U.S. sees scope for nuclear fuel-cycle cooperation with Korea
A U.S. official says Washington sees potential for nuclear fuel-cycle cooperation with Korea, including uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing under the 123 Agreement.
Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo, right, shakes hands with U.S. under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker in a meeting to discuss about nuclear-related cooperation between Seoul and Washington on June 2. This photo is unrelated to the story.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The United States sees potential for nuclear fuel-cycle cooperation with Korea, including uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing, a U.S. government official said Thursday.
“I think across the board we have opportunities for collaboration with each country with respect to the enrichment, reprocessing,” the official said during a background briefing in Seoul, noting that the two countries had conducted joint fuel-cycle studies over an extended period.
The official said such cooperation would require further discussions under the countries' civil nuclear cooperation agreement, adding that “there are a lot of issues and we still have to work through those issues.”
The Korea-U.S. civil nuclear cooperation agreement, known as the 123 Agreement, provides the legal framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation between the two countries.
Under the current agreement, Korea needs U.S. consent to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel covered by the pact. Seoul is seeking to revise the agreement to gain greater flexibility to carry out these activities for civilian purposes.
The official highlighted the U.S. goal of quadrupling its nuclear power capacity to 400 gigawatts by 2050 through the deployment of advanced reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs) and large conventional plants, as well as the momentum generated by U.S. President Donald Trump's push to expand nuclear energy.
He also noted the United States has invested around $3 billion in uranium enrichment capabilities, including high-assay low-enriched uranium, to secure fuel supplies for advanced reactors both at home and in export markets.
“We do need Korean companies with experience already to help in the process,” the official said.
Citing SK Group's investment in TerraPower, which is developing an advanced reactor in Wyoming, the U.S. official said major U.S. energy firm Westinghouse Electric was looking to work with Hyundai Motor and other Korean firms.
The official also said the U.S. encourages Korean and U.S. companies to cooperate on nuclear projects in third-country markets, citing efforts by Westinghouse and Hyundai to work together on a reactor project in Bulgaria.
“We would like to have Korean companies participate in moving forward the renaissance in the United States and around the world,” the official added.
Yonhap
