US-based start-up NANO Nuclear has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South Korean industrial enterprise DS Dansuk Co, a publicly listed company on the Seoul Stock Exchange, to cooperate on the development, localisation, and deployment of Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) systems in South Korea.
This MOU establishes a formal framework for collaboration opens new industrial, regulatory, and institutional networks to advance NANO’s microreactor designs, including the KRONOS MMR Energy System, a stationary high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR).
DS Dansuk is a well-established South Korean company with deep capabilities in energy, chemical processing, advanced manufacturing, and industrial services, and longstanding relationships across South Korea’s industrial ecosystem. Under the MOU, DS Dansuk will serve as NANO Nuclear’s primary local industrial coordinator, supporting site identification, supply chain localisation, regulatory engagement, and institutional partnerships in South Korea.
DS Dansuk is expected to provide NANO Nuclear with access to:
- Potential Korean industrial customers seeking reliable, carbon-free baseload energy;
- Domestic manufacturing and supply-chain partners capable of supporting reactor localisation utilising NANO Nuclear’s modular and replicable designs;
- Key regulatory and institutional stakeholders and knowledge of the regulatory landscape; and
- Academic and research institutions supporting workforce development and nuclear innovation.
Han Seung-uk, Chair of DS Dansuk, said, “This agreement with Nano Nuclear Energy (NNE), which is unrivalled in next-generation reactor technology, will be an important turning point in implementing carbon-neutral solutions.”
The MOU specifically supports South Korea’s emerging “One Factory, One MMR” strategy – an approach aimed at co-locating clean nuclear microreactors directly at industrial sites to provide secure, always-on energy without burdening the national grid.
NANO Nuclear and DS Dansuk will also cooperate to:
- Customise NANO Nuclear’s KRONOS HTGR-based microreactor for South Korean industrial applications;
- Develop licensing and certification pathways aligned with South Korean nuclear standards;
- Identify pilot and first-of-a-kind deployment sites at factories and industrial campuses;
- Establish localised manufacturing and workforce training pipelines;
- Define commercialisation and deployment strategies tailored to South Korea and the broader Asian market.
“DS Dansuk is exactly the type of commercial partner NANO Nuclear needs as we expand into Asia,” said Jay Yu, President & Chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy. “They bring industrial credibility, manufacturing depth, regulatory access, and trusted supply chain relationships throughout South Korea. This MOU opens doors that would otherwise take years to unlock, and it positions NANO Nuclear as a serious long-term participant in Asia’s clean energy future.”
The MOU is intentionally structured as a non-exclusive, non-binding framework designed to lead rapidly into project-specific, binding agreements, allowing both parties to move quickly while preserving flexibility. Each company retains ownership of its intellectual property and commercialisation rights, while benefiting from close operational coordination.
NANO Nuclear says that, by combining its microreactor technology and US regulatory experience with DS Dansuk’s industrial reach and domestic leadership in South Korea, “the collaboration creates the potential for a scalable model for MMR deployment not only in South Korea, but throughout Asia and beyond”.
The MOU is a non-binding statement of intention outlining the proposed collaboration between NANO Nuclear and DS Dansuk. The companies will explore the potential for entering into definitive documentation related to their collaboration, either generally or on a project-by-project basis, in the future as circumstances warrant.
Despite a growing number of agreements and MOUs with other companies, NANO Nuclear’s timelines are largely seen as optimistic by industry observers due to the inherent complexity, regulatory hurdles, and high capital requirements of the nuclear sector. While the underlying technology may have potential, successfully navigating the path from design to commercial deployment by the early 2030s is viewed as a significant challenge.
