South Korea completes ITER vacuum vessel sector module

6 sourcesUpdated Jul 23, 2026

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries completed the assembly of the final vacuum vessel sector for the ITER project, marking a major step as the sector is moved into the tokamak pit for final integration with eight other sectors to form a 5,000-ton, donut-shaped vacuum vessel that sustains ultra-high-temperature plasma. The company has produced four of the nine sectors since winning contracts for two Korea-assigned units in 2010 and two EU-assigned units in 2016, with all four delivered by 2024, underscoring South Korea’s manufacturing capabilities in fusion infrastructure. The Korea-ITER Fusion Day event in Cadarache, France, brought together government officials, industry players, and ITER representatives to highlight progress and international cooperation on fusion energy, with ITER targeting completion around 2034 among seven member states including the EU, the United States, Japan, China, Russia, and India. Each vacuum vessel sector stands about 11.3 meters tall, 6.6 meters wide and weighs roughly 400 tons, and must meet stringent precision, safety, and regulatory standards to ensure reliable fusion conditions. HD Hyundai’s contributions are framed as part of a broader push to advance global fusion research and expand domestic capabilities in heavy industries, shipbuilding, and offshore construction. The milestone has been acknowledged with formal appreciation and signals continued collaboration as ITER proceeds toward its final assembly phase and future fusion energy demonstrations.

In this story:Research centre CEA CadaracheThe European UnionFranceITERIndianJapanesePeople's Republic of ChinaRepublic of KoreaRussianUnited States of Americamukluk

Where do you stand?

Research centre CEA Cadarache

The European Union

France

More on this story

Back to News

Environment

PacWave First Continental US Wave Test Site Opens

PacWave South, the first large continental U.S. site for testing ocean-wave energy off Oregon, is now open after securing a green-energy approval from the Trump administration, with grid connection completed though no devices have arrived yet. The facility, developed by Oregon State University and pre-permitted to streamline testing, faces ongoing funding delays but aims to accelerate marine-energy development by simplifying permitting and siting processes.

5 sources

Environment

Arctic tundra greens as warming accelerates

Arctic Alaska’s North Slope tundra is getting greener and taller as warming proceeds, with shrubs expanding, permafrost-influenced growth patterns shifting and potential feedbacks including more methane release and altered waterways; researchers at Toolik Field Station are studying how plant communities adapt, including possible cooperation among species. Across mountain forests globally, trees are migrating uphill or downslope in opposite directions depending on traits like rapid water transport or drought tolerance, reflecting nuanced responses to climate warming that affect forest composition and structure.