Science ministry seeks global fusion cooperation at London summit

The science ministry said it will strengthen cooperation with leading fusion nations to achieve power demonstration by the 2030s, citing the urgent need to meet rapidly increasing electricity demand. First Vice Minister Koo Hyuk-chae attended the Global Fusion Policy Summit in London as chief delegate to discuss expanding international collaboration frameworks with countries including the United States and the United Kingdom.

The event brought together government representatives from nine nations: South Korea, the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Finland. Participants shared updates on national fusion programs and reviewed areas requiring urgent cooperation.

The summit marked a shift from previous efforts focused primarily on technology development. Discussions expanded to include regulatory frameworks and commercialization strategies involving research institutes, regulatory bodies and industry players.

Koo held a bilateral meeting with Michael Shanks, the UK energy minister. They highlighted joint research achievements, including the co-development of high-temperature superconducting magnets for the UK's next-generation fusion pilot plant, STEP. The officials also discussed expanding cooperation on fusion-specific regulatory systems and nurturing the industry ecosystem.

The ministry has long supported fusion technology as a core element of its K-Moonshot program and seven SEED projects aimed at securing future growth engines. Since the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor agreement took effect in 2007, South Korea has supplied key components like superconducting conductors and vacuum vessels while maintaining regular consultative bodies with technical leaders.

"With the urgent need for early commercialization of fusion power to meet rapidly increasing electricity demand, it is necessary to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation with leading nations in various fields," Koo said. He added that he expects substantive cooperation to continue in technology development, regulation and standardization following the roundtable discussions.