[Column] The Bittersweet Nuclear Energy Day

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] "We will recognize the role and responsibility of nuclear power in the process of promoting carbon neutrality and energy transition."

This was a remark made by Moon Seung-wook, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, at the last 'Nuclear Power Day' event of the Moon Jae-in administration on the 23rd. Nuclear Safety and Promotion Day is a legally designated commemorative day established in 2009 to promote the domestic nuclear power industry and boost the morale of its workers. Although it is originally on the 27th, this year’s event was held four days earlier. Considering the neglect of nuclear power plants over the past five years, the words of the minister in charge of nuclear power, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, sound hollow.

The neglect of nuclear power plants is also confirmed by statistics. According to the government, the share of domestic nuclear power generation was 29% in 2020, down from 30% in 2016 before the current administration took office. While the role of nuclear power is rapidly emerging worldwide in connection with carbon neutrality, the current government has driven nails into the coffin of nuclear power by halting construction of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4 and other measures.

On the contrary, countries overseas are paying attention to nuclear power. France declared the abandonment of its nuclear phase-out policy and announced plans to build six large nuclear reactors, while the UK decided to construct 16 small modular reactors by 2050. Japan, which experienced the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, saw its nuclear power operation rate drop to 0% in 2014 but has made a U-turn by restarting nuclear reactors. While the world is focusing on nuclear power as an alternative for carbon neutrality, our government, which is pressing the accelerator on carbon neutrality, neglects nuclear power, creating a paradox.

Within the government circles, the prevailing view is that regardless of which candidate wins the presidential election in March next year, revision of the nuclear phase-out policy will be inevitable. The government has set a 2050 carbon neutrality goal, planning to reduce the share of nuclear power to 6.1% and increase renewable energy to a maximum of 70.8%, but carbon neutrality without nuclear power is merely an illusion. The French Minister of Economy and Finance recently said, "Nuclear power is not an ideological issue but a mathematical one." Is it too much to expect a scientific and mathematical approach, rather than ideology, from the Blue House trapped in the 'anti-nuclear dogma'?

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