KAERI hosted the International Friendship Day with 31 Embassies in Korea celebrating its 60^th Anniversary

- Providing a forum to share with diplomats KAERI’s notable achievements made over the past six decades and facilitate communications and exchanges -

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) hosted the “International Friendship Day with foreign Diplomats in Korea” in Daejeon, where KAERI is located, on 25 April 2019 celebrating its 60^th anniversary.

This event was organized to express KAERI’s appreciation to diplomatic corps in Korea for their patronage and support for its growth over past 60 years, as well as to share with them its notable achievements made over the past six decades with main focus on its contributions to economic development at both national and global level.

It provided an opportunity for KAERI to explain its impressive achievements, since its inception in 1959, ranging from the development of Korean nuclear infrastructures to localization of nuclear fuel and reactor technologies, improvement of nuclear safety, SMART development and export of Research and Training Reactor to Jordan, etc. It was also a good occasion to promote better understanding of KAERI’s ongoing R&D activities and its future vision for diplomats, many of whom are from countries that are interested in or planning on introducing a nuclear energy program in the future through their first-hand look at KAERI research facilities which are well known all over the world.

The morning session of the program featured a welcome remarks by Dr. Won Seok Park, President of KAERI, a congratulatory video message from Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a presentation on KAERI’s activities and its contributions to economic development at both at home and abroad. It was followed by a technical tour of KAERI research facilities in the afternoon. KAERI experts explained in detail research activities helped by the institute’s state-of-the-art research facilities, including ATLAS (Advanced Thermal-Hydraulic test Loop for Accident Simulation), SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) and HANARO (High-Flux Advanced Neutron Application ReactOr), and Cold Neutron Research Facility which has greatly contributed to KAERI’s growth into one of the world’s top-tier nuclear R&D institutes along with a wealth of its high-caliber professional manpower. KAERI experts answered questions after the briefing on the research facilities.

About 40 members of diplomatic corps in Korea from 30 countries amongst about 75 participants who attended the event showed their strong interest in Korea’s nuclear energy technology.

It is expected that at the time of increased interest in Korea’s nuclear technology at the global arena, this event provided a good opportunity for KAERI’s outstanding nuclear technological achievement to be ingrained in the participants’ minds and served as a useful platform for promoting bilateral cooperation and fostering friendship with participating respective countries.

Dr. Park, President of KAERI, said that with its 60^th anniversary as a turning point, he will do his utmost efforts to further strengthen the already existing friendly relationships and reinforce active cooperation with partner countries in the world by sharing its experiences and technology with them.

In his congratulatory video message, Mr. Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that as an important and reliable partner for the IAEA throughout the past six decades, KAERI has played a pivotal role in Korea’s remarkable transition from being a recipient of IAEA technical assistance to becoming a donor country. Highly valuing the IAEA cooperation with KAERI, he is anticipating that its cooperation with KAERI which became an excellent role model for many developing countries to follow will be further strengthened in the future.

KAERI is actively engaged in promoting international cooperation with international organizations, the IAEA and research institutes all over the world for the development and advancement of nuclear technology by means of exchange of technical information and experts and joint research. As part of its efforts to establish an extensive global network, KAERI has focused its efforts on strengthening bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation by concluding 83 cooperation arrangements with organizations from 38 different countries around the world including those in China, France, Japan, Russia, U.S. etc., as well as IAEA and the OECD/NEA. To further deepen and diversify our international cooperation activities all over the world intended to establish a foundation for export of nuclear technology, KAERI is making an all-out effort to establish cooperation networks with many countries, especially nuclear-emerging countries in the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast, Africa regions.