US, Japan, South Korea sign SMR cooperation MOU
Analysis based on 10 articles · First reported Jul 07, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026
The trilateral SMR cooperation agreement signals increased government support for nuclear energy, potentially benefiting companies involved in SMR technology and construction. The commitment of over $10 million in U.S. funding and the involvement of major industrial players like GE Vernova, Hitachi, and Samsung Electronics may boost investor confidence in the nuclear energy sector.
On July 7, 2026, the foreign ministers of South Korea (Cho Hyun), the United States (Marco Rubio), and Japan (Toshimitsu Motegi) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, to establish a framework for trilateral cooperation on accelerating small modular reactor (SMR) deployments in the Indo-Pacific region. The MOU aims to foster fleet deployment models that de-risk project development, achieve economies of scale, catalyze private investment, streamline licensing processes, and optimize supply chains. The U.S. committed over $10 million in new funding for the State Department's FIRST program to provide technical support for SMR deployment. Additionally, GE Vernova, Hitachi, Samsung Electronics, and SGE agreed to advance deployment of the BWRX-300 SMR across Europe. The agreement positions American, Japanese, and Korean firms to offer competitive alternatives for regional energy demands while upholding high standards of nuclear safety and nonproliferation.
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