Three Years of Nuclear Phase-Out... Collapsing Nuclear Industry, Lagging New and Renewable Energy

3 Years Since Moon Administration's Nuclear Phase-Out Declaration
Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 Halted, Site Overgrown with Weeds
Domestic Nuclear Industry Investment and Workforce Also Declining

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] "I originally ran a beer pub, but after the nuclear phase-out plan was announced, outsiders started leaving one after another. Now, even nearby shops close by 8 p.m. In the end, I closed my business and have been working part-time at a bakery for the past nine months."

Site of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 Nuclear Power Plant under construction. The area is overgrown with weeds. For security reasons, photography by outsiders is strictly prohibited. (Photo by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Hanul Nuclear Headquarters)

On the 15th, I visited the site in Uljin, Gyeongbuk, where Shin Hanul Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 were planned to be constructed, only to find dry land overgrown with weeds. Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 have yet to receive approval for the implementation plan from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. A Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power official who accompanied me on site explained, "If construction had continued, it was scheduled to be completed next year."

A store located on Jungang-ro, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is said that even if the store is put up for rent, there is no one willing to buy it. (Photo by Moon Chae-seok)

The local economy of Uljin, where the construction of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 has been halted, has plummeted to the bottom. Jang Mo (36), who introduced himself as a native of the area, said, "The city is on the verge of closure due to the nuclear phase-out and the COVID-19 pandemic combined." The population of Uljin County decreased by about 5%, from 51,885 in 2015 to 49,314 last year.

It has been three years since President Moon Jae-in declared the suspension of new nuclear power plant construction at the Gori Unit 1 permanent shutdown ceremony on June 19, 2017. The damage was not limited to the local economy. The entire domestic nuclear industry has been on a downward trend since the nuclear phase-out policy began in 2017. Investment in the nuclear industry dropped from 8 trillion won to the 7 trillion won range, and the workforce in the nuclear power industry has also decreased.

Around 2 p.m. on the 15th, near 'Jungangtong' on Jungang-ro, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do. It is the busiest area in front of Uljin County Office, but it was difficult to find any signs of people. (Photo by Moon Chae-seok)

According to the "Nuclear Industry Status Survey Report" by the Korea Nuclear Industry Association, investment in nuclear-related facilities and research and development (R&D) was 8.4289 trillion won in 2015, 8.3504 trillion won in 2016, 8.207 trillion won in 2017, and 7.898 trillion won in 2018. As new investments stopped, the workforce in the nuclear power industry has steadily declined. The number of workers in the nuclear industry decreased from 37,261 in 2017 to 36,502 in 2018. Nuclear industry sales shrank from 27.4513 trillion won in 2017 to 20.561 trillion won in 2018.

While the government's energy transition policy has weakened the competitiveness of domestic nuclear power, the renewable energy industry has not grown correspondingly, which is an even bigger problem.

Professor Jeong Dong-wook of the Department of Energy Systems Engineering at Chung-Ang University pointed out, "It is difficult to say that the environmental benefits gained over the past three years by increasing new and renewable energy, such as reductions in greenhouse gases and fine dust, outweigh the side effects like damage to the nuclear industry. The profitability of new and renewable energy operators is low, and related equipment companies are also being outcompeted by China."

Residents of Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, who heard the news of the cancellation of the construction of Cheonji Units 1 and 2 nuclear power plants, said they operate pensions to repay the principal and interest, but their income is insufficient. Their words were that they are "just enduring." (Photo by Moon Chae-seok)

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.