Asal al-Tal, H.E. Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Republic of Korea, visited Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) on December 19, 2023, to enhance bilateral cooperation between Korea and Jordan.

Korea and Jordan have maintained a strong relationship, marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2022. H.E. Ambassador Asal al-Tal has been actively engaged in various activities to foster collaboration between Korea and Jordan since 2022. KAERI and Jordan have established diverse cooperative relationships in the field of nuclear energy.

President Joo welcomed the Ambassador sincerely for her first visit to KAERI, stating, “We look forward to the Ambassador’s ongoing interest and support to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.” H.E. Ambassador also expressed gratitude for longstanding partnership with KAERI and promised to actively contribute to bridging the two countries in nuclear energy cooperation.

KAERI participated in the construction of Jordan Research and Training Reactor (JRTR) from 2010 to 2016, leading to active collaboration with the Jordanian government and the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) in technology cooperation and human resources development. During the 67th IAEA General Conference in September of this year, KAERI and JAEC renewed their MOU on technical cooperation, pledging collaboration in future nuclear fields such as Small Modular Reactor (SMR).

During the visit, President Joo and H.E. Ambassador shared view on the importance of bilateral collaboration in the field of nuclear energy. They also explored possible cooperation areas such as seawater desalination using SMART, JRTR’s neutron transmutation doping facility, fuel supply, etc.

Following the meeting, H.E. Ambassador took a technical tour on research facilities including HANARO (High-flux Neutron Application Reactor) and SMART-ITL (System Integrated Modular Advanced Reactor-Integral Test Loop) experiencing KAERI's technologies and achievements firsthand.