"Not Saying Closure Was Wrong" vs "Death Sentence for Nuclear Phase-Out": Ruling and Opposition Clash Over Board of Audit Announcement

With "Only Minor Disciplinary Action Due to Some Procedural Inadequacies" Drawn
Opposition: "Unrealistic Dream of Nuclear Phase-Out... Now the Government Must Respond"

On the 20th, employees at the Legislative Affairs Division of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, are organizing the audit result report on the appropriateness of the early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1 submitted by the Board of Audit and Inspection. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] As the Board of Audit and Inspection (BAI) revealed audit results showing that the 'economic feasibility' basis for the early shutdown decision of Wolseong Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 was unreasonably undervalued, conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties have deepened. The Democratic Party of Korea pointed out "the political bias of BAI Chairman Choi Jae-hyung is the problem," while the People Power Party claimed it was a "death sentence for the nuclear phase-out policy."

On the afternoon of the 20th, the BAI released the final report on the 'Audit of the Validity of the Early Shutdown Decision of Wolseong Unit 1.' This came 386 days after the National Assembly requested the audit on September 30 last year, and 234 days after the legal audit deadline passed in February.

In the report, the BAI revealed that employees of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) knowingly used a sales price in the economic feasibility evaluation service report that was set lower than the actual price without correcting it, and that officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy were also involved in the decision-making process. The report stated, "The economic feasibility of continuing operation compared to immediate shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1 was unreasonably undervalued."

However, the BAI did not make a clear judgment on whether the government's early shutdown decision was appropriate or inappropriate. Regarding this, the BAI explained, "We examined the appropriateness of the economic feasibility evaluation of Wolseong Unit 1," and "The propriety of the policy decision to pursue early shutdown is outside the scope of this audit."

On the afternoon of the 20th, Wolsong Unit 1 (right), which has been shut down, can be seen at the Wolsong Nuclear Power Plant in Yangnam-myeon, Gyeongju-si. / Photo by Yonhap News

In response, the ruling party drew a line emphasizing that the conclusion was not that the shutdown decision was wrong. Shin Young-dae, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said in a National Assembly briefing that "the BAI audit results only announced institutional warnings and minor disciplinary actions related to some procedural shortcomings, and did not point out any problems such as errors in the shutdown decision or breach of trust by the board members."

Regarding the audit result that "economic feasibility was unreasonably undervalued," he dismissed it as "only the BAI's opinion on 'reduced reliability of the economic feasibility evaluation results' due to institutional deficiencies," adding, "There was no criticism that the economic feasibility evaluation was wrong."

He also criticized, "The BAI tried to force resolutions by holding audit committee meetings for three consecutive days just before the general election," and "Audit details known only to insiders were reported by conservative media, and there were also revelations of coercive audits involving forced testimonies and human rights violations."

On the same day, Woo Won-shik, a member of the same party, wrote on his Facebook, "It is hard to understand why such an issue has been prolonged for over a year," and criticized, "Despite a court ruling that the life extension decision was illegal, the audit was conducted forcefully."

He added, "It is regrettable that a futile debate revolving around nuclear phase-out continues," emphasizing, "Energy transition policy should be a process of preparing for the nation's future, not political strife."

Members of the People Power Party belonging to the National Assembly's Industry, Trade, Energy, Small and Medium Venture Businesses Committee held a press conference on the afternoon of the 20th at the National Assembly Communication Hall in Yeouido, Seoul, regarding the Board of Audit and Inspection's announcement of the audit results on the decision to prematurely shut down Wolsong Unit 1. / Photo by Yonhap News

However, voices from the opposition party described it as a "de facto death sentence for the Moon Jae-in administration's nuclear phase-out policy."

Yoon Hee-seok, spokesperson for the People Power Party, said in an oral statement in the afternoon, "It has been proven that the nuclear phase-out was a delusional dream," and "Despite attempts to pressure the BAI chairman by digging into his relatives' backgrounds and even trying a fabricated audit, everything fell apart before the truth."

He continued, "The BAI has done its job, so now it is the government's turn to respond," urging, "The government must immediately scrap the nuclear phase-out policy that was pushed recklessly to fulfill presidential pledges and work to revive South Korea's nuclear power industry."

Members of the People Power Party's Industry, Trade, and Small and Medium Enterprises Committee (SanJaWi) issued a statement saying, "The early shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1, symbolic of the nuclear phase-out policy, has been proven a wrong decision by the BAI," and "Since the nuclear phase-out policy has received a death sentence, President Moon Jae-in must apologize to the public for the energy policy confusion, social conflicts, and economic burdens."

The opposition SanJaWi members also demanded accountability for those involved in the government's nuclear phase-out policy. They stated, "If the Blue House was not a personal private organization, then Cha Hee-bong, the then Secretary for Industrial Policy, would not have planned the nuclear phase-out alone or controlled the shutdown of Wolseong Unit 1," emphasizing, "The facts must be investigated through an inquiry, and legal responsibility must be borne."

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