Climate minister’s reflection on nuclear power must be followed by action

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Climate minister’s reflection on nuclear power must be followed by action

Published: 09 Jan. 2026, 00:00

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Kim Sung-hwan, minister of climate, energy and environment, delivers opening remarks at the Second Policy Forum on a Desirable Energy Mix held at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on Jan. 7. [YONHAP]

Climate, Energy and Environment Minister Kim Sung-hwan has acknowledged the flaws of the nuclear phaseout policy pursued under the Moon Jae-in administration and recognized the need for nuclear power. It is a rare moment of self-reflection from the Lee Jae Myung government’s top energy policymaker, who had previously been a leading advocate of denuclearization during the Moon government.

Speaking at the Second Policy Forum on a Desirable Energy Mix on Wednesday, Kim said Korea must operate its power system stably because it hosts key industries such as semiconductors. While he said he would like to rely entirely on renewable energy if possible, he acknowledged that it is not easy given the reality of ensuring a stable power supply. He also noted that Korea’s short east-west span limits the amount of sunlight available for solar power generation, adding that he had only recently come to recognize the seriousness of this constraint.

Kim further said it was awkward that Korea refrained from building nuclear plants at home while exporting nuclear technology abroad during the Moon administration. His remarks amounted to an admission that new nuclear power plants are necessary.

Kim had once been one of the ruling camp’s most prominent advocates of a nuclear phaseout, declaring that denuclearization was an irreversible global trend. However, after becoming the minister in charge of energy policy, he appears to have confronted the reality that nuclear power is indispensable for meeting the surging electricity demand of the AI era and for compensating for the intermittency of renewable energy.

As an environmentalist, Kim may also have concluded that clinging to the nuclear phaseout debate would make the more urgent goal of carbon reduction unattainable. At the first forum, he said it was regrettable that five years were lost under the Moon government amid prolonged disputes over nuclear power, during which coal could not be phased out more quickly.

Though belated, this shift in perception is welcome. The challenge is translating recognition into action. The central issue of the current forum is whether to build two new nuclear reactors. These reactors were already included in the 11th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, agreed upon by both ruling and opposition parties early last year.

The ministry has reopened the issue for public discussion and plans to finalize the decision in the 12th plan, scheduled for the second half of this year.

While prospects for new nuclear construction have improved, the timeline remains unhurried. With the government pledging to shut down coal-fired power plants by 2040 to address the climate crisis, nuclear power remains the only realistic alternative. As the global race for AI leadership intensifies, countries are fiercely competing to secure affordable and reliable energy.

The United States and Europe are expanding nuclear capacity and even Japan, despite the Fukushima disaster, has resumed reactor operations. There is neither reason nor time to delay a project that has already been agreed upon. Having taken a forward-looking stance, the government should promptly finalize its plans and reduce the uncertainty facing the industry.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.