{
  "id": 17231940,
  "title": "S. Korea, US can make 'great' progress in SMRs: State Department official",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/s-korea-us-can-make-great-progress-in-smrs-state-department-official",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T14:07:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/foreignaffairs/others/20261030/s-korea-us-can-make-great-progress-in-smrs-state-department-official"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Incheon — A U.S. State Department official has expressed optimism about the potential for South Korea and the United States to make significant strides in the nuclear sector, particularly in the development of next-generation reactors, as nations worldwide compete in this field. Christopher Klein, a deputy assistant secretary for nuclear nonproliferation and commercial competitiveness at the U.S. Department of State, made these remarks in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday. Klein stated that the global landscape has evolved into a \"nuclear renaissance\" and emphasized that both countries possess extensive experience and expertise. When working together, he asserted, \"we can achieve great things.\"\n\nKlein's comments were made during an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power, which took place in Incheon, South Korea, for the first time this year. The three-day event, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), provided a platform for discussions on the latest advancements in nuclear technology. Klein's remarks come as increasing attention is being focused on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), a novel class of nuclear power plants that offer the promise of reliable, carbon-free energy generation.",
  "summary": "INCHEON — South Korea and the United States have complementary strengths and are capable of driving \"great\" progress in the nuclear sector amid a heated global race to develop next-generation reactors, a U.S. State Department official said. Christopher Klein, the deputy assistant secretary for nuclear nonproliferation and commercial competitiveness at the U.S. Department of State, made the…",
  "key_points": [
    "U.S. State Department official optimistic about South Korea-US collaboration",
    "Focus on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for nuclear progress",
    "Global nuclear renaissance with shared expertise"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}