South Korea’s nuclear regulator serving the industry rather than safety
concerns that this organization created to regulate nuclear power plant safety will merely serve to bolster the industry and serve as its shield
A conflict of interest in nuclear safety oversight, THE HANKYOREH , 26 oct 11, Today sees the launch of a presidential commission on nuclear safety and security. It was established to assume the safety regulation duties of nuclear power promotion organizations and conducting proper examinations of nuclear power safety so that citizens can rest easy. But the commission has gotten off on the wrong foot.
The individual appointed as the commission’s chair, a position comparable Cabinet minister, is Seoul National University Emeritus Professor of Nuclear Engineering Kang Chang-soon, a leading figure in the nuclear power industry. Kang reportedly held the post of vice chairman of the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, an organization of nuclear power industry figures, only to resign that post just after his nomination. He previously served as an outside director for Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction, a firm that builds nuclear power plants, and as an advisory committee member for the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Company, which manages them. He has taken on numerous projects commissioned by nuclear power companies and stated his belief that South Korea should increase its reliance on nuclear power to 70%. Continue reading
South Korea’s history of seeking nuclear weapons
CIA documents shed light on S Korea’s nuke ambition in 1970s, The Korea Herald/Asia News Network, Sep 26, 2011 As the international community continues to grapple with how best to thwart North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, a Seoul-based publication has revealed declassified US Central Intelligence Agency documents shedding light on South Korea’s own efforts to acquire nuclear weapons four decades ago.
Global Asia, a publication of the East Asia Foundation in Seoul, said the previously secret US documents show that South Korea continued to develop nuclear weapons at least two years after Washington thought it had ceased during the 1970s……..
Park’s efforts to acquire nuclear weapons may have influenced North Korea’s own threat perception at the time, and fuelled the North’s desire to acquire its own nuclear weapons ? a fact that continues to be relevant today……
these historical documents illustrate that engaging North Korea from a position of political, economic and military strength ? not extended nuclear deterrence ? remains the best policy option…http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20110926-301465.htmlThe two Koreas to discuss nuclear disarmament
Korea Envoys to Discuss Resuming Nuclear Talks, NYT, By CHOE SANG-HUN, September 16, 2011, SEOUL, South Korea — The top nuclear negotiators from North and South Korea plan to meet next week in Beijing to discuss terms of restarting the long-stalled six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, a senior government official here said Friday. Continue reading
Meeting between North and South Korea
Two Koreas meet to discuss nuclear issue, By Jack Kim and Andrew Quinn, SEOUL/NUSA DUA, Indonesia Jul 22, 2011 (Reuters) – The nuclear envoys of South and North Korea met on the sidelines of an Asian forum in Bali on Friday, an official in Seoul said, in the first high level contact since tensions spiked on the Korean peninsula last year….. Continue reading
South Korea urged to close Gori nuclear reactor,and to ‘leapfrog’ to safe renewable energy
Greenpeace and the Korean Federation of Environmental Movement called in a statement for the immediate closure of the Gori 1 reactor 325 kilometres (200 miles) southeast of Seoul…..South Korea had enough technological knowledge to leapfrog to clean renewable energy and provide a very safe future for the country…….
S.Korea’s oldest reactor must close: Greenpeace – Yahoo! News Jun 17, ETSEOUL (AFP) – Greenpeace urged South Korea Friday to shut down its oldest nuclear reactor, expressing concern about its safety and drawing a parallel with a disaster-stricken reactor in Japan.The anti-nuclear environmental group is currently sailing around South Korea on its campaign ship, the Rainbow Warrior, visiting and showing solidarity for communities sited around nuclear plants. Continue reading
Two Koreas may meet for nuclear negotiations
Chief Nuclear Negotiators from Both Koreas ‘May Meet, The Chosun Ilbo , 12 April 11, ‘South Korea is likely to accept a proposal from China for a three-stage process to revive the stalled six-party talks that would start with an inter-Korean meeting between chief nuclear negotiators as a lead up to North Korea-U.S. talks and the resumption of six-party talks. Continue reading
USA not putting tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea
U.S. not mulling redeploying tactical nukes to S. Korea: official, By Hwang Doo-hyong, WASHINGTON, March 3 (Yonhap) — The United States will not consider redeploying tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea despite growing concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, a senior U.S. official has said. Continue reading
South Korea radiation leaks from nuclear power centre
Radiation leaks reported at nuke power research center in S.Korea 2011-02-20 SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) — A South Korean nuclear power research center issued a warning of radiation leaks on Sunday, which forced its staff there to evacuate immediately, according to local media. A “white” warning was issued at around 2:32 p.m. local time at the state-run Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), located in the central city of Daejeon, about 160 km south of Seoul, after minor radiation leaks were detected at a 30 megawatt research reactor, HANARO, at around 1:03 p.m. local time, the KAERI told local media….Radiation leaks reported at nuke power research center in S.Korea
South Korea will lend $10 billion to beat AREVA in selling nukes
Beating GE, Areva. Korea Electric, the country’s biggest electricity provider, beat General Electric Co. and Areva SA of France for rights to build the U.A.E.’s first nuclear reactors.
South Korea Plans to Lend $10 Billion for U.A.E. Nuclear Plants – Bloomberg, By Ayesha Daya – // Oct 6, 2010 South Korea expects to lend about $10 billion for the United Arab Emirates’ first nuclear plants, more than doubling pledges it has already made this year to finance construction projects in the Middle East. Continue reading
South Korea alarmed at North Korea’s nuclear programs
- Seoul warns of nuclear ‘havoc’, The Australian, October 07, 2010 A SENIOR South Korean official has warned that North Korea’s nuclear program had reached “a very alarming level”. Continue reading
The forgotten suffering of Korean atomic bomb survivors
Depending on their extent of radiation exposure, many A-bomb survivors became infertile. If they have children, their sickness sometimes caused health problems with their offspring.
Sufferings still linger for Korean A-bomb survivors, Aug 09, 2010The Korea Herald/Asia News Network “…..Some 200,000 people were killed or died within three months when the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs in Japan, first in Hiroshima and three days later in Nagasaki. Of them, about 40,000 were Koreans. Continue reading
USA to allow South Korea to reprocess nuclear fuel?
Washington has so far been reluctant to permit it since the process results in the production of weapons-grade plutonium.
Korea, U.S. to Discuss Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing This Fall, The Chosun Ilbo, 3 Aug 2010, Korea and the United States have agreed to start talks about the revision of a bilateral atomic energy agreement this fall, it emerged on Monday. Seoul is keen to reprocess its own spent fuel rods, which it is barred from doing under the agreement, Continue reading
South Korea wants to recycle nuclear “spent” fuel
Washington is concerned that allowing the country to process the fuel for reuse may discourage North Korea from giving up its weapons programme,
South Korea seeks US accord to reprocess spent nuclear fuel, Industrial Fuels and Power, July 23rd, 2010 Continue reading
South Korea wants nuclear reprocessing and uranium enrichment
the South Korean government also wants to acquire a uranium enrichment capacity to make the traditional fuel for reactors — another activity banned by the 1974 accord because enriched uranium can also be used for weapons………. South Korea’s ambition is tied to its drive to become a major exporter of nuclear reactors.
U.S. Wary of South Korea’s Plan to Reuse Nuclear Fuel, By CHOE SANG-HUN New York Times, July 13, 2010 “……another nuclear dispute is emerging on the Korean Peninsula — this one between the United States and South Korea. South Korea, which has no oil reserves, derives 40 percent of its electricity from nuclear reactors and is running out of space to store the highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel. Continue reading
Pyroprocessed plutonium could quickly become nuclear weapon
a country with South Korea’s nuclear expertise could quickly turn pyroprocessed plutonium into weapons
U.S. Wary of South Korea’s Plan to Reuse Nuclear Fuel, By CHOE SANG-HUN New York Times, July 13, 2010 “……..South Korean engineers are championing a new technology called pyroprocessing, which the Bush administration endorsed. They call it “proliferation-resistant” because the plutonium produced through pyroprocessing is not pure and cannot be used directly for nuclear weapons.
Skeptics say the technology is far more dangerous than leaving the spent fuel intact in storage because a country with South Korea’s nuclear expertise could quickly turn pyroprocessed plutonium into weapons-usable material should it decide to break out of the nonproliferation treaty…….
Washington is wary of South Korea’s motives. Seoul embarked on its short-lived nuclear arms program in the early 1970s when President Richard M. Nixon reduced the number of American troops in South Korea to 40,000 from 60,000. In 2004, South Korea revealed to the International Atomic Energy Agency that its scientists had dabbled in reprocessing and enrichment without first informing the agency. U.S. Wary of South Korea’s Plan to Reuse Nuclear Fuel – NYTimes.com
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