Ministry of Science and ICT announces long-term roadmap operation strategy for large-scale accelerators
After this year's feasibility study, we will promote 22' industrial R&D support

Reflecting the growing demand for expansion of large-scale accelerator infrastructure with high usability in cutting-edge industries, the Ministry of Science and ICT is promoting a new synchrotron radiation accelerator construction project.

The Ministry of Science and ICT established a long-term roadmap and operation strategy for large-scale accelerators, including the details of the new synchrotron radiation accelerator construction, on March 24, and confirmed it at the Science and Technology Advisory Council deliberation meeting. Starting with the business announcement on March 27, the construction of the new synchrotron radiation accelerator will be fully promoted.

Strategic core technologies are being used as winner-take-all weapons in cutting-edge industries such as semiconductors, bio, and energy, which have emerged as key industrial fields thanks to scientific and technological innovation, and major foreign countries have been leading basic and core research by utilizing accelerators since the past.
Considering that synchrotron radiation accelerator infrastructure has recently been utilized in semiconductors, new drugs, etc. and is producing tangible results, research and development on this topic is also being conducted domestically. However, the current limited infrastructure has limitations in supporting the demand for R&D support in the cutting-edge industry in the long term.

The demand and supply acceptance rate for domestic radiation accelerator utilization research projects is 70%.(1.4:1), which is similar to major overseas countries, but the demand and supply acceptance rate based on experimental time requirements is only 53% (1.9:1).

To address this, the Ministry of Science and ICT plans to conduct a preliminary feasibility study this year with the main goal of supporting self-reliance in core original technologies and to build a new multipurpose synchrotron radiation accelerator so that the project can begin by 2022 at the latest.

The Ministry of Science and ICT plans to start the business announcement on March 27, hold a business briefing session for local governments at the end of March, and then receive local governments' attraction plans within approximately one month.

Minister of Science and ICT Choi Ki-young said, “I expect the Selection and Evaluation Committee to lay the foundation for the success of the project through fair and transparent evaluation,” and “I will do my best in project planning and feasibility studies to ensure that the project, which greatly contributes to enhancing the competitiveness of our country’s cutting-edge industries, is promoted without a hitch.”