With 'High-Level Radioactive Waste Special Act' Proposed One After Another... Lee In-seon "Support Should Be Provided to Hosting Areas"

"Establish a Dedicated Organization under the Prime Minister to Conduct Resident Voting, etc."

Lee In-seon, Member of the People Power Party [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] The ruling party has consecutively submitted related bills for the management of high-level radioactive waste.

On the 31st, Lee In-seon, a member of the People Power Party, announced that he had taken the lead in proposing the "Special Act on the Management of High-Level Radioactive Waste and Support for Hosting Areas." This came just one day after Kim Young-sik of the same party proposed a similar bill.

The special bill led by Lee includes provisions to promptly secure a disposal site for high-level radioactive waste and mandates the removal of spent nuclear fuel stored at nuclear power plants starting from the period specified in the basic plan for high-level radioactive waste management.

Additionally, as support measures for hosting areas of disposal sites, the bill proposes special subsidies, import fee support, relocation of public institutions to local areas, and priority employment for local residents. It also includes a provision to establish a dedicated general administrative committee under the Prime Minister for the management of high-level radioactive waste. Furthermore, the site selection process for high-level radioactive waste disposal facilities will be conducted through resident voting and site suitability investigations, maintaining consistency with the second basic plan for high-level radioactive waste management and other related plans.

Lee stated, "By enacting this special law, we will create an opportunity for the current generation to responsibly resolve the 18,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste currently present around us, and actively respond to policy trends that enhance the global utilization of nuclear power, such as the EU Taxonomy." He added, "Since similar bills have been proposed, the ruling and opposition parties must unite to persuade the public and residents for the passage of the bill."

Last September, Kim Seong-hwan of the Democratic Party of Korea also submitted a bill related to high-level radioactive waste.

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