The Ministry of Science and ICT announced that it signed an agreement with the ITER organization on the 26th to procure the tritium storage and delivery system (SDS) for the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).
The "tritium SDS" is the last key item among the nine procurement items that Korea must supply to the ITER organization. The final design is planned to be completed by 2027, with production and procurement scheduled by 2030.
The "tritium SDS" is a core item that constitutes the fuel cycle system of the ITER device. It is a system designed to safely store and deliver deuterium and tritium, the fuels for nuclear fusion, and requires a high level of technology to achieve performance for safe fuel storage and stable fuel supply.
Since joining ITER in 2003, Korea has been actively participating in joint development projects. The amount that Korean corporations have won in procurement contracts from ITER alone amounts to 1.6 trillion won.
Jeong Taek-ryeol, head of public convergence research policy at the Ministry of Science and ICT, noted that "based on the research and development capabilities accumulated during the procurement process of key components and devices for ITER and the technical strengths of domestic corporations, we plan to expand overseas orders, strengthen national science and technology competitiveness, and accelerate the realization of nuclear fusion energy."