Ministry of Industry Leading Nuclear Phase-Out Policy and Ministry of Science Considering Joint Participation in 'i-SMR' Development Preliminary Feasibility Study
Drawing a Line for Export Use... Some Interpret as a Signal of Nuclear Phase-Out Policy Shift
[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which led the 'nuclear phase-out' policy, is considering participating in the development of next-generation Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Although it has drawn a line against domestic introduction by stating it is for 'export purposes,' interpretations suggest this could be a signal of the Moon Jae-in administration's shift in the nuclear phase-out stance, as voices demanding the achievement of carbon neutrality goals and revision of the ruling party's nuclear phase-out policy are growing louder.
According to the nuclear power industry and related government departments on the 18th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy is actively considering jointly applying with the Ministry of Science and ICT for a preliminary feasibility study on the development project of the Korean-style innovative Small Modular Reactor, 'i-SMR,' scheduled for September.
An industry official said, "I understand that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the main department in charge of nuclear power, plans to participate in the preliminary feasibility study," adding, "If they participate from the development stage of i-SMR, they can discuss directions for developing a competitive model and, based on experience exporting large nuclear power plants, it could lead to substantial export achievements in the future."
Last December, the government held the Nuclear Promotion Committee chaired by the Prime Minister and announced a plan to invest 400 billion KRW over eight years in the development of i-SMR. This is a next-generation model development project of 'SMART,' which Korea developed with indigenous technology and obtained the world's first Standard Design Approval (SDA) for an integral reactor in 2012. Although i-SMR research and development (R&D) falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the main department in charge of nuclear power, will participate from the early development stage.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's participation in the preliminary feasibility study is said to be strongly aimed at promoting exports. An industry official said, "SMART was developed solely by the Ministry of Science and ICT, but exports have been sluggish."
However, the fact that the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which led the nuclear phase-out as the main department in charge of nuclear power, is actively considering participation from the R&D stage of small nuclear reactors suggests a change in the current government's nuclear phase-out stance.
With about a year left in President Moon Jae-in's term, the ruling party, which had been silent until now, has begun voicing demands for a U-turn on the nuclear phase-out policy. On the 14th, Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, said at a meeting with President Moon and party leadership at the Blue House, "The U.S. Biden administration is conducting specialized research in the SMR field for carbon neutrality," adding, "It is necessary to check the nuclear power market dominated by China and Russia through strategic cooperation between Korea and the U.S. in areas such as SMRs." He emphasized the necessity of SMRs, effectively opposing the government's nuclear phase-out stance.
An industry official said, "The government's SMR development could be a breakthrough for the nuclear power ecosystem that collapsed due to the nuclear phase-out policy," adding, "Even if it is for export purposes at present, if the overall direction of nuclear policy changes in the future, SMRs could play a significant role in the process of achieving carbon neutrality."
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