South Korea and Italy have joined hands to unravel the mysteries of dark matter and neutrinos. The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) have jointly established the IBS–INFN Center for Neutrino and Dark Matter, which is now officially being launched. The opening ceremony will take place on October 30 (Thu) at the IBS headquarters in Daejeon, with key officials and researchers from both countries in attendance to share the new center’s vision and research roadmap.

Dark matter, which makes up about 27% of the total mass–energy of the universe, remains one of the most profound mysteries in physics. Likewise, neutrinos, often called “ghost particles” because they interact so weakly with matter, occupy an equally enigmatic domain. To probe these two elusive components essential for understanding the origin and evolution of the universe, researchers around the world are conducting ultra-sensitive particle detection experiments deep underground, shielded from cosmic radiation.

The Gran Sasso National Laboratory, one of Italy’s foremost centers for basic science, hosts the world’s largest underground experimental facility. Through numerous international collaborations, it has led groundbreaking research on neutrino oscillations and dark matter detection, establishing itself as a global leader in underground particle physics. In Korea, the IBS Center for Underground Physics has spearheaded dark matter and neutrino research using Yemilab in Jeongseon, Gangwon Province — the nation’s only deep-underground laboratory. Notably, the IBS team recently refuted the long-debated results of the Gran Sasso laboratory’s renowned DAMA/LIBRA dark matter experiment, offering a new direction for global dark matter research. Building on years of scientific competition and complementary expertise, the two institutions are now establishing a joint research center to formalize and expand their collaboration.

The IBS–INFN Center will be co-directed by Prof. KIM Yeongduk (IBS Center for Underground Physics) and Dr. Ezio PREVITALLI (Director of LNGS), operating under a balanced governance structure. Both organizations will contribute approximately ₩500 million KRW (≈€340,000) annually through a matching fund, supporting the initial five-year phase, which may be extended up to ten years following evaluation. This collaboration is part of IBS’s Global Partnership Research Center (GPCR) program — a flagship initiative designed to foster long-term, sustainable international cooperation with world-leading research institutions.

The new center will jointly develop core materials and detection technologies for next-generation experiments targeting dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay. At IBS, the COSINE-100U research group at Yemilab will focus on purifying sodium iodide (NaI) crystals, while the SABRE group at LNGS will handle crystal growth and radiopurity measurements. Together, they aim to produce ultra-low-radioactivity crystals — the world’s purest to date — and build advanced detectors with enhanced sensitivity for future experiments on neutrinos and double beta decay.

“This collaboration, delving into the origins of the universe from deep underground, exemplifies that the true essence of basic science lies not in competition but in cooperation,” said IBS President NOH Do Young, adding, “It is deeply meaningful that IBS is now taking a leading role in international collaboration as an equal partner on the global scientific stage.”

“By combining the strengths of Korea’s Yemilab and Italy’s Gran Sasso Laboratory, we will enhance the experimental precision needed to explore the structure and evolution of the universe,” said Director KIM Yeongduk of the IBS Center for Underground Physics. “Through researcher exchange and joint technology development, we also aim to train the next generation of scientists and strengthen our international research capabilities together,” he added.

The ceremony on October 30 will be attended by IBS President NOH Do Young, Director KIM Yeongduk, Dr. Aldo IANNI, Head of International Cooperation at LNGS, and representatives from the Embassy of Italy in Korea, along with researchers from both institutions. The event will center on the presentation of the IBS–INFN Center’s vision and the scientific and institutional significance of this new partnership in advancing underground physics and cosmological research.

The opening ceremony of the IBS–INFN Global Center for Neutrinos and Dark Matter (GCND) was held on Thursday, the 30th, at the Science Culture Center of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS). IBS officials and a delegation from the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) under the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) pose for a commemorative photo.
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From left: KIM Yeongduk, Director of the IBS Center for Underground Physics; NOH Do Young, President of IBS; Aldo IANNI, Head of International Cooperation at the Gran Sasso Laboratory; and Massimo PASSERA, Science Attaché at the Embassy of Italy in Korea. 과학참사관.

The opening ceremony of the IBS–INFN Global Center for Neutrinos and Dark Matter was held on Thursday, the 30th, at the Science Culture Center of the Institute for Basic Science (IBS). IBS officials and a delegation from the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) under the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN) pose for a commemorative photo.

At the opening ceremony of the IBS–INFN Global Center for Neutrinos and Dark Matter held on Thursday, the 30th, at the IBS Science Culture Center, KIM Yeongduk, Director of the IBS Center for Underground Physics, presents the vision of the new center.

At the opening ceremony of the IBS–INFN Global Center for Neutrinos and Dark Matter held on Thursday, the 30th, at the IBS Science Culture Center, Dr. Aldo IANNI, Head of International Cooperation at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, answers questions from reporters.