Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Moon Sung-wook. Korea Times file

By Lee Kyung-min

It is undesirable to construct new nuclear power plants in Korea unless safe storage and disposal of high-level radioactive waste including spent nuclear fuel can be guaranteed, the energy minister said Tuesday.

A total of 24 nuclear plants are in operation, and debate is ongoing as to whether increasing the number is appropriate, he said, repeating concerns raised frequently but ending without a solution.

"My answer is that the government does not have a favorable view on the expansion of nuclear energy," Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Moon Sung-wook said at a press briefing at the Sejong Government Complex.

The firm stance followed a question on whether Korea should resume operation of currently halted nuclear power plants, as has been suggested by both ruling and opposition presidential contenders amid soaring energy prices.

"It is inappropriate for me to judge the opinions of presidential candidates, but I have to say an increase in nuclear energy dependence is undesirable, given a lack of specific measures to manage the highly dangerous waste. Also lingering is a concern that the reactors are in a certain part of the country, an issue that has yet to be fully addressed."

Guidelines on high-level radioactive waste disposal were first outlined under the previous administration, but discussions have since stalled due to a lack of participation by private experts and stakeholders, he said.

This is why the ministry under the Moon administration has worked tirelessly to make progress, as illustrated by a pending bill that would legislate an independent, disinterested body to monitor and help resolve the highly contentious slew of issues concerning the health and safety of residents in the southeastern part of the country.

"Years of our deliberation culminated in the proposal of the bill pending at the National Assembly," he said.

The only country to have designated a disposal site is Finland, the residents and stakeholders of which had worked almost two decades to reach the politically divisive agreement, he noted.

Many other countries have yet to choose a site, slowed down in large part due to political opposition and voter backlash against plans for disposal site selection.

"Korea is a much smaller country compared to others in Europe, for example, meaning it is all the more difficult and painstaking to form a social consensus on the location of the potentially fatal site of grave long-term health consequences. We will need a more tailored approach with great attention to detail."