South Korea aims to develop stable nuclear power industry

On November 22, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy of Korea held a conference to summarize the working group on building a roadmap for medium- and long-term nuclear power development until 2050.

Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant in the coastal city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. (Source: Yonhap)

According to the draft strategy, Korea sets five goals for developing the nuclear power industry, including: Becoming a leading country in small modular reactors (SMRs); improving the operational efficiency of nuclear power plants; industrializing the export of nuclear power plants; strengthening research and development (R&D) facilities in the nuclear power industry; and strengthening related infrastructure and policies.

The Korean government is pushing for a nuclear power development roadmap to lay the foundation for a stable nuclear power policy that is not affected by external factors. Previously, President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to establish a mid- to long-term nuclear power roadmap by 2050 to achieve carbon neutrality, in line with the national development strategy.

The Nuclear Power Development Task Force, which includes experts from the nuclear industry, academia, and research, including Hydro and Nuclear Power Company CEO Hwang Joo Ho and Nuclear Power Research Institute CEO Joo Han Kyu, sets a long-term vision and targets for the domestic nuclear power industry’s revenue and employment by 2050.

The Korean Ministry of Industry said it will collect opinions from relevant agencies and ministries on the plan and is expected to announce the final draft plan in 2024.

Vice Minister of Industry Cho Nam Ho said that in addition to building a roadmap, the Korean Government will continue to promote the construction of a related legal foundation, ensuring that nuclear power policy will be implemented stably and predictably in the future.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/han-quoc-dat-muc-tieu-phat-trien-nganh-dien-nhat-nhan-on-dinh-294894.html