The government has begun preparing a mid- to long-term strategy to secure next-generation nuclear power technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs). The core direction is to push large research and development (R&D) projects with joint participation by the public and private sectors and to establish a foundation for private sector–led commercialization in the 2030s.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said it held a kickoff meeting on the morning of the 19th at H Hotel Sejong City in Osong to draw up the Seventh Comprehensive Plan for Nuclear Energy Promotion (2027-2031). The plan is a statutory blueprint that sets the direction of the national nuclear policy for the next five years.
The Comprehensive Plan for Nuclear Energy Promotion has been formulated every five years since 1997 under the Nuclear Energy Promotion Act. Through this, the government has pursued self-reliance in nuclear power plant technology, exports of Korean-type nuclear plants, and strengthening the foundation of nuclear safety. The seventh plan is being prepared as changes in the energy market and competition in next-generation nuclear power intensify.
In this plan, the government will treat securing innovative SMR technologies as a key task. In particular, it envisions pushing a megaproject with joint participation by the private sector and the government to establish a system that connects technology development, demonstration, and commercialization. With the goal of building a foundation for private sector–led commercialization in 2030, it will also review support measures for entry into the global market.
Plans to combine artificial intelligence (AI) with SMRs will also be discussed. The judgment is that using AI technology in reactor design, operation, and safety management can improve efficiency and safety. The government plans to prepare measures to secure competitiveness in the next-generation nuclear sector through this.
Safety and waste management were also included as major agenda items. The government will review ways to advance safety technologies for operating nuclear plants and to expand the scope of nuclear use, such as flexible operation and clean hydrogen production. It will also discuss building a platform that can comprehensively manage nuclear plant design and technical requirements and field data, as well as systematically managing the entire process of transporting, storing, and disposing of high-level and low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste.
The plan also includes expanding the use of radiation technology. Radiation technology can be used in various fields, including medicine, the environment, food, and industrial processes. The government will review the commercialization potential of radiation technology in areas connected to people's daily lives, such as developing carbon-neutral process technologies, responding to environmental pollution, addressing an aging society, and strengthening food security.
To this end, the Ministry of Science and ICT formed a comprehensive plan steering committee with more than 90 experts from related ministries and from industry, academia, and research. Centered on a general coordination committee, the committee will operate four subcommittees—hyper-innovation growth, public reassurance, convergence diffusion, and foundation strengthening—and a policy communication committee.
In the foundation strengthening area, topics will include support for basic nuclear research, training specialized personnel, expanding international cooperation, and fostering the nuclear power industry ecosystem. As competition in next-generation nuclear technology is connected not only to R&D but also to workforce, institutions, and supply chain capabilities, the aim is to establish a comprehensive foundation.
Going forward, the Ministry of Science and ICT will prepare a draft comprehensive plan through discussions by subcommittee, then supplement the content through hearings and other opinion-gathering procedures. After deliberation by the Nuclear Energy Promotion Commission, the plan is to finalize it within the year.
Oh Dae-hyun, director general for future strategic technology policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, said, "The Seventh Comprehensive Plan for Nuclear Energy Promotion is a process of preparing a strategy for Korea's nuclear power to move beyond technological self-reliance and compete in the global market," adding, "We will flesh out the plan in a direction that can contribute to the national economy and people's daily lives."