Former Deputy Secretary of Energy Awarded the Order of Industrial Service Merit, Dongtapsang
On the afternoon of the 26th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held the '14th Nuclear Safety and Promotion Day' commemorative ceremony at the JW Marriott Hotel Seoul, jointly with the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.
Minister An Deok-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, in his commemorative speech, praised the dedication and efforts of the nuclear sector, highlighting achievements such as the completion of Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2 and the commencement of Units 3 and 4, overseas nuclear power plant construction and equipment orders in Egypt and Romania, and the selection as the preferred negotiator for the new nuclear power plant construction project in the Czech Republic.
Minister An stated that the government will continue to harmoniously utilize nuclear power, a carbon-free power source, alongside other power sources such as renewable energy. He also pledged unwavering support for enhancing the competitiveness of the nuclear power industry to foster it as a Korean export industry through financial support, training of specialized personnel, and next-generation technology development including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Furthermore, he urged the nuclear sector to accelerate efforts for safe operation of nuclear power plants, technological innovation, and global market expansion.
Lee Chang-yoon, 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT, expressed gratitude to those who have led the development of Korea's nuclear technology, evaluating that through the efforts of the nuclear sector, achievements such as the development of the high-performance research reactor 'HANARO', export of Korean-style large nuclear power plants, and acquisition of SMART standard design approval have been realized.
He also stated, "To achieve a new leap in nuclear power, we will strengthen investments in next-generation nuclear technologies such as high-temperature gas reactors, sodium-cooled fast reactors, and molten salt reactors, and create an innovation ecosystem led by the private sector rather than a public-led paradigm to respond quickly and flexibly to the rapidly changing global market."
Choi Won-ho, Chairman of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, said, "We will steadily establish a safety regulatory system for the innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR) and further advance the safety regulatory system to ensure that our nuclear power plants achieve the highest level of safety, while maintaining an open communication stance with the nuclear sector."
On this day, the Bronze Tower Industrial Medal was awarded for the first time to a foreigner in the history of the 'Nuclear Safety and Promotion Day' awards to Daniel Bruce Poneman, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy. Poneman has served at the White House National Security Council (NSC), as Deputy Secretary of Energy, and CEO of Centrus Energy. Having worked in the energy sector for over 30 years, he significantly contributed to policy and business cooperation in the nuclear field between Korea and the U.S., including the establishment of the Korea-U.S. nuclear fuel supply chain.
Daniel Bruce Poneman
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy explained, "In recent years, Poneman has been active in various think tanks and policy research institutes, spreading the message that strengthening cooperation between Korea and the U.S. in the nuclear power industry can expand tangible achievements such as joint entry into third countries. During his tenure as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy, he contributed to expanding the peaceful use of nuclear energy by strengthening Korea-U.S. technological cooperation."
On the same day, awards including commendations and presidential citations were also presented to individuals who contributed to nuclear safety, exports, and technology development.
Lee Jin-kyung, President of the Korea Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences, and Kim Hong-seok, Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, received the Science and Technology Medal, while six others including Kim Mu-hwan, SK Co. Project Manager, Lee Dae-sung, Team Leader at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, and Shin Dong-hoon, Center Director at the Korea Institute of Nuclear Nonproliferation and Control, were awarded presidential citations.
Additionally, the '2024 Nuclear Technology and Employment Expo' was held as a related event to the commemorative ceremony. The Korea Nuclear Industry Association shared the achievements of nuclear ecosystem support projects and the 2025 operational plan with the nuclear power industry, and also hosted job briefings, company exhibitions, and job fairs.
Meanwhile, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission recently held the 'Children's Dream Nuclear Safety Drawing Challenge' event and exhibited 12 selected popular drawings at the Nuclear Day event.
Nuclear Safety and Promotion Day is a statutory commemorative day (December 27) established in 2009 to raise awareness of the importance of nuclear safety and promote the advancement of nuclear power, triggered by the export of nuclear power plants to the UAE.
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