Concerns have been raised that Korea's fusion industry and academia are facing a crisis due to the discontinuity of national fusion energy promotion plans. Voices are calling for the faithful implementation of these plans to maintain the manufacturing ecosystem and talent development system, which are the foundation for the commercialization of fusion energy.
Yoo Sung-taek, CEO of KAT, a company specializing in superconducting materials for fusion devices, said during a panel discussion at the 'Fusion Core Technology Development Strategy Forum' held at the El Tower in Yangjae, Seoul on the 22nd, "The discontinuity in fusion sector plans causes significant crises for the industry. I believe KAT and other related companies are enduring this." He explained that their revenue depends on government projects, and they often have to endure 'harsh winters' lasting as long as four to five years.
He emphasized, "I believe Korea's current manufacturing capabilities in the superconductor field are excellent, but if more companies give up due to business discontinuity, it will not be easy for us to restore the manufacturing ecosystem after 2030."
This forum was organized to share a draft roadmap containing a plan to secure eight core technologies for the early commercialization of fusion energy by 2035 and to gather various opinions.
CEO Yoo stated, "Fortunately, it seems the industry's voice has been well-reflected in this new proposal, which we welcome, but its faithful implementation is even more important."
Similar concerns were raised in academia. Professor Choi Eun-mi of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) said, "Universities are in a similar situation to the industry. When I first entered the fusion field, there was the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) device, but it has been in operation for a long time."
She added, "Without a next-generation device, it will be difficult for current students to see a future in the fusion field. I hope a structure can be created to develop the next device quickly and foster talent with continuity."
Professor Choi assessed that Korea could have a competitive edge in specific technologies, such as heating devices, given its domestic manufacturing capabilities. Her analysis suggests that if the government invests in foundational technologies and the industry works on advancing them, some of the eight core technologies could be fully realized by 2035.
The opinion was also raised that the existing nuclear power industry could contribute to the commercialization of fusion energy.
Choi Kwang-shik, Head of the Technology Innovation Department at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), said, "Looking at small modular reactor (SMR) companies that have signed pre-purchase agreements with giants like Google and Amazon in the U.S., many are still at the startup level and frequently request cooperation from KHNP in design and operation." He explained that since the ultimate goal of the fusion sector is also commercialization, there will likely be areas for collaboration with the nuclear power industry, which has extensive commercial operation experience.
An audience member also voiced a strong demand for active technological collaboration with the private sector, stating, "While technology sharing with the private sector seems natural for other research institutes like the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), there still seem to be many hurdles at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE)."
Yoon Si-woo, Vice President of KFE, responded to a question about AI utilization, explaining, "We are transforming the KSTAR system based on AI. We are trying to enhance operational efficiency by introducing a 'KSTAR Agent.'" He also emphasized, "While implementing each core technology is important, it is also crucial to ultimately integrate and verify them in a single device."
The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to revise and supplement the key contents of the roadmap based on the opinions proposed at this forum and will then finalize and announce the strategic direction and roadmap at the 'National Fusion Committee,' the highest decision-making body in the fusion sector.
