South Korea « nuclear-news

Wind power growing in importance in South Korea

South Korea’s drive for renewable energy By Lucy Williamson, BBC News,1 Dec 11 South Korea “…..Wind power is becoming increasingly important to South Korea – not just as a way to help meet ambitious targets on greenhouse gas emissions, but also as a way to boost the economy.

“Green Growth” has been a key national strategy since President Lee Myung-bak took office four years ago……..South Korea is relatively late to the green technology market. Europe is the established leader in wind turbines – and even China is judged to be steaming ahead.

Korea completed its first wind farm five years ago. Spread across a beautiful series of hills in Gangwon Province, near the country’s eastern coast, the wind farm produces an impressive 240MW per year….. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15984399

December 3, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | renewable, South Korea | Leave a comment

South Korea’s radiation hotspot – from Japan, or from China?

The Institute of Nuclear Safety has previously reported that cesium-137 has been detected over the past 10 years in South Korea’s air and soil when so-called yellow dust blows in from China .

Radiation Hot Spot Detected in South Korean Pavement,Voice of America , November 3rd, 2011 South Korea’s Institute of Nuclear Safety says it has discovered a patch of pavement in Seoul is emitting radiation at levels 10 times higher than normal. Continue reading →

November 4, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, South Korea | Leave a comment

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 →

October 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, South Korea | Leave a comment

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.html

September 27, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | history, South Korea | Leave a comment

The 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 →

September 17, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | North Korea, politics international, South Korea | Leave a comment

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 →

July 24, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | North Korea, politics international, South Korea | Leave a comment

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 →

June 20, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, South Korea | Leave a comment

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 →

April 13, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | North Korea, politics international, South Korea | Leave a comment

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 →

March 4, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Korea, weapons and war | Leave a comment

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

February 20, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, South Korea | Leave a comment

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 →

October 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, South Korea | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear costs, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors | Leave a comment

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 →

October 7, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, South Korea | antinuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear weapons | Leave a comment

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 →

August 10, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Korea, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear weapons, radiation, reactors | Leave a comment

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 →

August 3, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | South Korea, technology | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear technology, reactors, recycling, reprocessing, uranium | Leave a comment