Prime Minister Han Duck-soo Meets Bill Gates to Discuss Cooperation on Next-Generation Nuclear Power
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo recently met with Bill Gates, chairman of TerraPower, who was visiting South Korea, to discuss ways to cooperate in the field of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). TerraPower is a next-generation nuclear power company founded by Bill Gates, and this meeting was arranged to strengthen nuclear technology cooperation between South Korea and the United States.
Chairman Bill Gates highly praised South Korea's excellent nuclear power technology and industrial ecosystem. He emphasized that South Korea's high level of manufacturing capability and technical expertise will play a very important role in building the SMR ecosystem, which represents the next generation of nuclear power. He also expressed his hope that cooperation with South Korean companies will further expand in the future.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo explained that the South Korean government is utilizing nuclear power as a core energy source to achieve carbon neutrality. In particular, he projected that SMRs will have great competitiveness in the future energy market due to their high safety and versatile applications. The government plans to continue providing active support for related technology development and industrial growth.
Through these discussions, South Korea and TerraPower have agreed to continue cooperation in various fields, including joint research and investment for SMR development. Experts believe that this cooperation will serve as an opportunity for South Korea's nuclear power industry to take a leap forward in the global market.
The government intends to continue expanding international partnerships to strengthen energy security and achieve carbon neutrality goals. This meeting with Chairman Bill Gates served as another confirmation that South Korea's nuclear power technology is recognized globally.