[Reporter’s Notebook] "Science Over Politics": Expectations for President Lee Jaemyung

Nuclear Industry Responds: "It Seems a Lot of Studying Was Done"
Soaring Electricity Demand, Renewables Alone Are Not Enough
Scientific Debate Can Bridge Differences in Opinion

The response from the nuclear power industry after observing the presidential work briefing by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission on the 17th was unexpected. Many expressed positive reactions, such as "It felt like a lot of studying was done," and "Since science will be prioritized over politics, I will trust and wait for now." The day after the work briefing, the Korean Nuclear Society also stated, "We deeply sympathize with and welcome the remarks that 'nuclear power issues should not be used to create divisions, but should be discussed scientifically.'"

Since the inauguration of this president, the industrial sector has been anxious about whether nuclear power will once again become a battleground for ideological conflict. Kim Seong-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, said that the decision on the construction of two new nuclear power plants, as stipulated in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, would be made through public opinion surveys and forums. At a press conference marking his 100th day in office, the president confused everyone by stating, "It takes 15 years to build a nuclear power plant," which was factually incorrect. There were widespread concerns that this could signal the arrival of a "phase two" of nuclear phase-out policies.

This work briefing, at least for now, helped to ease such concerns. The president appeared to listen more to experts than to Democratic Party officials regarding the construction period for nuclear plants. He also seemed fully aware of the criticism directed at his previous statements.

In addition, he was already familiar with both sides of the debate over spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. Through the live broadcast of the presidential work briefing, the public was able to hear and see technical terms such as uranium-235, uranium-238, and plutonium being discussed.

The new administration has made proactive responses to the climate crisis a core policy direction. It has presented an ambitious 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target for greenhouse gas reduction and pledged to close coal power plants by 2040 on the global stage. The government has also set an aggressive goal to supply 100 GW of renewable energy by 2030.

For a country like South Korea, where manufacturing is the backbone of the economy, stable and affordable electricity is essential. With the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI), electricity demand is rising sharply. Given the current conditions and capabilities of South Korea, it is impossible to supply all the necessary electricity with renewables alone.

Many experts point out that in order for South Korea to achieve both carbon neutrality and industrial development, nuclear power is essential in addition to renewable energy. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) will also have to play a role for the time being to compensate for the intermittency of renewables.

Of course, building new nuclear power plants may involve overcoming opposition from some environmentalists and persuading local residents. However, as the president stated, if discussions are based on scientific facts rather than politics, differences in opinion can be sufficiently overcome.