korea's complete product portfolio, ranging from the GLACIO 2, 4, and 10 HP condensing units for small-format stores to the BOOSTER XL system for large retail applications. 

Following his presentation, Sung Hoon Kim, Director at Arneg Korea, demonstrated the company's automated CO₂ system design platform, which streamlines engineering and material calculations from the initial design stage. The platform's "Dif Extraction" function prevents projects from proceeding when input errors or missing data are detected, helping eliminate human error and improve installation quality. As Kim explained, "A single mistake in a design drawing can lead to significant issues during installation. Our engineering platform is not simply a calculation tool—it is a design management system that helps prevent errors and supports accurate project execution from start to finish." 

Baekyangsa Nonghyup Hanaro Mart: South Korea's First Transcritical CO₂ Retail Demonstration Project 

The seminar also featured a case study of the Baekyangsa Nonghyup Hanaro Mart in Jangseong, South Korea—the country's first retail store to integrate a transcritical CO₂ booster rack with glass-door display cases. Installed to address tightening refrigerant regulations while reducing operating costs, the system demonstrated significant energy savings. Based on actual operating data from 2024 and 2025, the store achieved a cumulative 38.4% reduction in electricity consumption compared with a nearby conventional HFC-based supermarket, with savings reaching 48.5% during the peak summer season. The project also demonstrated improved temperature stability and enhanced food preservation performance.

The seminar provided a valuable platform for sharing global trends in natural refrigerants, South Korea's evolving regulatory landscape, and practical CO₂ refrigeration applications. Through proven field experience and comprehensive engineering capabilities, Arneg Korea continues to support the industry's transition toward sustainable refrigeration and carbon neutrality.

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