**Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute Signs Technical Cooperation Agreement with Argonne National Laboratory**
*Collaboration in Future Nuclear Fields Such as Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor*
South Korea and the United States have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the nuclear field. This move is noteworthy as it demonstrates that the U.S. designation of South Korea as a sensitive country will not hamper energy cooperation between the two nations.
The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced on the 15th that it had signed a memorandum of understanding on nuclear technology cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) on the 14th local time. The institutions agreed to enhance their partnership in nuclear research and development across various fields, including advanced reactor technology.
Joo Han-kyu, President of KAERI, met with Paul Kearns, Director of ANL, and Kirsten Laurin-Kovitz, Deputy Director for Nuclear Technologies and National Security, among other key officials. He also provided ANL employees with an update on the development status of Small Modular Reactors (SMR).
In addition to ongoing joint projects such as the research reactor’s nuclear nonproliferation enhancement program, they discussed joint research plans in innovative future tech fields such as the next-generation nuclear system Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) and virtual reactors.
Joo Han-kyu stated, “This cooperation acts as a turning point, combining the capabilities of both institutions to enhance global competitiveness in advanced nuclear technology development. We aim to innovate nuclear technology and create a sustainable energy future together, based on the strategic partnership between South Korea and the U.S.”
Established in 1946, ANL is a national research institution under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that focuses on basic nuclear physics and technology development for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Currently, it conducts a broad range of R&D programs from fundamental to applied research and operates the world’s leading Advanced Photon Source (APS) and the world’s first exascale supercomputer, Aurora.