The institutional foundation to support the development and commercialization of small modular reactors (SMRs) is now complete. The Ministry of Science and ICT (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon) announced that the 「Special Act on the Promotion of and Support for the Development of Small Modular Reactors」 and its enforcement decree will take effect on September 11.
 [코리안투데이] Conceptual diagram of a small modular reactor (SMR) © 장형임 기자 |
Enacted last March, the SMR Special Act is designed to systematically promote the research, development, and demonstration of small modular reactors and to establish a whole-of-government support system so that research and development outcomes lead to actual commercialization and industry. With the enforcement decree now in force, the matters delegated by the law and the standards and procedures needed to operate the system have been made concrete, and the creation of a full-cycle SMR ecosystem — from R&D through demonstration to commercialization — is expected to move into full swing.
Demand for stable carbon-free energy is rising rapidly amid the recent spread of artificial intelligence (AI), the growth of data centers, and industrial electrification. Major countries around the world are also pursuing technology development and institutional reform in parallel to accelerate the development, demonstration, and commercialization of SMRs. In the ‘7 Major SEED Projects’ for future growth engines announced last August, the government identified SMRs, alongside nuclear fusion and renewable energy, as core technologies in the future clean-energy field. The government aims to commercialize light-water SMRs by 2035 and plans to begin construction of non-light-water SMRs in the 2030s. Announced by the government on August 12, 2026, the ‘7 Major SEED Projects’ is a future growth-engine initiative that seeks to secure next-generation sources of prosperity 10 to 20 years down the road by fostering seven advanced technologies: SMRs, nuclear fusion, and renewable energy; quantum, aerospace, and advanced biotechnology; and critical minerals and materials·parts·equipment.
The significance of putting the Special Act and enforcement decree into effect lies in completing the institutional foundation needed to pursue these goals steadily. If the Special Act established the broad framework for the development, demonstration, and industrialization of SMRs, the enforcement decree sets out the standards and procedures required for actual operation of the system, including the formulation of the master plan, the operation of the promotion committee, public-private cooperation, and R&D special zones.
First, the Ministry of Science and ICT will establish an 「SMR System Development Master Plan」 every five years and, based on it, draw up annual implementation plans. The master plan will include policy objectives, promotion strategies, and implementation measures; the nuclear-fuel supply-chain system; measures to secure public acceptance; plans to cultivate specialized personnel and provide education and training; and matters related to institutional improvement, along with the development of supply-chain-related technologies and the designation and operation of SMR-system R&D special zones. The Ministry of Science and ICT will regularly review the implementation status of the master plan every five years and prepare supplementary measures, and will reflect each year’s implementation record and supplementary measures in the following year’s implementation plan.
The ‘SMR System Development Promotion Committee’, which deliberates on major matters concerning SMR development, will be chaired by the Minister of Science and ICT and will comprise relevant ministries covering energy, industry, national defense, oceans, and small and medium-sized enterprises, along with ten or more private-sector experts. Participating in the committee will be vice-minister-level officials from 11 central administrative agencies, including the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Trade, Industry, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Ministry of Planning and Budget, and the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The committee will discuss and coordinate tasks that the government and the private sector must resolve together — such as technology development and demonstration, corporate cooperation, the creation of special zones, and institutional improvement — for a wide range of SMR reactor types, including land-based power sources, ship propulsion power sources, and heat supply sources. The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to form the committee’s private-sector members and establish operating rules within the year and begin formal deliberations.
The foundation for private-sector-led commercialization will also be strengthened. The government has established the legal basis to support the founding of companies jointly funded by private firms and public institutions, and has made it possible to provide, within budgetary limits, the costs needed to pursue related projects in accordance with the establishment, operation, and business plans submitted by such companies. In addition, to enable industry, academia, and research institutes to jointly introduce and utilize advanced technologies, the decree supports the establishment and operation of SMR-related research associations, and it also specifies the scope of support, including R&D, technology transfer and commercialization, cultivation of specialized personnel, and joint use of facilities and equipment. Through this, the government intends to expand a commercialization ecosystem in which the private sector participates from the early stages of development.
Regions where relevant capabilities are concentrated — such as universities, research institutions, and companies — may be designated as ‘SMR System R&D Special Zones’. The enforcement decree lays out the standards and application procedures so that special-zone designation is carried out for areas that have universities, research institutes, or companies equipped with personnel and infrastructure above a certain level, and where a cooperative framework for fostering the special zone has been established between such institutions and local governments. The government plans to establish an ‘R&D Special Zone Fostering Plan’ by broadly gathering the views of local governments and industry. It also specified the standards and procedures for designating institutions to cultivate specialized personnel, and set out the details of communication activities — such as providing information, media promotion, and exhibitions, events, and forums — to enhance public understanding and social acceptance.
The government plans to preemptively resolve obstacles to commercialization on the occasion of the Special Act and enforcement decree taking effect. In conjunction with the ‘7 Major SEED Projects’, it will begin detailed design of SMRs through joint public-private efforts from 2027, operate large-scale facilities and equipment in a consolidated manner, and accelerate verification and demonstration using advanced technologies such as digital twins. For non-light-water SMRs, it will foster specialized commercialization firms — such as special purpose companies (SPCs) jointly funded by the public and private sectors from the early stages of development — to ensure that domestic technology leads to actual projects and the global market. The government plans to continue identifying and improving bottlenecks so that SMRs can be utilized not only for power generation but also in a variety of fields such as industrial-complex process heat, oceans, national defense, and space.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon said, ‘The enforcement of the SMR Special Act and its decree is an institutional starting point for connecting the nuclear R&D capabilities Korea has accumulated to demonstration and commercialization and expanding them into an industry,’ adding, ‘We will pursue the SMR commercialization goals set out in the 7 Major SEED Projects without setbacks, and, with the government, the research community, and industry working as one team, we will swiftly drive technology development and institutional improvement so that Korea can lead the global SMR market.’
지역 홍보대사 신청 기자양성과정 신청 코리안투데이 지부장 신청 코리안투데이 인천강화코리안브랜드대상 신청 최고경영인대상 신청 소비자만족도대상 신청
<저작권자 ⓒ 코리안투데이(The Korean Today) 무단전재 및 재배포 금지>
