South Korea, the United States and Japan signed a new SMR partnership focused on small modular reactors. The three countries formalized this memorandum during the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7. Seoul views this cooperation as both an industrial alliance and a strategic geopolitical response.
Specifically, officials aim to counter growing Chinese and Russian influence within the global nuclear market. A Foreign Ministry official explained that the agreement establishes a government-level framework for market entry. This framework will help the three nations jointly pursue opportunities across the Indo-Pacific region first.
Washington reportedly hopes to prevent Indo-Pacific nations from depending heavily on Chinese and Russian nuclear supply chains. Meanwhile, each partner brings distinct strengths despite recent challenges within their respective nuclear industries. The United States has not built new commercial plants since the 1979 Three Mile Island accident.
Similarly, Japan’s nuclear supply chain shrank considerably following the 2011 Fukushima disaster years ago. South Korea, however, has maintained strong construction capabilities since building its first reactor decades ago. Officials noted that combining these complementary strengths could create meaningful synergies across all three nations.
Furthermore, SMRs are projected to represent over 30 percent of global nuclear demand by 2050. Russia currently dominates overseas nuclear projects through its state-owned company, Rosatom, while China rapidly expands its own ambitions. Against this backdrop, the trilateral SMR partnership seeks to offer competitive alternatives before rivals become entrenched.
Beyond geopolitics, Seoul hopes this cooperation strengthens its case for expanded nuclear cooperation with Washington. Specifically, South Korea seeks greater autonomy over uranium enrichment under its existing bilateral agreement. Kim Ji-hoon, from the Korea-US Nuclear Cooperation Task Force, confirmed discussions around expanding enrichment capacity continue.
Nevertheless, momentum remains uncertain, as both countries have yet to schedule further security consultations. Looking ahead, this SMR partnership could reshape nuclear standards and supply chains across the Indo-Pacific region significantly.
