Clash Between Lee Jaemyung and Lee Junseok Over Nuclear Power Plants
Lee Junseok: "Can't You Trust Korean Nuclear Power?"
Lee Jaemyung: "There Are Safety Concerns"
Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, criticized Lee Jaemyung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, on the 23rd, saying, "How can someone who wants to become the president of Korea distrust Korean nuclear power plants?"
In response, candidate Lee Jaemyung countered, "I have never said that I distrust South Korea's nuclear power plants."
Lee Junseok, the presidential candidate of the Reform New Party, is preparing ahead of the start of the 2nd candidate debate for the 21st presidential election hosted by the National Election Broadcasting Debate Commission at the KBS headquarters studio in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on May 23, 2025. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Division
During the second TV debate on social issues among presidential candidates held that day, candidate Lee Junseok said, "In the previous debate, candidate Lee Jaemyung called me extreme, and when questioning Kim Moonsoo, the People Power Party candidate, about nuclear power, he brought up Fukushima and Chernobyl. This showed that he was not confident about the safety of Korean nuclear power plants."
He went on to point out, "Nuclear power plants are concentrated in eastern China. How do you assess the risk?"
Although candidate Lee Jaemyung insisted that he had never expressed distrust in nuclear power plants, he said, "There are concerns about safety. Enormous costs are required for safety management."
Candidate Lee Jaemyung stated, "Accidents are unlikely to happen. However, if an accident does occur, the damage would be enormous. Whether it happens once in 50 years or once in 100 years, that risk must be considered."
Regarding the assessment of Chinese nuclear power plants, he responded, "I am aware that there are many nuclear power plants along China's east coast, but just because there are many there does not mean that we should also have many in our country."
Candidate Lee Junseok argued, "Currently, South Korea's nuclear power industry is promising as an export industry. Former President Moon Jaein doubted the safety of nuclear power, which hindered overseas sales. Your remarks could be interpreted as implying that South Korean nuclear power plants are unsafe and prone to accidents."
Candidate Lee Jaemyung responded, "I hope you do not distort my words. I have never said that South Korean nuclear power plants are dangerous. I am referring to the general risks associated with nuclear power."
He added, "While nuclear power may seem cheap in the short term, when you factor in the costs and risks of waste disposal, it can be an extremely expensive energy source. In Europe, the cost of wind power generation is now lower than the production cost of nuclear power."
The two candidates also clashed over the issue of fine dust.
Candidate Lee Junseok said, "Candidate Lee Jaemyung suggested cooperating with China and Japan to address the fine dust issue. However, fine dust comes from the west, so what kind of cooperation do you expect with Japan? Most regions of Japan are not affected by fine dust from China."
Candidate Lee Jaemyung responded, "The claim that Japan is completely unaffected seems to be your one-sided opinion. Since the Korean Peninsula is affected, I do not believe Japan is unconcerned. As both countries are within the same range of impact, Japan could share the same position."
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