Addressing a ceremony marking the completion of Shin Hanul NPP units 1&2 and the groundbreaking for units 3&4 in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasised the need for nuclear power. The event was attended by more than 500 people, including executives, employees, local residents, and nuclear engineering students.
Shin Hanul 1&2, with APR1400 reactors, are the first nuclear units to be completed after President Yoon declared a new nuclear policy during his visit to the construction site in December 2021, when he was a presidential candidate. Construction of units 3&4 (also APR1400s) has resumed, after it had been halted for five years from 2017 due to the nuclear phase-out policy of the previous Moon Jae-in administration. The new units are scheduled to be completed by 2032 and 2033. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) applied for construction licences for the reactors in 2016, but the process was halted under the nuclear phase-out policy. South regulator granted a licence in September, clearing the way for construction to restart.
President Yoon stated, “We need to amend the system so that nuclear plants confirmed to be safe can continue to operate.” He emphasised the importance of establishing a system ensure the continued operation of existing NPPs and to build new plants. “Due to the nuclear phase-out policy, which mandates decommissioning after the initially approved design life, a total of five nuclear plants will halt by the year after next as they cannot undergo operation reviews. The loss amount is astronomical,” he added.
President Yoon pointed out that countries such as the UK and France operate nuclear plants without a time limit provided safety is guaranteed, suggesting that South Korea should adopt a similar approach. “We will not only construct Shin Hanul units 3&4 but also continue the construction of Saeul units 3&4, extend the operation of existing nuclear plants, secure overseas nuclear plant orders, and promote the construction of new nuclear plants such as small modular Reactors (SMRs) to provide work to the nuclear industry,” he said. South Korea currently operates 26 nuclear units, which supply about 30% of electricity.
President Yoon also announced plans to develop the “2050 Mid-to-Long-Term Nuclear Roadmap” to ensure that the future of the nuclear industry is not undermined by politics. “We will do our utmost to enact a special law supporting the nuclear industry,” he stated. Additionally, he emphasised the need for sufficient personnel and talent to lead the nuclear renaissance, outlining plans to establish a personnel training system from nuclear high schools to nuclear universities, specialised graduate schools, national research institutes, and new academic linkage programmes.
Addressing the issue of high-level radioactive waste, President Yoon called for the swift passage of the special law related to high-level radioactive waste submitted to the National Assembly. “We will provide institutional support such as safety and licensing standards to secure the leadership in future innovative nuclear plants like SMRs,” he said.
Referring to the bid for the Czech nuclear plants, he stated: “We will further expand the export path for the nuclear industry,” and “we will accelerate the complete normalisation of the nuclear ecosystem.” He added: “Going forward, we will continue to hold groundbreaking and completion ceremonies for our nuclear plants not only in South Korea but around the world.” In July, the KHNP was selected as a preferred bidder to build two nuclear power units in the Czech Republic. If finalised, this will mark Korea’s second NPP export order, following its 2009 project in the United Arab Emirates.
