KENTECH Professor Kyungmo Kim Wins 'Best Paper Award' at Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics Conference

Kyungmo Kim, Professor at the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, Korea University of Energy and Technology.

Korea University of Energy and Technology (KENTECH) announced on September 5 that Kyungmo Kim, Professor at the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, received the Best Paper Award at the world's largest international conference in the field of nuclear thermal hydraulics and safety.

The 21st International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Reactor Safety (NURETH-21), held at BEXCO in Busan on the same day, is a globally renowned academic conference jointly organized by the Korean Nuclear Society and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This year’s conference featured over 700 papers presented across 84 subtopics in nine fields, including fundamental thermal hydraulics, artificial intelligence-based thermal hydraulic technology, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and nuclear safety. Out of these, 11 papers were honored with the Best Paper Award, with Professor Kyungmo Kim among the recipients.

Professor Kim was recognized for his achievements in developing experiments and models that enable more precise safety analysis during Loss of Coolant Accidents (LOCA) in light water reactors, through joint research with the University of Michigan in the United States.

In addition to this research, the KENTECH Nuclear Energy Research Institute is strengthening its technological competitiveness by conducting active international joint research with research institutions and companies, including collaborative studies on microreactors with the American SMR startup Deep Fission and the domestic mid-sized enterprise DS Danseok.

Professor Kyungmo Kim stated, "Receiving the Best Paper Award demonstrates that KENTECH's research capabilities are recognized on the world’s most prestigious stage," and added, "Through innovative research and development, KENTECH will play a key role in ensuring that next-generation SMRs and microreactors become safe and widely adopted power plants."