Forests Without Names: Hyundai Motor Brings the Worldโs Hi๐ฑ๐ฑen Sea Forests Into the Light
- Hyundai Motor Company
- 2026.04.07 (KST)
- ๋ถ๋9min
- ์กฐํ์ 9,677Views
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- Hyundai Motor initiates global naming of sea forests across Korea, Argentina and Australia
- Campaign highlights the climate value of marine ecosystems through naming and identity-building during Earth Month
- Ongoing marine conservation includes Ulsan sea forest restoration projects conducted in partnership with Korean government agencies
SEOUL, April 7, 2026 โ Hyundai Motor Company today announced the global launch of its โForests Without Namesโ campaign, an initiative that celebrates Earth Month this April by naming sea forests worldwide while highlighting their environmental importance.
The campaign aims to increase awareness of these often overlooked underwater ecosystems and reinforce Hyundai Motorโs long-term marine conservation efforts, including seaweed-based sea forest restoration off the coast of Ulsan, South Korea, and marine waste cleanup projects spanning 10 countries.
โHyundai Motor Company has been committed to forest conservation across both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Through the โForests Without Namesโ campaign, we are pleased to shed light on sea forests and highlight their ecological value and the importance of protecting our marine environments. We are especially proud to bring this story to life creatively โ sparking curiosity about what has long gone unnoticed, and inspiring people to care about what they now know by name. We will continue to advance our sustainability efforts in pursuit of a more environmentally responsible future.โ
โ Hyunchul Jeon, Head of Future Business & Sustainability Group at Hyundai Motor Company
What Are Sea Forests and Why Do They Matter?
Sea forests are underwater ecosystems formed by dense marine algae such as kelp and seaweed. Like terrestrial forests, they provide habitats, filter marine pollutants and support coastal biodiversity.
Global scientific and policy interest in seaweedโs climate value increased in 2025, as discussions at the IPCCโs 63rd Session in Lima highlighted the need to explore methodological pathways for including seaweed in future carbon accounting frameworks.
Why Is Hyundai Naming Sea Forests?
Unlike iconic terrestrial forests, many sea forests have no formal names โ anonymity that limits their visibility and the protection they receive. The campaign addresses this fundamental gap by giving these ecosystems clear identities.
Finalized names will be a๐ฝ๐ฝed to the campaign's Sea Forest Map, which Hyundai Motor ultimately aims to integrate with widely used global mapping platforms and leading Korean platforms including Kakao Map. Hyundai Motor brings the public directly into the process through open voting โ driving a shift in environmental communication from awareness alone toward recognition, documentation and long-term protection.
How Does the โForests Without Namesโ Campaign Work?
The campaign builds on Hyundai Motorโs earlier environmental storytelling initiatives, including the Cannes Lions-winning โTree Correspondentsโ campaign in 2025, which used artificial intelligence (AI) to give trees a voice and spotlight the importance of forest conservation.
This new initiative expands Hyundai Motorโs sustainability focus from land ecosystems to marine environments through three main actions:
- Naming three sea forests worldwide:
โ Korea: One of the two restored sea forests in Ulsan is officially named "Ullim" โ a Korean word evoking resonance or an echo โ through a formal naming process conducted in close collaboration with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency (FIRA).
โ Argentina: Hyundai has designated an official sea forest name โAuken Aikenโ meaning โField of Lifeโ in the local indigenous language through a partnership with a local NGO specialized in marine conservation and community groups.
โ Australia: The final name will be determined through a public voting process conducted via Hyundai Motor's global social channels and campaign website, with shortlisted candidates selected jointly with local NGOs and community groups.
- Registering these sites on a dedicated campaign website and mapping platform such as โKakao Mapโ, with the ambition to expand to global platforms
- Working closely with the Korean government, NGOs and local communities to ensure scientific credibility and long-term conservation outcomes
The dedicated campaign website will evolve into a global Sea Forest Data Hub, archiving verified information such as location, ecosystem characteristics, and restoration activities. By making this data publicly accessible, Hyundai aims to build one of the worldโs most comprehensive open databases on underwater forests.
What Will Happen During Earth Month?
Key milestones include:
- April 3
โ Release of teaser campaign video and open campaign website
โ Announcement of sea forest names in Korea and Argentina, alongside public voting in Australia
- April 22 (Earth Day): Release of main campaign film and announcement of Australiaโs final sea forest name
Finalized names will be a๐ฝ๐ฝed to the campaignโs Sea Forest Map, with the goal of registering these sea forests on global mapping platforms in the future.
How Does This Connect to Hyundai Motorโs Broader Marine Conservation Work?
The naming initiative is part of Hyundai Motorโs longer-term environmental strategy rather than a standalone campaign.
Hyundai Motor has been restoring seaweed forests in Ulsan since 2024 under agreements with Korea's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency and Ulsan Metropolitan City. The project spans approximately 3.96 square kilometers and is expected to offset about 1,300 tons of COโ annually through carbon absorption and ecosystem restoration, through methods including seaweed transplantation, spore dispersal, artificial underwater longline installations, local species reproduction support and seabed cleanup.
Meanwhile, since 2021, the company has conducted marine waste collection projects in partnership with the Healthy Seas foundation across Europe, Korea and the United States. These efforts have resulted in the removal of approximately 320 tons of marine debris, including discarded fishing nets later recycled into ECONYLยฎ nylon fiber used in vehicle materials such as floor mats for IONIQ 5, IONIQ 6, IONIQ 9, INSTER, SANTA FE and NEXO models sold in Europe.
Hyundai Motor aims to support ecosystem recovery and realize potential climate mitigation benefits through these initiatives.
