K-Nuclear Power Plant, which is receiving worldwide attention, shares Korea’s nuclear power policy with the international community
On September 19 (Thursday), Lee Ho-hyun, Director of the Energy Policy Office of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (Minister Ahn Deok-geun, hereinafter referred to as MOTIE), attended the 2nd OECD NEA Nuclear Energy Ministerial Meeting held at the OECD Conference Center in Paris, France, and had time to introduce Korea’s nuclear power policy. At the event, 100 people including high-ranking government officials from 20 countries and CEOs and experts from 40 nuclear power companies gathered to discuss cooperation measures for the expansion of new nuclear power plants and the acceleration of SMR deployment worldwide.
This nuclear ministerial meeting was meaningful in that it strengthened Korea’s status as a leading nuclear power country in the international community and introduced Korea’s solid nuclear power industry ecosystem and safe construction and operation know-how to the world, in connection with recent achievements such as the selection of the Czech nuclear power plant as a preferred bidder. In the first session, Korea was invited as one of the major nuclear power plant operators along with the US, France, and the UK, and presented the current status of nuclear power policy promotion and successful nuclear power plant construction and operation experience, and conducted a Q&A session.
Director Lee Ho-hyun said in his presentation, “Korea is already joining the international community’s movement to expand nuclear power plants,” and pledged, “We will support countries interested in expanding nuclear power plants and participate in overseas nuclear power plant projects to share Korea’s safe design, construction, and operation capabilities and experience with the world.”
At the event that followed, some 20 countries, including Korea, adopted a joint declaration to achieve global nuclear power expansion goals. The declaration reaffirmed the contribution of nuclear power to achieving carbon neutrality and economic revitalization, and promised to strengthen international cooperation in various areas, including promoting the development of next-generation nuclear power technologies such as SMRs, accelerating licensing procedures, and establishing a stable supply chain.
Finally, OECD NEA announced Korea as the co-host of the Atomic Energy Ministerial Meeting next year. Secretary-General McWood said, “Korea’s achievements in the nuclear energy sector are a model case for other countries,” and evaluated Korea as the right person to lead the next global nuclear energy expansion discussion. Korea will co-host the 3rd Atomic Energy Ministerial Meeting to be held in September next year.
Meanwhile, Director Lee Ho-hyun held a separate meeting with French companies Orano (uranium development) and Framatome (nuclear fuel manufacturing) on Friday, September 20, and emphasized the need to expand cooperation between the two countries, saying, “By strengthening cooperation across the entire supply chain, including uranium concentrate, conversion, enrichment, and nuclear fuel manufacturing, we will be able to achieve our common goals of carbon neutrality and stable power supply.”
Editor. Hong Se-yeong
