Korea Accelerates Fusion Power Demonstration for the 2030s... Expands Technology and Regulatory Cooperation with the US and UK

'Global Fusion Policy Summit' Brings Together Nine Countries
Joint Development of Superconducting Magnets for UK STEP Project Discussed

The government is expanding cooperation not only in technology but also in regulatory and industrial fields with leading countries in nuclear fusion, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, aiming to demonstrate fusion power in the 2030s. The strategy is to broaden international cooperation, which has so far been centered on research and development, to include the establishment of regulatory and industrial ecosystems required for the commercialization of nuclear fusion.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that on September 14 (local time), First Vice Minister Koo Hyukchae attended the 'Global Fusion Policy Summit' held in London, UK, where he discussed ways to expand international cooperation in the field of nuclear fusion.

Reference photo to aid understanding of the article. A panoramic view of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) under construction in Cadarache, southern France. Provided by ITER

This conference, co-hosted by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), brought together governments, research institutes, companies, and investment institutions from nine countries: Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Finland. Participants discussed technology development, regulations, and intergovernmental cooperation to accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy.

The Korean government is pursuing the development of related technologies with the goal of developing a Korean-style innovative fusion reactor and demonstrating fusion power in the 2030s. Thus far, it has focused on securing key technologies through participation in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, as well as joint research with the United States, the European Union (EU), and Japan.

On the occasion of this summit, the government plans to expand the scope of international cooperation to regulatory and industrial fields. As nuclear fusion power transitions from the research stage to actual electricity production and commercialization, not only technology development but also the establishment of dedicated safety and regulatory systems, standards, supply chains, and industrial ecosystems is necessary.

Vice Minister Koo met with Michael Shanks, Energy Minister at the UK DESNZ, to review bilateral research cooperation, including the joint development of high-temperature superconducting magnets to be applied to the UK's next-generation fusion demonstration plant, STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production). STEP is a spherical tokamak-type fusion demonstration reactor that the United Kingdom aims to complete and demonstrate in 2040.

The two countries also discussed ways to expand future cooperation in developing fusion-specific regulatory systems and fostering industrial ecosystems.

Vice Minister Koo stated, "It is necessary to strengthen cooperation with leading countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom in developing and securing core technologies, establishing a fusion-tailored regulatory framework, and nurturing the industrial ecosystem," adding, "I hope this will lead to tangible cooperation in developing technologies, regulations, and standards."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.