US and South Korea reach an agreement on nuclear energy cooperation

Asia-Pacific, News, US April 22, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

South Korea and the United States have reached an agreement on a new nuclear deal which would allow Seoul to develop its nuclear power generation activity.

The agreement was reached on Wednesday after more than four years of negotiations, which were launched in October 2010 to revise a 1974 agreement that banned South Korea from reprocessing spent fuel.

A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said that a signing ceremony will be held in Seoul later on Wednesday, but did not give details on the contents of the deal.

The 40-year-old agreement has limited South Korea’s ability to enrich uranium for nuclear power generation and to recycle spent fuel.

South Korea operates 23 nuclear reactors to meet one third of the country’s annual power needs.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama on Tuesday submitted to Congress a proposed 30-year agreement on nuclear power cooperation with China, which could lead to the transfer of nuclear technology and material between the two states.

“The proposed agreement provides a comprehensive framework for peaceful nuclear cooperation with China based on a mutual commitment to nuclear nonproliferation,” Obama said in a letter to Congress.

“It would permit the transfer of material, equipment, components, information, and technology for nuclear research and nuclear power production,” he added.

AR/NN/HRB