Korean Nuclear Technology

Gears up for Entry into Foreign Market
-Implementing the 3rd Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan
to secure basic nuclear technology

Korea, which has emerged as the world's sixth largest nuclear powerhouse, is now turning to explore foreign nuclear markets. On March 15th 2007, some 20 people from the Ministry of Science and Technology, atomic energy-related companies, Korea Eximbank, business organizations and experts have gathered at the Kyoyuk Munhwa Hoekwan (Yangjae Education & Culture Hall) of southeastern Seoul to inaugurate the Nuclear Technology Export Support Corps, a government-civilian cooperative body designed to provide systematic support for facilitation of Korea's export of nuclear technology. At the same time, a website (www.AtomXport.com) of the group was also opened to share experiences of the exporting companies, provide overseas nuclear market trends and information on nuclear regulations of importing countries and help seek advisory services of international lawyer on export-related legal grievances.
Mr. Kim Young-shik, Director General of the Atomic Energy Bureau at the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), explained on the significance of this milestone, "Our belated turnover to nuclear technology export is nevertheless a fortunate thing. Despite a number of difficulties, Korea's strenuous research on nuclear technology has remarkably built on our capability to export, and the government has apparently recognized that as a result, the nuclear technology is becoming an exporting industry."Since last December, Korea saw its core nuclear technologies making their way into the United States, one of the world's nuclear juggernauts. Korea has transferred the computer software that evaluates the probabilistic safety of nuclear power plant to an Electric Power Research Institute in America, while Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) developed and sold the Cyber R&D Platform Radwaste Disposal in Underground System (CYPRUS) to Sandia National Laboratories. Korea's consulting service on the noise signals of neutron in CANDU reactor was re-exported to Canada. These exports of nuclear technology to the world leaders have earned Korea global recognition on its technology advancement.
Director General Kim said, "However, Korea's export in nuclear sector merely amounted to $200 million last year, failing to meet our expectations."As is the case of medical equipment for cancer diagnosis and treatment, the nuclear sector has been confined to limits in which its uses benefit the public. Yet, safety of the radiation should be ensured and therefore the importing countries tend to impose stricter control and regulation on the field than ordinary goods, thus developing a major obstacle in boosting export.
A governmental survey, conducted by Gallup Korea last December, depicted the responders'perception that in order to promote Korea's presence overseas, Korea needs to work on mitigating the safety regulations of importing counties while providing support for collection of information on foreign markets and active participation to overseas exhibitions. In this regard, the government will have to step up efforts to disseminate information on relevant import regulations and find ways to facilitate collection of information on foreign markets and export.
"Organization of the Nuclear Technology Export Support Corps, designed to solve these problems, is most likely to boost nuclear technology export, thereby creating dynamics to turn around the national economy,"Director General Kim said. On the other hand, the corps is also expected to contribute in advancing nuclear technology through convergence with other technological applications and high-end products with greater added value. More importantly, it is likely to induce an inflow of world-leading component technologies into nuclear energy industries, serving as an opportunity for local companies to develop into industry leaders, the Director General noted.
"Our immediate task is to proactively explore new items for export and upgrade the quality of current exports. The prospects of exporting such value-added products as radioisotope sources for cancer diagnosis, medical cyclotron and environmental radiation monitoring detectors and non-destructive testing (NDT) technology to Southeast Asia and the Middle East are quite upbeat,"he said.
"Given the governmental efforts to support the cultivation of global brands by cashing in on Korea's technological strengths and through activation of cooperation channels among relevant ministries and countries in the nuclear power industry,"he adds, "Korea is anticipated to develop the industry into a driving force to motivate national development and accelerate nuclear technology export in the near future."
FOCUSING ON NON-POWER GENERATION SECTOR.
When it comes to NPP construction, Korea is technologically self-reliant with its experiences and expertise accumulated in a wide range of fields over the years, including reactor design, operation and maintenance of nuclear power units.
Despite the slowdown of the nuclear energy industry in the United States and Europe, the Korean government is actively engaged in the construction of nuclear power units. Nuclear power in Korea accounts for nearly 40 percent of the total annual electricity demand.
The 1st Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan was implemented between 1997 and 2001 in order to secure self-reliance in nuclear energy technology. Korea has successfully designed its own reactor, Korea Standard Nuclear Power Plant (KSNP), also known as OPR1000. Ulchin Nuclear Power Complex Units 3, 4, 5 & 6, Younggwang Units 5&6 and a light water reactor project in North Korea have adopted the OPR1000.
During the Second Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan between 2002 and 2006, Korea upgraded OPR1000 into APR1400, of which the first two units will be constructed in Shin-Kori. The design certificate for the revised version of the KSNP was issued in May 2001.
The Atomic Energy R&D Program, so called the "National Mid and Long-term Atomic Energy R&D Program," is implemented mainly by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS), and Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS). Originally, the National Mid and Long-term Atomic Energy R&D Program was launched in June 1992 as a 10-year (1992-2001) program. Then it was modified into a new R&D program for 1997-2 006 term to take account of major changes in national and international situations.
As recently as Jan. 30th this year, the Atomic Energy Commission was convened to finalize the 3rd Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan, which comprises six policy goals and 20 major tasks to be carried out from 2007 to 2011.
An analysis by OECD/IEA released last July showed that the global energy demand and nuclear power capacity for 2030 are projected to surge 1.5 times the 2004 level and 1.4 times the 2005 level each.
"is restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions in the wake of the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change are becoming sterner, countries across the world have begun to show signs of reflecting atomic energy uses in adopting their energy policies,"Director General Kim said.
The United States, which has suspended construction of nuclear power units since the 1980s, articulates the expansion of atomic energy in the so-called New Energy Policy Act, while Japan has also followed suit by stipulating a plan to develop the country into a nuclear powerhouse in its Basic Energy Plan.
Such "BRICs,"countries as Russia, China and India are scurrying to construct additional scores of nuclear power units to achieve rapid economic strides, and nuclear powerhouses are doing their utmost to win over them and land nuclear power construction projects.
Such merits of nuclear power as economic benefits, eco-friendliness and safety has been thrown into limelight, prompting countries with nuclear power units to build more units or resume the operation of long-standing plants and states without nuclear power units to introduce nuclear power.
Not only Australia and Netherlands, but Germany which have so far shown a negative attitude toward nuclear power, have also apparently shifted to a positive position. Australia indicated the introduction of nuclear power units during last year, while the Netherlands decided to prolong the design life span of its nuclear power units. Germany announced that Prime Minister Merkel will reconsider on a plan to phase down nuclear power units.
"In this light, the government is working out the long-term nuclear power vision plan designed to secure energy, improve the quality of lives and contribute to the development of science and technology. These efforts are based on the principle of attaching utmost priority to securing safety, which is more significant to achieve its purpose of advancing domestic nuclear and science technology circles."Director General Kim explains.
The government has chosen the year 2007 as an outset of a drive to boost atomic energy technology exports. In reality, Korea's nuclear export sector is still in an primary stage; the nuclear technology exports accounted for only 0.07 percent of the $317.5 billion (USD) worth of total national export in 2006. By category, the radiation utilization field took up approximately 12 percent, occupying the biggest share. Nuclear technology export is at present insufficient, yet has a potential for growth, Kim said.
Korea is set to explore the overseas NPP markets with Doosan Heavy Industries, a Korean steam generator maker, and other Koreans joining forces with Westinghouse.
The market share of power generation sector in Korea stands at 90 percent, whereas the non-power generation sector - consisting of such fields as radioisotope uses in agriculture, medical and other industries - remain at 10 percent. This figure is relatively insignificant, compared to 53 percent in Japan and 75 percent in the United States.
Director General Kim said that the government plans to increase the "Power generation share to non-power generation share ratio"from the current figure of 9:1 to 7:3. Achievements are beginning to appear, in not only the power generation sector, but also in the non-power generation sector.
One of the latest achievements in the field of radiation applications is the development of orchid mutants by combining technologies of tissue culture and gamma ray irradiation. One of the new varieties "Dongi"was derived from the imported Oriental orchid Cymbidium. Another variety "Eunseol"was developed from the Korean indigenous orchid "Sokgok." Both varieties were favored by their fine and unique stripes along the leaf edge. A mass spreading project on new mutation varieties of the national flower Mugunghwa (rose of Sharon) to reach out to the public is being undertaken in cooperation with civil organizations to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the establishment of the Korean Government in 2008.
Radiation treatment on increasing number of cancer patients, non-destructive inspection and leakage search are a few of the various commercial uses of nuclear technology in the non-power generation sector.
"If 20 major tasks are successfully implemented according to the 3rd Comprehensive Nuclear Energy Promotion Plan, we are expected to secure such core nuclear technologies as super-high burn-up nuclear fuel and our own technologies with strengths, thus not only facilitating exports of such technologies as cyclotron, electron accelerator and environmental radiation monitoring detector but also creating new high-end product industries,"he said.
"Now is the time when the general public needs to raise awareness toward the safety of nuclear power so that the nation can push ahead with nuclear power projects with confidence and impartiality,"he said.
"Not far away from now - five years after - we expect the atomic energy field to emerge as a core sector that will create new industries as driving forces to motivate the national development and enlighten our lives,"Kim said.
Director General Kim said among the pending major issues to be tackled by the Atomic Energy Bureau of the MOST are completing the review of Kori Unit 1, Korea's first nuclear power plant, by the end of this year to determine the feasibility of its ongoing operation after design life span as well as the issuance of construction permits on Shinwolsong Units 1&2 and the construction permit of a radioactive waste disposal site.
Such leaders of nuclear power as the United States and Japan have taken steps to prolong the operation of long-standing nuclear power plants after the their design life span was completed. The United States has forty-eight of such units that are planned to go into ongoing operation, which are allowed to continue their operation for another 20 years after their 40-year design life spans are completed. Japan has twelve units in ongoing operation.
The government plans to decide on the issue of ongoing operation after reviewing its safety, according to the world's strictest safety evaluation standards - 112 safety standards in 16 categories, Kim said.
As part of its efforts to reinforce precautionary safety measures, the Korean government and the International Atomic Energy Agency will conduct joint safety inspection in July. A large number of inspection experts, including 100 inspectors from KINS, will be mobilized for the inspection. The joint inspection was designed not only to raise inspection expertise and objectivity, but also to step up preventive safety management through early detection and resolution of pending issues.
The projected radioactive waste disposal site will be built on 2 million sq. meters (634,000 pyeong) of Bonggil-ri, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang Province by December 2009. First phase of the project for this cave-type, underground radioactive waste disposal site will involve construction of six caves, measuring 50 meters in height and 23.6 meters in inside diameter, each capable of stockpiling approximately 17,000 drums of radioactive waste. nw

Mr. Kim Young-shik, director general of the Atomic Energy Bureau at the Minister of Science and Technology