[Gori Nuclear Powerplant]
South Korea's energy minister proposed a two-track approach in nuclear power, saying the government would actively support exports of home-made reactors while pushing ahead with the gradual shutdown of nuclear power plants at home.
The government's "nuclear-exit" policy is "totally different from exports of nuclear power plants", Paik Un-gyu, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, told a conference attended by companies involved in the nuclear power industry.
The energy conversion reflects South Korea's unique characteristics, he said, calling for full government support to help domestic firms win orders from countries such as Britain, the Czech Republic and Saudi Arabia which have been building nuclear power plants.
At Tuesday's conference, company representatives said Russia and China are cashing in on a policy shift in the United States, Japan and France. Westinghouse Electric, which once symbolized America's supremacy in nuclear power, filed for bankruptcy protection in March. Its parent, Toshiba of Japan, has posted huge losses stemming from Westinghouse's troubled nuclear construction projects.
As part of a campaign to replace old nuclear and coal-powered thermal power plants with clean and renewable energy sources, President Moon Jae-in has suspended the construction of two reactors, slated for completion in 2022 near the southeastern port city of Busan, pending public hearings and debate.
So far, public opinion has been split over Moon's proposal that fueled concerns about a potential power shortage and the future of South Korea's nuclear industry. Nuclear plant workers fear massive layoffs and the collapse of a nuclear energy industry which has accumulated world-class technologies for decades.
reporter
Lim Chang-won
cwlim34@ajunews.com
