[Reporter’s Notebook] The Self-Contradiction of the Moon Government’s 'Focus on Nuclear Power'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

"We will abandon the power generation policy centered on nuclear power plants and move toward a nuclear-free era." (June 19, 2017)

"During the next 60 years while nuclear power plants continue to operate, they should be sufficiently utilized as the main baseload power source." (February 25, 2022)

The Moon Jae-in administration, which had pursued a nuclear phase-out policy, has fallen into self-contradiction. President Moon clearly announced a nuclear-free policy early in his term in 2017, but suddenly changed his stance near the end of his term by calling nuclear power "mainstream." The emphasis on the necessity of nuclear power after five years is closely related to the recent surge in oil and raw material prices highlighting the 'need for nuclear power.' The Brent crude oil price surpassed $100 again on that day due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, causing significant pressure on domestic inflation.

In fact, President Moon's nuclear-free policy has many inconsistencies. Although he insisted on phasing out nuclear power throughout his term, the share of nuclear power did not decrease at all over the past five years. According to the Korea Electric Power Corporation's Monthly Power Statistics Report, nuclear power generation last year was 158,015 gigawatt-hours (GWh), which is actually a 6.5% increase compared to 148,427 GWh at the beginning of Moon's administration in 2017.

Eventually, near the end of his term, he ordered to "inspect so that Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2 and Shin Kori Units 5 and 6 can be gradually and normally operated as soon as possible," signaling a 'nuclear phase-out U-turn.' The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy limited the significance of Moon's remarks by stating, "The nuclear phase-out will be actively pursued after 60 years, and the current government policy is to continue utilizing nuclear power as is," but even internally, there is a sense of bewilderment at President Moon's 'anti-nuclear phase-out' stance. It is almost as if President Moon himself reversed his statement from five years ago.

Even without the Moon administration, the nuclear phase-out U-turn was predictable. Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is an impossible goal without nuclear power. The recent rise in energy prices has once again highlighted the necessity of nuclear power as a baseload power source. The ball has now passed to the next administration. The next government must seek a new direction for the nuclear phase-out policy, including the operation of Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4, whose construction has been halted.

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