The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_X_on_2023.svgbt_X_over_2023.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Busan eyes Expo 2035 after losing to Riyadh

  • 3

    Cargo ship submerged off Korea's southwestern coast; no crewmen found

  • 5

    BTS wins 2023 MAMA Award for Worldwide Icon of the Year

  • 7

    Saudi Expo win puts Korean firms in line for contracts

  • 9

    4.0 magnitude quake hits southeastern city of Gyeongju

  • 11

    SPECIAL REPORTKorea should embrace cultural diversity in integrating immigrants

  • 13

    Busan citizens disappointed but ready for World Expo 2035 bid

  • 15

    Korea showcases potential in campaign for World Expo 2030 despite bid failure

  • 17

    Over 1,000 accountants enter market every year; does Korea need more?

  • 19

    FSS chief lashes out at banks over ELS sales

  • 2

    December brings mix of action, thriller, romance to small screen

  • 4

    US, S. Korea cast doubt over NK's satellite photos

  • 6

    Seoul to introduce 'English tutor robots' for young students

  • 8

    Birthrate might fall below 0.7 in Q4

  • 10

    NewJeans wins Artist of the Year at 2023 MAMA Awards

  • 12

    Remaining BTS members to begin military service next month

  • 14

    Chanel, Hermes, Nike rectify customer policies after FTC warning

  • 16

    Samsung Electronics appoints younger figures in personnel reshuffle

  • 18

    Chief of hotel adjoining Itaewon tragedy site fined for illegal extension

  • 20

    Journey into Tomorrow: Commemorating 140 years of Korean-German diplomatic relations

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
Fri, December 1, 2023 | 08:35
Tech
Korea a Step Closer to Ultimate Energy Source
Posted : 2008-07-15 19:04
Updated : 2008-07-15 19:04
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link


By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

Scientists operating Korea's next-generation nuclear fusion reactor Tuesday reported their first generation of plasma, saying it marked progress in futuristic experiments to create limitless energy for human use.

The device, called KSTAR, an abbreviation for Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Reactor, generated plasma inside its inner chamber for the first time on June 13.

The reactor is the second of its kind in the world to generate plasma using superconducting material. China was the first with its EAST reactor in 2006, according to Kwon Myeon, a director at the National Fusion Research Institute.

In the experiments that continued through June 30, the plasma lasted for 249 milliseconds at above 100 kilo-amperes (kA) current with the maximum current reaching 133 kA, according to officials from the state-run National Fusion Research Institute.

Originally, the goal for the KSTAR scientists was to maintain plasma for 100 milliseconds, or 0.1 seconds, above 100 kA.

``The generation of plasma proves that KSTAR is ready to operate and contribute significantly to the research for nuclear fusion," said Ryu Koo-hee, an official from the nuclear fusion research division at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

``KSTAR is also one of the world's few fusion reactors that use Nb3Sn as superconducting material, identical to the design of the ITER reactor, which strengthens Korea's potential contribution to the international ITER effort."

Plasma, generated from the ionizing of hydrogen gas, is a state in which the electrons and the nuclei are separated, considered a crucial step before nuclei can collide and fuse.

Fusion reactors generate power by the heating of hydrogen plasma, which causes hydrogen isotopes to fuse and release energy. The duration of the plasma is critical for this process and the reactors are designed with powerful magnetic chambers using superconducting magnets to contain the plasma.

Nuclear fusion is regarded as one of future energy solutions that are limitless in sourcing, a key alternative to the limited and depleted sources of fossil fuels. The viability of the technology is still debated.

To put it simply, nuclear fusion is the process that makes the sun shine, with the nuclei of small atoms, such as hydrogen, squeezed together and heated to an extreme degree such that they fuse to form larger nuclei and release a burst of energy.

Scientists have long been researching ways to create and control the nuclear fusion process for constructive use.

Conventional nuclear power plants depend on materials such as uranium or plutonium to create the fission to generate energy, but the radioactivity of the resulting fragments are considered a crucial drawback. In a nuclear fusion reaction, however, problems about waste disposal are greatly minimized.

Korea is one of the partners in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project that aims to introduce a full-scale demonstration fusion power plant in the mid 2030s and a commercial version capable of making at least 1,000 megawatts of electricity in the 2040s. The United States, European Union member states, Japan, Russia, China and India are the other countries involved in the ITER project.
Construction of KSTAR began in 1995 and was completed last September, with the government spending more than 309 billion won (about $307 million) on the project.

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
LG group
Top 10 Stories
1Debate heats up on earthquake emergency alert systemDebate heats up on earthquake emergency alert system
2Death of Jogye Order heavyweight Ven. Jaseung shocks Buddhist worldDeath of Jogye Order heavyweight Ven. Jaseung shocks Buddhist world
3Dog meat traders up in arms over gov't plan to end dog meat consumption Dog meat traders up in arms over gov't plan to end dog meat consumption
4Hyundai E&C to change Daejeon skyline with new high-rise apartment complex Hyundai E&C to change Daejeon skyline with new high-rise apartment complex
5Experts forecast greater difficulties in inter-Korean relations if Trump reelectedExperts forecast greater difficulties in inter-Korean relations if Trump reelected
6Tving and Wavve begin merger talks Tving and Wavve begin merger talks
7KT cuts executives by 20%, hires external figure to spur digital innovation KT cuts executives by 20%, hires external figure to spur digital innovation
8Will Hanwha Q Cells desert Korean market? Will Hanwha Q Cells desert Korean market?
9Yoon reinstates policy chief post to strengthen grip on state affairsYoon reinstates policy chief post to strengthen grip on state affairs
10Korea's exports to bounce back in 2024 on rising demand for advanced chips, batteries Korea's exports to bounce back in 2024 on rising demand for advanced chips, batteries
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] ASTRO members aim to shine in musical theaterINTERVIEWASTRO members aim to shine in musical theater
2'Our Season' director, veteran actor discuss creating relatable mother-daughter story 'Our Season' director, veteran actor discuss creating relatable mother-daughter story
3[INTERVIEW] Hip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup INTERVIEWHip-hop group Uptown returns after 13 years with new lineup
4December brings mix of action, thriller, romance to small screen December brings mix of action, thriller, romance to small screen
5[INTERVIEW] INFINITE's Nam Woo-hyun returns after battling with rare cancer INTERVIEWINFINITE's Nam Woo-hyun returns after battling with rare cancer
DARKROOM
  • It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

    It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  • 2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

    2023 Thanksgiving parade in NYC

  • Appreciation of autumn colors

    Appreciation of autumn colors

  • Our children deserve better

    Our children deserve better

  • Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

    Israel-Gaza conflict erupts into war

  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel: 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844
Date of registration: 2020.02.05
Masthead: The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group