South Korea, the world's fifth largest producer of nuclear energy, will halt all new reactor construction projects. At the same time, it will launch a wide-ranging transition plan with the goal of phasing out nuclear energy entirely. The announcement of this turning point for the Asian nation was made by new president Moon Jae-in at a conference held on Monday 19 June, during which he recalled how the abandonment of nuclear power and the concurrent development of renewable sources had been part of his governing programme.

Dismantling of South Korea's first reactor under way

The Fukushima disaster, moreover, struck public opinion particularly hard. For this reason too, South Korea's progressive leader placed great emphasis on the plan to transform the country's energy production system: "We are about to enter the post-nuclear era," he declared during the ceremony marking the first dismantling of a reactor, the Gori-1, which will cost the astronomical sum of 643.7 billion won (507 million euros) and will require fifteen years of work.

"I will halt all new construction projects and will not extend the operational life of plants currently in service," Moon Jae-in added, underscoring the dangers of nuclear power. Many plants are in fact located close to densely populated residential areas, which means that in the event of a reactor core meltdown "the consequences would be unimaginable." This is also because, the president specified, "South Korea is not free from seismological risks. And we have experienced the fact that a nuclear accident caused by an earthquake can have a devastating impact."

"Safety and the environment our new priorities"

Several earthquakes recorded recently in the Asian nation have helped to deepen public concern. Meanwhile, distrust of nuclear energy has been reinforced by the numerous scandals that have shaken the sector in recent years. Some of these have implicated the public agencies responsible for nuclear power, which are alleged to have falsified plants' safety certificates. "Until now, the country's energy policy has focused on reducing costs. That is changing: our priorities will be safety and environmental protection," Moon Jae-in declared.

The Asian nation currently has 25 reactors, which produce roughly 30 per cent of the country's energy consumption. Many of them are expected to reach the end of their "operational life" between 2020 and 2030: any decision to extend their lifespan would need to be made during the current president's term of office. He has also promised to launch a programme to phase out coal — in this case not out of fear of accidents but to protect air quality and public health. The problem, however, is that fossil fuels also account for roughly one third of national energy production, meaning the transition promises to be a rather lengthy one.