"Meeting Power Demand in the AI Era"... 'Korea Atomic Energy Annual Conference' Opens in Busan

PBNC Returns to Korea After 14 Years, Largest-Ever Industry Exhibition Held Simultaneously

Expansion of Global Nuclear Power Cooperation Discussions

On the 22nd, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power booth at BEXCO in Busan, where the 'Korea Nuclear Energy Annual Conference' was held. Photo by Nahum Kang.

The 'Korea Nuclear Energy Annual Conference (KAP)', hosted by the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, opened at BEXCO in Busan on April 22, 2026. This year's event is being held on the largest scale ever, as it is co-hosted with the Pacific Basin Nuclear Conference (PBNC), which returned to Korea for the first time in 14 years.

With the theme 'Nuclear Energy for an AI-powered World', the conference focuses on highlighting the strategic role of nuclear power in addressing the climate crisis, achieving carbon neutrality, and meeting increasing electricity demand driven by the spread of artificial intelligence (AI). The event is expected to attract around 19,000 participants, including government officials and representatives from global nuclear power companies.

The keynote speeches will feature Mesut Uzman, President of Fermi Nuclear, who is leading a large-scale nuclear power project in Texas, USA, and Tomas Ehler, Director of Nuclear Energy and New Technologies at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, who is overseeing the introduction of Korean-designed nuclear power plants. In addition, key stakeholders from the United States, France, the Czech Republic, and other major nuclear power countries will attend to discuss current industry issues and avenues for international cooperation.

Throughout the event, sessions will be held on a variety of topics, including continued operation, carbon neutrality, artificial intelligence, energy security, small modular reactors (SMRs), and radioactive waste. The sessions will focus on the future direction of the nuclear power industry and ways to expand international collaboration. In particular, a special session with participation from Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam will spotlight the potential expansion of the Asian nuclear power market.

The 'Busan International Nuclear Industry Exhibition', held concurrently, is also the largest ever, featuring 156 companies from 19 countries and operating 420 booths. Major domestic companies such as Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, KEPCO KPS, and Doosan Enerbility, along with international firms including Westinghouse, Orano, and Framatome, are showcasing their technologies and products.

The Korea Atomic Industrial Forum has expanded efforts to attract overseas buyers in cooperation with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), resulting in participation from 63 companies from 18 countries and over 430 scheduled B2B meetings. As a result, opportunities for domestic companies to expand abroad are expected to grow.

On the final day of the conference, a public participation program called 'Energy Golden Bell' will be held to raise awareness of the importance of energy. The Association expects that this conference will further strengthen the foundation for cooperation in the global nuclear industry and serve as an opportunity to explore future strategies.

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