A fourth-generation circular synchrotron radiation accelerator, dubbed the "dream microscope," will begin operation in Ochang, North Chungcheong Province, in 2030.
The Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) and the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Korea Light Source (KLS) on the 27th at the synchrotron site in Ochang, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.
The Korea Light Source is a fourth-generation circular synchrotron radiation accelerator that uses bright light (synchrotron radiation) generated by accelerating electrons to near the speed of light, enabling ultra-precise analysis of the structure and properties of materials at the atomic level. It is a research facility essential for securing core technologies in national strategic industries such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, bio and new drugs, and advanced materials.
Pohang already has a third-generation circular accelerator and a fourth-generation linear accelerator, but these have struggled to meet domestic demand for advanced scientific research. The fourth-generation circular synchrotron now being built is designed to emit light more than 100 times brighter than the existing third-generation circular accelerator in Pohang. Its circular structure, in which electrons continuously circle the storage ring while emitting synchrotron radiation, also offers the advantage of sufficient beam time compared with the linear type, where electrons are accelerated only once.
Once the Korea Light Source is completed, Korea will become the sixth country in the world to possess a fourth-generation circular synchrotron radiation accelerator, following the United States, Sweden, France, and Japan.
MSIT, together with North Chungcheong Province and others, plans to invest a total project cost of 1.1643 trillion won to build the accelerator, beamlines, and research support facilities, with the goal of completion by the end of 2029. The project is supervised by the Korea Basic Science Institute.
In this process, MSIT plans to work closely with related agencies to continuously monitor risk factors at each construction stage and the implementation of safety measures, and to make every effort to prevent safety accidents through systematic process management.
"Now that the Korea Light Source has entered the full-fledged construction stage, we will place safety as the top priority and thoroughly manage the entire construction process," said Koo Hyuk-chae, First Vice Minister of Science and ICT. "We will do our utmost to successfully build the facility so that researchers and industry can utilize world-class research infrastructure."
