8 out of 10 Citizens Say "Nuclear Power Generation is Necessary"

Survey: 82% Respond That Nuclear Power Generation Is Necessary
52.8% Oppose Nuclear Plant Construction in Residential Areas, Safety Concerns Remain

Eight out of ten people in South Korea believe that nuclear power generation is necessary.

According to the "2024 First Half Energy Public Awareness Survey" conducted by the Korea Energy Information Culture Foundation on the 14th, 81.9% of respondents answered that nuclear power generation is necessary. However, when it comes to the construction of nuclear power plants in their residential areas, 52.8% opposed it, which is higher than the 45.1% who supported it, indicating that concerns about nuclear power plant safety still exist.

The survey showed that 70.2% of respondents considered domestic nuclear power plants to be safe, and 65.7% agreed on the safe management of radioactive waste. However, the main reason for opposing the construction of nuclear power plants in residential areas was the "concern about radiation exposure risk" (59.2%).

Meanwhile, 59.3% responded positively to the expansion of power generation from nuclear power plants. Support for the continued operation of nuclear power plants was also high at 69.8%. Although awareness of the need for high-level radioactive waste disposal facilities was high, only 16.3% were aware of the legislative status of related bills.