Korean Prime Minister: "Actively Utilize Nuclear Power as a Means for Energy Security and Carbon Neutrality"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Kim Hyewon] Prime Minister Han Duck-soo attended the 'Energy and Climate Forum (MEF)' hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden and stated, "We will actively utilize nuclear power as a means of energy security and carbon neutrality."

According to the Prime Minister's Office on the 18th, in his remarks at the MEF virtual summit on energy and climate, Prime Minister Han said, "The Korean government, as a responsible member of the international community, respects the spirit of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and will do its utmost to achieve the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) submitted at the end of last year." The Korean government has submitted a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 2018.

Prime Minister Han conveyed, "The Korean government recognizes that climate issues are economic issues and national security issues involving the lives and safety of the people, and is promoting various policies accordingly." He emphasized, "While actively utilizing nuclear power as a means of energy security and carbon neutrality, we will establish a reasonable energy mix considering the harmony between nuclear power and renewable energy."

He further explained, "We plan to significantly increase investments in various energy sources such as renewable energy and hydrogen, as well as future nuclear technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)."

The Korean government's commitment was also shown in the forum's five joint goals: zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) deployment, methane reduction, promotion of clean technologies, green shipping, and food security. He said, "Korea has included the deployment of more than 4.5 million ZEVs by 2030 in its NDC plan and will do its best to achieve this." He also stated, "Korea plans to establish methane reduction plans in agriculture and livestock, waste, and energy sectors to fulfill the Global Methane Pledge (GMP)." Prime Minister Han agreed on the need to expand the introduction of new clean energy technologies across various industrial sectors and added support for decarbonization in the shipping sector.

The meeting, held under the theme 'Implementation Plus,' was attended by top leaders from major countries including the United States, the European Union (EU), Australia, and Japan.

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