On May 18, Director Asmeret Asefaw Berhe of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science paid a visit to the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) to tour the KSTAR. She was joined by KFE President Dr. Suk Jae Yoo, Vice President Dr. Si-Woo Yoon, and ITER Korea Director-General Dr. Kijung Jung for the visit. During the visit, Dr. Berhe and the accompanying U.S. government officials had a chance to receive a comprehensive overview of the KFE programs, including progress and future plans for fusion energy development in Korea.  

Korea and the United States have been maintaining longstanding partnership that dates back to the initial planning stages of the KSTAR construction. Dr. Berhe expressed sincere appreciation for the collaborative efforts and partnership between the two nations. Vice President Dr. Yoon also remarked, “It is an honor to host Dr. Berhe and special guests from the U.S. government for a special tour of the KSTAR, providing them with insights into KFE’s fusion R&D activities. U.S. has been one of the most important partners for Korean fusion R&D, and we sincerely appreciate the support DOE has provided for the KSTAR collaboration with DOE laboratories.”