Four Metropolitan Cities and Provinces Hosting Nuclear Plants Deliver Joint Petition for Nuclear Policy and System Improvement

Metropolitan and Provincial Administrative Council for Nuclear Power Locations: Busan, Ulsan, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk

On the 24th, conveyed local public opinion to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and r

Busan City, along with three other metropolitan local governments where nuclear power plants are located, formed the ‘Metropolitan City and Province Administrative Council for Nuclear Power Plant Locations’ and on May 24 delivered a joint petition reflecting regional public opinion on the government’s nuclear power policy to related institutions such as the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, and Small and Medium Enterprises Committee.

Busan City Hall.

The Metropolitan City and Province Administrative Council for Nuclear Power Plant Locations is a consultative body consisting of Busan, Ulsan, Jeonnam, and Gyeongbuk, where nuclear power plants are located. Since 2015, each city and province has taken turns hosting meetings annually.

This year, under the leadership of Busan City, the ‘2023 1st Working-Level Meeting of the Metropolitan City and Province Administrative Council for Nuclear Power Plant Locations’ was held on March 31, where they agreed to jointly respond and cooperate to reflect local voices in nuclear power policies.

This joint petition delivery was arranged as part of these efforts. The joint petition includes the voices of residents from the four cities and provinces on nuclear power-related issues such as ▲amending relevant laws including the Nuclear Safety Act to allow local governments to participate in establishing nuclear safety policies ▲applying differential electricity rates between power production sites and distant consumption areas ▲introducing a nuclear safety grant tax to secure funding for disaster prevention training in basic local governments near nuclear power plants ▲specifying the timing of spent nuclear fuel removal and procedures for gathering residents’ opinions in the Special Act on High-Level Radioactive Waste.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun stated, “I believe that creating an environment where citizens can live without anxiety or worry about safety is the most important responsibility of a local government head,” adding, “Through this joint petition delivery, I hope a systemic foundation reflecting regional public opinion will be established, strengthening residents’ trust in nuclear safety. Our city will actively cooperate with local governments hosting nuclear power plants and continuously communicate with the central government to ensure ‘citizen safety as the top priority.’”

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