UAE nuclear deal highlights growth of S. Korea's nuclear energy capability

SEOUL, Dec. 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's successful bid Sunday to construct
commercial nuclear reactors for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) underpins steady
capability building in this hightech energy field.
The knowledge economy and the education and science ministries said since the
first Gori 1 nuclear reactor went on line in 1978 with the help of the United
States, the country has built 20 reactors capable of generating up to a combined
17.72 million kilowatts of energy or 36 percent of the country's annual
electricity needs.
The country has four nuclear power plants in Gori, Wolsong and Uljin on the east
coast and the Yonggwang plant on the west coast.
The two ministries responsible for the country's atomic energy policies and
research and development (R&D) said while the country had to rely exclusively on
outside help from the U.S., Canada and France to design and build past reactors,
it has now reached over 95 percent self-sufficiency and relied on the use of
foreign technologies in a few areas.
"With the R&D and production of the Korean OPR-1000 reactors in the mid-1990s,
South Korea has become effectively independent in the nuclear generation field,
while APR-1400 has made the country a leader in the so-called third generation
fission energy arena," a knowledge economy official said.
Under a mid-term plan South Korea will strive for 100 percent self-sufficiency by
2012.
Work on the APR-1000, which is 10 times safer and more economical to operate
compared to previous reactors, was completed in 2002, with four units being built
in the country at present. The country wants to build a total of eight new
reactors by 2016 with combined output of these units reaching 9.6 million
kilowatts.
Other experts in the government and state-run Korea Electric Power Corp. said
becoming wholly independent of outside help is crucial if the country wants to
become a major player in the atomic export market.
"There are no restrictions if we want to build a reactor in the country, but as
can be seen in the case involving failed bids to China and South Africa in 2004
and 2007, the country needs to get prior approval from countries that hold
intellectual property rights to certain components," a KEPCO source said. He said
that the UAE deal was possible because such consent was given.
The Middle East country has nuclear accords with the United States that can
safeguard the transfer of sensitive technologies and prevent proliferation.
South Korea's capability to build its own nuclear reactors and export them abroad
can help this sector become potential export industry that can fuel economic
growth and create new jobs.
The UAE deal is worth US$20 billion won with the total likely to grow to $40
billion if South Korea takes control of everyday maintainance and management of
the reactors. An estimated 11,000 people may be employed in jobs related to the
work every year for the next 10 years.
"Nuclear power enjoys a clear edge over fossil fuel in terms of energy that can
be generated and because it emits just a fraction of the greenhouse gases of coal
and oil, leading to it being seen as eco-friendly," Rhee Jae-hwan, head of the
Korea Nuclear Energy Foundation said.
The head of the organization that promotes use of nuclear energy said it is
because of this reason that a surge in interest for nuclear reactor building is
sweeping European and North American countries.
Such interest has been spurred in part by efforts by countries around the world
to cut back on greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and cope with a rise
in crude oil prices.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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