South Korea to renegotiate nuclear energy pact with United States

South Korea has announced imminent negotiations to revise its bilateral nuclear energy agreement with the United States, aiming to secure expanded authority for spent nuclear fuel management and uranium enrichment capabilities. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun confirmed that formal discussions will commence shortly following Seoul's successful advocacy for modifying the existing restrictive arrangements.

Current Agreement Limitations

The existing 123 Agreement permits South Korea to conduct only limited spent fuel reprocessing and uranium enrichment below 20% purity levels, requiring explicit US authorization for these activities. Seoul has persistently sought renegotiation to enable domestic nuclear fuel production for its substantial civilian energy program, which currently depends entirely on imported nuclear materials.

Nuclear Infrastructure and Energy Independence

Minister Cho emphasized the unique position of South Korea as a nation operating 26 commercial nuclear reactors while remaining completely dependent on foreign fuel sources. He characterized this dependency as exceptional among countries with comparable nuclear energy capacity, underscoring the strategic importance of achieving greater energy independence through revised bilateral terms.

US Concerns and Negotiation Approach

Washington maintains cautious positions regarding relaxation of nuclear restrictions, primarily driven by nuclear non-proliferation considerations. Minister Cho indicated no fixed timeline for concluding parallel negotiations concerning South Korea's $350 billion investment package in the United States, emphasizing that national interest and commercial rationality will guide the negotiation pace rather than artificial deadlines.