South Korea has commenced a fresh series of plasma experiments on its indigenous nuclear fusion device, KSTAR, as part of its ongoing effort to expedite the advancement of fusion energy, researchers announced on Monday.
KSTAR, which stands for Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research, is a superconducting reactor designed to mimic the fusion processes of the sun by containing ultra-hot plasma. Maintaining this plasma at high temperatures is one of the key challenges in making fusion energy a viable power source.
The Korean Fusion Energy Institute reported that the current experiments, scheduled to continue until December, focus on enhancing plasma stability within a tungsten-lined environment. Tungsten is utilized for components that need to endure extreme heat, such as the tokamak”s divertor, which safeguards the reactor”s vacuum vessel.
Despite its effectiveness, tungsten can introduce impurities into the plasma, potentially degrading performance—a concern that has become a priority within the global fusion research community. This material is also slated for use in the inner walls of ITER, the international fusion reactor under construction in France, along with future commercial fusion plants, making this research particularly significant beyond South Korean borders.
In an innovative approach, researchers intend to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning systems to swiftly identify and address fluctuations in the plasma. They will test real-time control methods aimed at maintaining stable fusion conditions for extended durations.
Following a brief maintenance phase, the research team anticipates beginning its 2026 experimental cycle as early as February, which will feature a fully tungsten-tiled interior for the next phase of experiments.
“Efforts to bring fusion energy closer to commercialization are accelerating globally,” stated Oh Young-kuk, head of the institute. “KSTAR is advancing rapidly to secure technologies that could be directly applied in future reactors through international partnerships and advanced control strategies.”
