Rim Kap-soo, Korea's chief negotiator for nuclear energy cooperation, delivers remarks during the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris, March 10. Courtesy of foreign ministry
Korea has reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the principles of nuclear nonproliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy, the foreign ministry said Wednesday, amid efforts to secure rights to civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing.
Rim Kap-soo, government representative for nuclear energy cooperation, made the remarks during the second Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris on Tuesday (local time), stressing that Seoul will continue to contribute to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime by working with the international community.
"Korea, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), firmly adheres to the principles of nonproliferation, safeguards and peaceful use of nuclear energy," Rim was quoted as saying by the foreign ministry.
Introducing Korea's push to build two more nuclear power plants and a small modular reactor, Rim said his country plans to enhance the full cycle supply chain, from nuclear power plant design and manufacturing to construction and operation, so as to boost domestic capabilities as well as export competitiveness.
The summit, co-hosted by France and the International Atomic Energy Agency, was held to discuss challenges in the commercial nuclear energy development and ways to overcome them.
The NPT, formally the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, is a binding international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Only five countries are acknowledged as nuclear-armed states under the NPT: the United States, Britain, Russia, France and China.
Source: Korea Times News
