New Republic of (South) Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol (inaugurated on Tuesday) is committed to his policy of strengthening the country’s nuclear power sector, reversing his predecessor’s policy (adopted in 2017) of phasing nuclear power out. Investing in nuclear energy formed part of the platform on which Yoon fought the election.

The President’s position was reaffirmed by his nominee for the post of Industry Minister, Lee Chang-yang, during his parliamentary confirmation hearing. “I will seek measures to reasonably utilize nuclear energy, which is a major means of energy security and carbon neutrality, and to boost the competitiveness of the sector to actively support its exports,” he affirmed.

It was now expected that Yoon’s administration would authorize the restart of construction of the third and fourth nuclear reactors at the Shin-Hanul nuclear power plant (NPP). This would maintain the current nuclear share of the country’s electricity generation capacity at some 30%. South Korea has a nuclear ‘fleet’ of 24 reactors.

An opinion poll of 1 000 adults conducted in South Korea in September, on behalf of the Korean Nuclear Society, by public opinion research company EmBrain Public, found that 72.1% of those polled supported nuclear power, 24.3% were against it, while 3.6% were undecided.

Regarding exports, the country was building the first NPP in the United Arab Emirates, named Barakah. This has four APR-1400 nuclear reactors, two of which are now operational, with the other two approaching completion. And last month the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power company (a subsidiary of the Korea Electric Power Company, which, in turn, is 51.1% directly and indirectly owned by the ROK State) submitted a ‘technical and price offer’ to Poland, for the construction of six APR-1400 reactors.

The APR-1400 is a South Korean designed advanced pressurized water reactor. It has a generating capacity of 1 400 MW (hence its designation), and has a designed lifetime of 60 years. The APR-1400 design has been certified in both the European Union and the US.