The government of South Korea has launched the Fusion Innovation Alliance to achieve early realization of fusion energy. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the afternoon of the 16th that it held the launch ceremony for the Fusion Innovation Alliance at the conference room of the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy in Daejeon. About 100 people attended the ceremony, including Minister Yoo Sang-im, officials from the Fusion Research Institute, representatives from corporations, and university researchers.
The Fusion Innovation Alliance is a public-private-academic council aimed at establishing a foundation for early realization of fusion energy and revitalizing the domestic fusion industry ecosystem. It was created as a voluntary private organization to prepare a growth foundation and promote the industrialization of fusion energy, following the 'Strategy for Accelerating Fusion Energy Realization' announced in July.
The Fusion Innovation Alliance will consist of a standing committee chaired by Vice President So Byeong-sik of Samsung C&T, working groups, and members. A total of 206 experts from 91 institutions, including corporations, universities, and research institutes, have completed their membership registration. The alliance plans to strengthen public-private cooperation regarding fusion policy and strategy and propose policy directions on key issues such as technology development, regulation, and human resource training. It will also support nurturing domestic fusion startups and assist in entering overseas markets.
The Ministry of Science and ICT stated that it will build a foundation for early realization of fusion energy through close cooperation with the Fusion Innovation Alliance, focusing on public-private cooperation-based innovative technology development and systematic industrialization preparation.
Minister Yoo noted, “Fusion energy is a key technology for solving future energy shortages. To realize it early, it is essential to establish a healthy industrial ecosystem through cooperation between the public and private sectors and to commercialize the technologies developed so far”. He added, “I hope the capabilities of the industry, academia, and research that have led national development can come together to achieve fusion”.
