Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province has emerged as a national research hub for small modular reactors (SMRs). With the government, local authorities and industry joining forces to build SMR research and production infrastructure centered on Changwon National University, the expansion of the entire industrial ecosystem is expected.
Changwon National University announced Tuesday that its "SMR² Platform National Laboratory" was selected for the "2026 National Research Laboratory (NRL 2.0)" project jointly promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Education. The government plans to invest 143.8 billion won over the next 10 years to develop Changwon into a world-class SMR contract manufacturing (foundry) base.
The NRL 2.0 project is a key national strategic initiative that fosters world-class university-centered research hubs through a block funding approach providing long-term, stable budgets of more than 10 years. A total of 13 preliminary candidate laboratories from universities nationwide participated in this competition, and this marks the first time a regional national university has been selected.
The project is overseen by Lee Jae-sun, president of the GAST Institute of Technology. The project period runs through December 31, 2035. The total project cost of 143.8 billion won includes 95 billion won in state funds, contributions from South Gyeongsang Province, Changwon City and the university's own budget, and investment from local nuclear power firms. A total of 25 local nuclear power companies will invest 40.3 billion won, including 21.8 billion won in cash and 18.5 billion won in kind.
The laboratory's core vision is "The Heart of K-SMR, from Materials to Platform." The goal is to build a "global innovation foundry hub" encompassing the design, manufacturing, verification, certification and digitization of core SMR modules.
The laboratory will apply Changwon National University's convergence technologies—including smart manufacturing technology, artificial intelligence (AI), digital twin and Physics-AI—to nuclear power production. It plans to build a virtuous-cycle platform extending from materials development to finished-product certification and export, spreading its achievements to some 340 nuclear power component companies, including Doosan Enerbility, within the Changwon National Industrial Complex 2.0.
The research team expects an investment of approximately 100 billion won to generate a sales effect worth 20 trillion won within the region. It aims to contribute to the national economy on a scale comparable to the semiconductor industry.
Research infrastructure will also be strengthened. About 40 multidisciplinary researchers in fields such as mechanical engineering, materials, electrical engineering and AI will participate, with plans to expand from an initial 213 to 1,400 within 10 years. The university will establish a "Department of Nuclear Mechanical Engineering" in 2027 to nurture talent.
"The national laboratory selection is an achievement created by our university's super-gap and hyper-connection vision, and we will continue our support in connection with the Changwon National Industrial Complex 2.0," said Park Min-won, president of Changwon National University.
"This is an opportunity for South Gyeongsang Province to leap forward as a global hub for the SMR industry," said Lee Mi-hwa, director of the province's industry bureau. "We will provide support so that research achievements lead to sales expansion and job creation."
