Over 60% of Public Support Proceeding with New Nuclear Power Plants as Planned... Government to Announce New Nuclear Expansion Measures Soon [Comprehensive]

Results of Public Opinion Survey Released by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment
90% Respond "Nuclear Power Plants Are Necessary"
Two New Large-Scale Nuclear Plants Likely to Proceed under the 11th Basic Plan

A recent public opinion poll has revealed that 90% of South Koreans believe nuclear power plants are necessary. Additionally, 70% of respondents said that the construction of new nuclear power plants should proceed as planned. As a result, the government is expected to move forward with the construction of two new nuclear power plants as outlined in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced the results of a nationwide public opinion survey on the new nuclear power plant plans included in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand on January 21.

This survey was conducted by two agencies: Gallup Korea and Realmeter. Gallup Korea conducted telephone interviews with 1,519 people, while Realmeter used an automated response system (ARS) to survey 1,505 people. To ensure the representativeness of the survey, samples were selected using proportional allocation based on gender, age, and region.

According to Gallup Korea's findings, the energy sources that should be expanded in the future were ranked as follows: renewable energy at 48.9%, nuclear power at 38.0%, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) at 5.6%. When asked about the necessity of nuclear power, 89.5% responded that it is necessary, while 7.1% said it is not.

Regarding the safety of nuclear power, 60.1% considered it safe, while 34.2% regarded it as dangerous. When asked whether the new nuclear power plant plans included in the 11th Basic Plan should proceed, 69.6% said they should be implemented, while 22.5% said they should be halted.

According to Realmeter, the ranking of energy sources that should be expanded in the future was as follows: renewable energy at 43.1%, nuclear power at 41.9%, and LNG at 6.7%.

Regarding the necessity of nuclear power, 82.0% said it is necessary, while 14.4% said it is not. As for safety, 60.5% considered it safe, while 34.0% considered it dangerous.

When asked about the implementation of new nuclear power plant plans included in the 11th Basic Plan, 61.9% responded that they should proceed, while 30.8% said they should be halted.

Combining the results of both surveys, it is evident that the public supports not only the expansion of renewable energy but also recognizes the need to expand nuclear power. When asked which energy source should be expanded the most in the future, renewable energy ranked first (48.9% in Gallup Korea, 43.1% in Realmeter), but a significant number also chose nuclear power (38.0% in Gallup Korea, 41.9% in Realmeter).

Regarding the construction of new nuclear power plants, the proportion of those who believed it should be halted was less than half of those who supported it (22.5% in Gallup Korea, 30.8% in Realmeter, compared to 69.6% in Gallup Korea and 61.9% in Realmeter who supported proceeding). In both surveys, 60% of respondents considered nuclear power to be safe.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment plans to announce measures for promoting new nuclear power plants soon, based on the results of this public opinion poll and the outcomes of two previous policy forums. Given the overwhelming support for new nuclear power plant construction in this survey, the government is expected to proceed with the construction of two new nuclear power plants as set out in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand.

Previously, the government held two policy forums on December 30 of last year and January 7 of this year under the theme of "The Desirable Energy Mix." At the first forum, Ok Kiyeol, Head of the Energy System Division at Korea Power Exchange, emphasized, "To dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy should become the main power source, while utilizing nuclear power as a zero-carbon source. We also need to secure flexible resources to address the intermittency and variability of renewable energy."

At the second forum, discussions focused on the flexible operation technology of nuclear power as a way to overcome the intermittency and variability of renewable energy.

According to the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, finalized by the government in February last year after reporting to the National Assembly, two new large-scale nuclear power plants (2.8GW) and one small modular reactor (SMR, 0.7GW) are to be constructed by 2038. However, after Minister Kim Seonghwan of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment took office, he repeatedly emphasized the need for public debate on additional nuclear power construction, raising concerns about a possible "nuclear phase-out season 2." Minister Kim is known as a leading opponent of nuclear power, having served as mayor of Nowon District and as a member of the National Assembly.

President Lee Jaemyung also heightened these concerns at a press conference in September last year, stating, "It takes more than 15 years to build a nuclear power plant, and except for sites where construction was suspended, there are no available sites. We need to massively build solar and wind power, which can be completed in just one or two years."

Recently, however, there have been signs of a shift. At the second policy forum, Minister Kim stated, "Ideally, I would like to rely entirely on renewable energy for all electricity, but considering the need for a stable power supply, that is not easy." He also said, "South Korea has many important industries such as semiconductors, so we must operate the power system stably."

With AI driving a rapid increase in power demand, Minister Kim's remarks were interpreted as acknowledging the need for nuclear power to complement the intermittency of renewables and ensure a stable electricity supply. Kim Yongbeom, Chief Presidential Secretary for Policy, also said in a recent interview, "To supply electricity needed for the AI and semiconductor industries, the construction of new nuclear power plants is inevitable."

If the government finalizes additional nuclear power plant construction, the process of selecting sites for new plants, which had been suspended, is expected to accelerate. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power began site selection procedures for new nuclear power plants in March last year, immediately after the 11th Basic Plan was finalized, but halted progress due to increased policy uncertainty under the new administration. According to the nuclear industry, residents in Gyeongju, Yeongdeok, and Uljin in North Gyeongsang Province, as well as Ulju in Ulsan, are reportedly positive about hosting nuclear power plants.

Regarding the fact that the specific names of survey agencies and detailed questions were not disclosed in advance in this poll, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment explained, "If such information is released beforehand, it could lead to sample distortion, as those interested in the issue may concentrate in the sample. There is also a risk of distorted responses if participants study third-party evaluations of the questions. These concerns were raised by professional organizations and taken into account."