Korean delegation attends IAEA ATLAS inauguration in Washington
Key Takeaways
- •The delegation attended the launch event for ATLAS, an IAEA-led global initiative based in Washington, D.C.
- •ATLAS is intended to support the deployment of nuclear-powered vessels and floating reactors.
- •Korea is building an industrial and regulatory base around small modular reactors, which it has identified as one of its future technology drivers.
- •South Korean officials have said they aim to develop SMR-powered vessels by 2035.
- •The delegation included First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Koo Hyuk-chae, as well as officials from the industry ministry and local companies.
A government delegation attended the inauguration ceremony for a major international initiative launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Washington, D.C., the science ministry said Wednesday.
The two-day event, running until Thursday local time, marked the launch of the Atomic Technologies Licensed for Applications at Sea, or ATLAS, a global initiative designed to support the deployment of nuclear-powered vessels and floating reactors.
The delegation’s presence comes as Korea works to build an industrial and regulatory base around small modular reactors, or SMRs, which the country has designated as one of its seven future technology drivers. Officials have said they aim to develop SMR-powered vessels by 2035, making international coordination on safety, licensing and technical standards relevant to the country’s longer-term plans.
The delegation includes Koo Hyuk-chae, the first vice minister of science and ICT, along with officials from the industry ministry and local companies.
First vice minister of science and ICT Koo Hyuk-chae, second from left, speaks with young entrepreneurs at a Project Gonggam 118 roundtable held at Sungkyunkwan University in Jangan District, Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, July 3. Courtesy of Ministry of Science and ICT
