South Korea -Policy of Reprocessing Spent Nuclear Fuel May Invite Nuclear Threats

“…The organization stressed, “Only 1% of nuclear materials can be used by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, and this is possible when a fast reactor is successfully developed. But no country is successfully operating a fast reactor, and most of them have already abandoned such plan.”…”

JAN.22.2013 | The News > Korea

The Korean Federation for Environmental Movement asked the President-elect to withdraw request for revision of Korea-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.

In its statement announced on January 17, the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement said, “President-elect Park Geun-hye officially asked the U.S. delegation on January 16 to revise the Korea-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, allowing Korea to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. But this move contradicts with her pledge of ‘preparing the foundation for supply and demand of safe and sustainable energies’.”

The Federation continued, “It is a dangerous plan to reprocess spent nuclear fuel that cannot be compared with nuclear power generation. It is a nuclear proliferation policy that threatens safety and peace of the world as well as those in East Asia.”

The Federation also pointed out, “The nuclear power industry and researchers argue that it is possible to recycle 96% of spent nuclear fuel by reprocessing it and resolve problems of high cost and storage facilities by reducing radioactive waste for final stage treatment. But this is out of touch with reality, and it is a deed of cheating politicians and people who are not aware of the situation.”

And the environmental organization argued, “No country succeeded in securing economic feasibility in reprocessing spent nuclear fuel or solved problems in treating such fuel despite efforts. Instead, these countries were exposed to dangers, such as various accidents at reprocessing facilities, leakage of radioactive substance, and workers’ exposure to radiation.”

The organization stressed, “Only 1% of nuclear materials can be used by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, and this is possible when a fast reactor is successfully developed. But no country is successfully operating a fast reactor, and most of them have already abandoned such plan.”

Also, the Federation argued, “The fundamental problem with reprocessing nuclear fuel across the world lies in that it may bring the danger of nuclear proliferation as plutonium produced in reprocessing course can be used for nuclear weapons. President-elect Park Geun-hye’s request for revision of the Korea-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement to allow reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel is connected with the controversial logic of former President Park Chung-hee, her father, for ‘securing plutonium’ and ‘nuclear armament’ as the background of introducing nuclear power plant.”

In addition, the Federation said, “The basic way of alleviating saturation of spent nuclear fuel is not to reprocess it but to reduce nuclear power generation. President-elect Park Guen-hye should withdraw her request for revising the Korea-U.S. Civilian Nuclear Cooperation Agreement to allow reprocessing and urge the government to suspend reprocessing-related development policy.”

Korean source: todayenergy

http://energy.korea.com/archives/42959?cat=25