Daejeon City Reaps the Benefits of Supporting Fusion Energy Company Research

[Financial News] The superconducting research specialist company KAT Co., Ltd., which received technology development support from Daejeon City, will supply superconducting wire to Italy's fusion project. Superconducting wire is a superconducting material processed into a wire form that has zero electrical resistance at cryogenic temperatures and is used in the production of superconducting magnets.
 Daejeon City announced on the 23rd that the local company KAT Co., Ltd. succeeded in developing a higher specification product than existing superconducting wire and signed an export contract with the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) worth a total of 16 million euros (approximately 25.7 billion won).
 This achievement is evaluated as a representative case of Daejeon City creating a fusion industry ecosystem based on public-private cooperation, securing overseas market entry and export competitiveness of future core advanced industries for local companies.
 Yoo Seong-taek, CEO of KAT, said, "This order has become an important opportunity to imprint our technological prowess and brand reliability worldwide," adding, "We will continue to establish ourselves as a leading company in the superconducting wire field through close cooperation with Daejeon City."
 Previously, Daejeon City supported KAT's development of superconducting wire products with 100 million won in municipal funds through the 'Energy Fusion Competitiveness Enhancement Support Project' last year. The Energy Fusion Competitiveness Enhancement Support Project is a project that supports new technology research and development for local energy-related small and medium-sized enterprises to strengthen competitiveness and build an industrial development base.
 Meanwhile, to foster the local fusion industry, Daejeon City signed the 'Daejeon Region Fusion Field Business Activation Agreement' with Daejeon Technopark and the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy in 2023, and in February this year, signed a 'Cooperation Agreement with US Fusion Facilities' with the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy and General Atomics of the United States. 
 Kwon Kyung-min, Director of Economic Affairs of Daejeon City, said, "This export contract is a representative case where Daejeon City's research and development support improved the technological capabilities of companies, enhancing their competitiveness and producing tangible results," adding, "We will continue to support promising local small and medium-sized enterprises like KAT in entering the global market and achieving technological independence."

kwj5797@fnnews.com Kim Won-jun Reporter