Yoon Achieves Nuclear Power Success in UAE... Export Approval Shortened by Up to 6 Months

NSSC Signs 'Administrative Agreement' with UAE

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Lee Jun-hyung] Following President Yoon Seok-yeol's state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the export approval procedures between the two countries have been simplified. The time required for export approval of nuclear power plants between Korea and the UAE is expected to be reduced by up to six months.

On the 15th (local time), the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) announced that it had signed the "NSSC-FANR Administrative Agreement" with the UAE's nuclear regulatory agency, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR). FANR is an independent regulatory agency under the UAE Presidential Office, responsible for establishing and revising nuclear safety and security regulations, as well as safety measures such as licensing nuclear facilities.

The administrative agreement stipulates obligations related to nuclear safety measures and export controls between the two countries. An NSSC official explained, "The administrative agreement will have the effect of simplifying the nuclear export approval procedures between the two countries."

This administrative agreement was signed on the occasion of President Yoon Seok-yeol's state visit to the UAE. On the same day, President Yoon held a summit meeting with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during his state visit to the UAE.

The bilateral talks between NSSC and FANR also bore fruit. Previously, Korea signed the "NSSC-FANR Cooperation Agreement" in December 2011 to strengthen nuclear safety regulatory cooperation with the UAE, following the export of the Barakah nuclear power plant to the UAE. Since then, NSSC and FANR have held regular annual bilateral meetings. In 2018, during a bilateral meeting held in Seoul, both sides agreed to sign an administrative agreement to regulate nuclear safety measures and export control areas more efficiently.

With the signing of the administrative agreement, NSSC and FANR can directly handle nuclear export approval tasks between the two countries. NSSC expects that the time required for Korea to export nuclear power plants to the UAE will be shortened by up to six months. Since winning the Barakah nuclear power plant contract in 2009, NSSC has issued approximately 4,000 export approvals for reactors, steam generators, nuclear fuel, and other items necessary for construction and operation. This indicates that the number of export approval cases related to nuclear power plants is not insignificant.

Yoo Guk-hee, Chairperson of NSSC, said, "I consider it meaningful that the decade-long cooperation between the two agencies has borne new fruit in the form of this administrative agreement, following the summit between the two heads of state," adding, "With a system in place for direct communication between the two agencies, I expect future cooperation to be further strengthened."

President Yoon Suk-yeol Holds Expanded Talks with UAE
(Abu Dhabi=Yonhap News) Reporter Im Heon-jeong = President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is holding expanded talks with UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace on the 15th (local time). 2023.1.15
kane@yna.co.kr
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