Jung Woo-sik Takes Office as KAERI President: "Will Faithfully Pursue SMR Commercialization"

At the inauguration ceremony held at 3 p.m. that day in the institute's main auditorium, newly appointed President Jung Woo-sik said in his inaugural address, "While faithfully carrying out the key areas required by the nation, including the commercialization of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and the development of next-generation reactor designs, I will ensure that all research fields fulfill their roles without becoming overly focused on any one area. I will build an institute where plans are clear, research is autonomous, and achievements are shared with the public."

President Jung presented two broad operational priorities: establishing autonomous research supported by clear systems and plans, and strengthening a system-centered safety management framework. He stressed, "Researchers will take on challenges autonomously, while the president will remain fully accountable for safety and outcomes and help ensure that research achievements lead to technology, industry and policy."

President Jung is a nuclear energy expert who completed his bachelor's degree at Seoul National University and studied nuclear engineering through master's and doctoral programs at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He served as a professor in the Department of Quantum and Nuclear Engineering at Sejong University from 2014 to September 2026 and joined KAERI in 2002. He has also served as a nonexecutive director of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and a council member of the Korean Nuclear Society (KNS).