Cho Hyun-soo, head of the Ministry of Environment's Green Transition Policy Division, announces the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's green taxonomy draft, which includes nuclear energy, at Government Complex Sejong, Tuesday. Yonhap

By Lee Hae-rin

The Ministry of Environment's plan to include nuclear energy in the country's list of environmentally sustainable economic activities is facing a backlash from environmentalists who accuse the government of having fallen behind international standards.

The environment ministry unveiled a draft of the new green taxonomy, Tuesday, which includes nuclear energy.

Green taxonomy is a government classification that lists environmentally sustainable economic activities. It serves as an important selection standard for green investments. For example, businesses that run activities listed in the green taxonomy are eligible for low-interest loans.

The ministry said the draft is based on the European Union's taxonomy as well as opinions of the various parties involved in the country, including scholars, civic groups, industrial circles and relevant government bodies.

The draft reverses the ministry's earlier announcement under the previous Moon Jae-in administration in December last year, which excluded nuclear energy from the green taxonomy. The ministry said at the time it would "make a final decision based on international trends and domestic conditions."