A South Korean consortium has secured a contract to export research reactor technology to the United States, marking a symbolic milestone for the country’s nuclear industry roughly six decades after it first imported a research reactor from the U.S.
South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT said on April 17 that a consortium led by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Hyundai Engineering and U.S.-based MPR had signed a preliminary design contract for the University of Missouri’s next-generation research reactor project. The consortium is headed by KAERI Vice President Lim In-cheol.
The ministry called the deal a landmark achievement, noting it was particularly significant as South Korea’s nuclear program began in 1959 with the introduction of its first U.S.-supplied research reactor, the TRIGA Mark-II.
The contract covers the initial design phase for a high-performance, 20-megawatt-thermal (MWth) research reactor to be built at the University of Missouri. The consortium was named the preferred bidder for the project in July last year following an international tender.
Industry officials attributed the win to South Korea’s advanced research reactor technology and extensive experience in nuclear engineering. In particular, KAERI’s proprietary high-density nuclear fuel — which improves reactor performance and enhances non-proliferation safeguards — was cited as a key factor behind the consortium’s successful bid.
South Korea has a track record in research reactor projects overseas, having designed, built or supplied systems for facilities in Jordan, Malaysia, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. In 1995, KAERI independently designed, constructed and began operating HANARO, the country’s first domestically developed research reactor. The institute is currently building a new 15MWth export-model research reactor, which broke ground in 2022.
The Ministry of Science and ICT said it plans to expand support for overseas research reactor projects, citing growing global demand for medical and industrial radioisotopes and the aging of research reactors in many countries. The government will also work to strengthen international cooperation and bolster domestic industry capabilities.
The deal comes amid concerns in South Korea’s science community after the country was placed on the U.S. Department of Energy’s list of sensitive countries alongside China, Russia, Syria, North Korea and Iran — a designation that raised concerns over potential hurdles to research and development collaboration. Officials said the latest agreement demonstrates continued cooperation and market opportunities in the nuclear sector.
“This is a historic achievement for South Korea’s nuclear industry,” Science Minister Yoo Sang-im said in a statement. “The government will strengthen strategic exports of research reactors while accelerating the development of next-generation nuclear technologies.”
KAERI President Joo Han-gyu said the agreement represented a milestone made possible by the institute’s proprietary high-performance reactor fuel technology and the strong private-sector expertise built through overseas projects.
