On April 14, 2025, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), one of the U.S. Department of Energy’s leading research centers, to expand bilateral cooperation in nuclear research and development.

The signing ceremony took place at ANL headquarters in Illinois, where KAERI President Dr. Han Gyu Joo met with ANL Director Dr. Paul Kearns and Dr. Kirsten Laurin-Kovitz, Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Technologies and National Security. The meeting served as an opportunity to reaffirm the two institutes' longstanding partnership and to outline future collaborative directions in nuclear innovation.

As part of the visit, Dr. Joo delivered a special lecture to ANL researchers, introducing KAERI’s recent advancements and strategic vision in nuclear technologies. He emphasized the growing importance of Korea-U.S. nuclear cooperation in addressing global energy and climate challenges through innovation in nuclear science.

Following the ceremony, KAERI and ANL officials discussed the progress of their ongoing joint projects, including the Pro-X initiative, which focuses on enhancing nonproliferation measures in research reactors. The two institutions also explored future areas of cooperation, including new joint research on Generation IV nuclear systems such as sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), as well as collaboration in Virtual Reactor technology.

Argonne National Laboratory, founded in 1946, has played a central role in advancing peaceful nuclear technologies in the United States. Today, ANL continues to lead in cutting-edge science and engineering with facilities such as the Advanced Photon Source (APS) and Aurora, one of the nation's first exascale supercomputers.

This renewed agreement is expected to serve as a milestone in enhancing the strategic partnership between Korea and the United States in the nuclear field. KAERI expressed its commitment to building a future-oriented cooperation model that promotes safety, sustainability, and global competitiveness in nuclear technology.