AsiaElec: South Korea aiming for 30% nuclear by 2030

The government of South Korea has announced its intent to source 30% of its energy from nuclear power by the end of the decade.

Central to Seoul’s plans is the resumption of construction at both the Shin-Hanul III and IV nuclear reactor facilities in the country.

Work was halted at both sites in 2017, under the administration of former president Moon Jae-in. President Moon’s government had come to power in 2017 and had promised to eventually shut down all of the nation’s existing 24 nuclear reactors.

In keeping with a campaign pledge made ahead of the 2022 presidential elections earlier in the year, newly elected President Yoon Seok-yeol, however, pushed for an increase in nuclear power dependency across the Korean peninsula.

“Had we not been foolish over the past five years and further reinforced the nuclear power ecosystem, we probably would not have any competitors now,” President Yoon said of his predecessor’s nuclear policy following a visit to a reactor production site in the country in June.