South Korea Doubles Fusion Budget, Eyes Clean Energy Future

South Korea just made fusion energy a national priority, nearly doubling its research budget in a single year to pursue the holy grail of clean power.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced it will invest 112.4 billion won (about $84 million) in fusion research in 2026, up from just 56.4 billion won last year. That's a stunning 99% increase, signaling the country's determination to turn science fiction into reality.

Fusion energy works by recreating the same process that powers the sun, generating electricity without carbon emissions or long-lived radioactive waste. The catch is that it requires maintaining plasma at ultra-high temperatures, making it one of humanity's most challenging technological pursuits.

South Korea is launching two major new initiatives this year. The first dedicates $1.6 million to designing a Korean innovative fusion demonstration reactor, setting specifications for power output and device size while mapping out a path to commercialization. The second invests $3.4 million in applying artificial intelligence across fusion research, using AI to control plasma, analyze experimental data, and improve performance predictions.

Rather than betting everything on one approach, South Korea is hedging its bets wisely. The country will continue researching the mainstream tokamak design (used in their existing KSTAR "artificial sun" reactor) while expanding support for alternative fusion methods through a five-year "fusion plug-in program." This year alone, the program receives $15.7 million to explore spherical tokamaks, reversed field configurations, and stellarators.

The government is also breaking down walls between researchers and industry. They're establishing a "one-team promotion system" across eight core technology fields, systematically connecting government research institutes, universities, and corporations through a fusion innovation alliance. The goal is ensuring breakthroughs don't gather dust in laboratories but move quickly toward real-world applications.

Infrastructure expansion is another priority, with plans to complete a superconducting conductor testing facility for verifying core fusion parts and materials. South Korea applied for a preliminary feasibility study in December for a massive project running from 2026 to 2035 with a budget around $1.1 billion, which would build fusion demonstration facilities in regional areas and revitalize local industries.

The Ripple Effect

South Korea's aggressive push could accelerate global fusion timelines. As countries race toward viable fusion power, increased investment and diverse research approaches raise the odds that someone will crack the code sooner. When one nation succeeds, the entire world benefits from access to virtually limitless clean energy.

The collaboration model South Korea is building, connecting researchers directly with industry from day one, could also become a blueprint for other nations. By ensuring commercial viability is baked into research from the start, they're addressing fusion's biggest challenge: making it not just scientifically possible, but economically practical.

Director General Kim Seong-su summed up the ambition: "We will broaden both the speed and scope of fusion research and development and systematically pursue a full-cycle strategy that connects technology development to demonstration and industrialization."

The sun has been generating clean energy for 4.6 billion years, and South Korea is betting big that 2026 is the year we take serious steps toward bringing that power home.