"Heading for SMR Leadership"... SMR Special Act Passes National Assembly, National Control Tower Launched

Five-year master plan and Promotion Committee established... Full-cycle support for R&D, demonstration, special zones, and human resource development

The National Assembly has passed the “SMR Special Act,” which systematically supports the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) at the national level. The act is significant in that it supplements the existing legal framework, which has focused on large nuclear power plants, and establishes a full-cycle support system that encompasses SMR research and development (R&D), demonstration, designation of special zones, and workforce development.

On the 12th, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that the bill to enact the “Special Act on the Promotion and Support of Small Modular Reactor Development” had passed the National Assembly plenary session. As the spread of AI, the increase in power demand from data centers, and the need to achieve carbon neutrality goals are converging, SMRs, which are carbon-free power sources, are drawing attention as a next-generation energy source. Against this backdrop, the government is being evaluated as having proactively established a legal foundation.

In October last year at COEX in Seoul, visitors were viewing a model of a small modular reactor (SMR) at Smart Energy Plus 2025. Not directly related to the article's content. Provided by Yonhap News.

Five-year master plans... overseen by the “SMR Development Promotion Committee”

The core of the Special Act is the establishment of a national-level strategy and the strengthening of cross-ministerial coordination functions.

The Ministry of Science and ICT will establish an “SMR Development Master Plan” every five years and draw up an annual implementation plan to review the progress of execution. The master plan will include policy objectives, R&D strategies, funding arrangements, and measures to foster the industrial ecosystem. The intention is to secure both policy consistency and speed under a mid- to long-term roadmap.

In addition, an “SMR Development Promotion Committee” will be newly established under the Nuclear Energy Promotion Commission. The Minister of Science and ICT will serve as chairperson and function as the control tower overseeing SMR policy across all relevant ministries. A command structure will be established to deliberate and decide on key issues such as research and development, demonstration, designation of special zones, workforce development, and international cooperation.

From R&D and demonstration to special zones and workforce... full-scale support for the SMR industrial ecosystem

The Special Act explicitly stipulates support for SMR research and development and demonstration. The government will strengthen site acquisition and financial and administrative support so that private companies and research institutions can quickly demonstrate technologies, and it will support the use of public research facilities and equipment. It has also created a legal basis for public-private joint R&D and the establishment of jointly funded corporations, thereby institutionally backing private-sector participation.

The act also includes the legal basis for designating SMR R&D special zones. Areas where universities, research institutes, and companies are concentrated will be designated as special zones to enhance agglomeration effects and to promote demonstration and commercialization based on regional hubs.

Training specialized personnel is another key pillar. The government will designate specialized training institutions, support education and training costs, and foster SMR experts at a global level by dispatching personnel to international organizations and overseas research institutes. It has also laid the groundwork for technology standardization and the promotion of international joint research through cooperation with organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In addition, it will implement policies to enhance public understanding and secure social acceptance.

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are attracting attention as a next-generation energy source. Unlike large reactors that produce more than 1,000 MW, SMRs generate smaller outputs below 300 MW and can be manufactured in modular form by integrating major components. The photo shows staff busily moving at the Innovative Small Modular Reactor Technology Development Project Group in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon. The photo is not directly related to the article's content. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

The SMR Special Act will be promulgated after deliberation by the Cabinet and approval by the President, and will take effect six months after promulgation. Within one year of its enforcement, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to establish the “First SMR Development Master Plan” and to push forward large-scale projects that will accelerate the development of core technologies and the transition to commercialization.

Minister of Science and ICT Baek Kyunghoon said, “The passage of this Special Act provides the foundation to accelerate the development of SMRs, which are a key energy source in the AI era,” adding, “We will systematically promote R&D and demonstration to support Korea’s leap forward as a global leader in SMRs.”

Attention is now focused on whether this Special Act can become a turning point for building a domestic industrial ecosystem in the global SMR market, which is expected to see full-fledged growth in the 2030s.

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