S. Korea to push for nuclear, defense export growth in 2010: official

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will strive to increase exports in the
nuclear energy and defense industry sectors in the new year to help the economy
achieve 5 percent growth, a senior official said Monday.
Knowledge Economy Minister Choi Kyung-hwan said in a new year's address that the
country needs to strengthen its competitiveness in the auto and semiconductor
sectors as well as seek untapped value-added markets in the energy, defense,
aerospace and industrial plant businesses.
"In areas where the country excels, we must aim to consolidate our leadership
position, while accelerating efforts to gain entry into new business spheres," he
said.
The policymaker said that the country needs to exploit a US$20 billion nuclear
reactor deal, which the country signed last week with the United Arab Emirates,
to secure new orders in the future.
South Korea wants to bid for nuclear power plants in Turkey and Jordan by taking
advantage of its price competitiveness and track record in operational efficiency
and safety.
Seoul is also pushing to further fuel overseas sales of defense-related equipment
such as main battle tanks, self-propelled artillery pieces and jet trainers.
The country has already secured orders to export its K-9 self-propelled howitzers
and K-2 Black Panther tanks, while making known it intention to find buyers for
its T-50 advanced supersonic trainer aircraft in the Middle East, Southeast Asia
and North America.
In the industrial plant export field, South Korea wants to win orders in excess
of $50 billion in the new year from $46.3 billion in 2009.
Choi said only by making inroads into new export markets can South Korea strive
to meet its export target of $410 billion in the new year from $363.8 billion
tallied for 2009.
The minister, meanwhile, said Seoul will have to come up with a detailed master
plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions cited for causing global warming.
"A sector specific plan needs to be finalized that can cut emission levels," he
stressed.
The official pointed out that if the economy grows by 5 percent, energy
consumption will go up by 4.7 percent, but this must be reduced to 3 percent if
the country wants to meet its greenhouse gas emission target.
Higher energy consumption leads to more greenhouse gases released into the
atmosphere.
The government announced in November that it will try to cut greenhouse gas
emissions by 30 percent of the business as usual level in the year 2020 compared
to 2005. Such a move may not lead to a reduction in overall emission levels but
it could stem the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. In the
past 15 years South Korea's greenhouse gas emission levels grew two-fold.
Choi said to help cut energy use and emissions, the government and state-run
organizations will implement a 10 percent energy conservation drive to set an
example for the private sector
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)