Naju Accelerates Efforts to Attract Future Energy "Artificial Sun Research Facility"

South Jeolla Province and Korea Institute of Energy Technology Join Forces
All-Out Effort to Respond to Ministry of Science and ICT’s Site Proposal
Attraction Proposal to Be Submitted by November 13
A Step Closer to Making Naju the Capital of Future Energy

Yoon Byungtae, mayor of Naju (sixth from the left in the photo), attended the "2025 Fusion Energy Regular Academic Conference" held last July and expressed his determination to attract an artificial sun research facility. Provided by Naju City

Naju City in South Jeolla Province has officially launched efforts to attract the "artificial sun (nuclear fusion) research facility," a key infrastructure for future clean energy, in partnership with South Jeolla Province and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology.

In response to the Ministry of Science and ICT's site proposal request to local governments nationwide on October 15, Naju plans to submit its proposal by November 13. The city aims to use this opportunity as a stepping stone to become the capital of Korea's future energy sector.

Naju City announced on October 22 that its long-standing initiative to attract the artificial sun research facility has entered a full-fledged phase, following the Ministry’s announcement of a nationwide site proposal request for local governments.

On October 20, the city formed the "Artificial Sun Research Facility Attraction Task Force," led by Vice Mayor Kang Sanggu, which operates with six teams and holds daily meetings.

The city also plans to raise public awareness of the need for the facility among all citizens and to expand support through a signature campaign, building broad civic consensus.

"Nuclear fusion" is a next-generation clean energy technology based on the principle by which the sun generates energy: two light atomic nuclei combine to release massive amounts of energy.

Because it uses hydrogen from seawater as fuel, resources are virtually unlimited, there are no greenhouse gas emissions, and there is no risk of explosion or radioactive waste. For these reasons, it is called the "energy of dreams," or the "artificial sun."

This technology is fundamentally different from "nuclear fission" (splitting atomic nuclei), which is used in conventional nuclear power plants, and is considered a safe energy source.

The facility Naju is seeking to attract is not an artificial sun power plant, but a research-focused facility dedicated to nuclear fusion reaction studies and the accumulation of demonstration data for future commercialization.

This facility is expected to serve as a clean energy hub and a core infrastructure for advanced industrial technology innovation, simultaneously driving the advancement of the regional industrial structure and the creation of new industries.

The ultra-high temperature plasma, neutron, and superconducting technologies used in nuclear fusion can be applied across advanced industries such as semiconductors, medicine, bio, and aerospace, and are expected to generate synergy effects throughout the Honam region’s industries.

To attract the artificial sun research facility, the city has made multifaceted efforts, including operating an advisory group of academic and industry experts, submitting proposals to government ministries, holding meetings, commissioning attraction strategy studies, and conducting promotional activities.

In particular, since 2022, in cooperation with South Jeolla Province and the Korea Institute of Energy Technology, Naju became the first local government in the country to preemptively establish a "superconducting conductor test facility," one of the eight core technologies of nuclear fusion.

With the nuclear fusion research ecosystem centered on the Korea Institute of Energy Technology and the concentration of energy public enterprises such as KEPCO, Naju is considered the optimal location where research and industrial infrastructure are combined.

With the Ministry of Science and ICT’s site proposal request now official, Naju is at a critical juncture to reap the fruits of its long preparation.

Taking this opportunity, the city will conduct a signature campaign to unite citizens’ determination to attract the artificial sun research facility.

This campaign will be carried out in various ways, including visits to towns and villages, participation in the International Agricultural Expo, and resolutions by social organizations, with the goal of consolidating citizens’ support and aspirations and powerfully conveying Naju’s determination to the government.

Yoon Byungtae, mayor of Naju, stated, "Attracting the artificial sun research facility is a national core project that will change the next 100 years for the Honam region," adding, "We will focus all administrative resources to ensure that Naju becomes the center of Korea’s energy industry, based on securing the site, infrastructure, and resident cooperation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.