"Joint Statement on Korea-US Nuclear Power Export Is Essentially a Message of Export Ban"

Energy Transition Forum "US Warning on South Korea's Nuclear Power Export"

A claim has been raised that the export of nuclear power plants to Saudi Arabia, which has been pursued for the past 15 years, has been effectively banned through the joint statement by President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden. Although the Yoon administration is putting effort into nuclear power plant exports, it is pointed out that exports will become practically difficult.

On the 28th, the Energy Transition Forum stated in a press release, "The 'respect for intellectual property rights' and 'compliance with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Additional Protocol' included in the Korea-U.S. leaders' joint statement are warnings regarding South Korea's nuclear power plant exports."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Korea-U.S. joint statement included the sentence, "The two leaders commit to participating in global civilian nuclear cooperation in a manner consistent with each country's export control regulations and mutual respect for intellectual property rights, as well as compliance with the IAEA Additional Protocol."

The forum pointed out, "In the joint statement between the former Moon Jae-in administration and the Biden administration in May 2021, the respect for intellectual property rights and the compliance with the IAEA Additional Protocol by nuclear power export recipient countries were not included in the main text but only in the so-called fact sheet without specifying the target. This time, these phrases were included in the joint statement as requirements related to nuclear cooperation, which is unusual."

They added, "The IAEA Additional Protocol is part of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime that mandates nuclear inspections of the nuclear activities of member states," explaining, "This is a warning message to South Korea, which has been seeking nuclear power plant exports to Saudi Arabia since the Lee Myung-bak administration, to stop reckless attempts at nuclear power plant exports."

The forum emphasized, "Saudi Arabia, which has openly advocated uranium enrichment rights until now, has refused to join this Additional Protocol, and the U.S. has not allowed the conclusion of a nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia due to nuclear proliferation risks," adding, "As a result of this statement, South Korea's nuclear power plant exports to Saudi Arabia, pursued for the past 15 years, are effectively banned."

They also added, "The phrase about respecting intellectual property rights is even more serious. This is because it newly included respect for intellectual property rights specifically for nuclear power plants in the Korea-U.S. joint statement while a lawsuit between Korea and the U.S. is already underway." Last year, during Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's efforts to export nuclear power plants to Poland, Westinghouse filed a lawsuit in a U.S. court requesting restrictions on KHNP's APR-1400 nuclear power plant exports to third countries, claiming that it is based on Westinghouse's System 80 design.

Especially on the 27th, the day the joint statement was announced, Patrick Fragman, President of Westinghouse, visited Warsaw and stated, "The Korean (Pomtneuf) nuclear power plant project is just a virtual project for us and not a feasible project. It violates U.S. and international laws. We believe that Korean nuclear power plants will never be constructed in Poland."

The forum evaluated, "The newly included nuclear intellectual property rights phrase in the joint statement and Westinghouse's strong remarks share the same tone," adding, "There is clear evidence of prior coordination between the U.S. government and Westinghouse."

The forum also stated, "Ignoring the astronomical deficits of KEPCO and Korea Gas Corporation, the normalization of electricity rates, and other pressing issues, the government declared participation in economic sanctions against Russia in this joint statement, driving the domestic energy crisis to a worsening state," and urged, "The government should stop wasting administrative resources on hollow nuclear power plant export achievements and take responsibility for the energy crisis we are currently facing."