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AsiaElec NUCLEAR AsiaElec
South Korea, UAE seal
nuclear expansion deal
SOUTH KOREA SOUTH Korea and the United Arab Emirates co-operation in the field of developing export
(UAE) are to “deepen and accelerate collabora- markets for NPPs in third countries and joint
tion in the peaceful nuclear energy sector,” after procurement of business finance. In addition,
their leaders signed a series of deals. the two companies intend to co-operate closely
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol and in future technology development and R&D
UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nay- joint research, such as SMRs and micro-reactors.
han signed several memoranda of understand- “This MoU is very meaningful in that it has
ing (MoUs) in Abu Dhabi on January 15. taken the first important step in achieving car-
A total of 13 co-operation agreements in bon neutrality and securing energy security
the fields of nuclear power, energy, investment, through nuclear power and future technolo-
defence industry and climate change were signed gies,” said KHNP CEO Hwang Joo-ho. “We will
in the presence of the heads of the two countries. actively co-operate to move toward a partner-
“During the summit, the two leaders agreed ship of future net-zero technology cooperation
to deepen and further develop the Special Stra- in various fields such as hydrogen.”
tegic Partnership between the two countries,” Korea’s Nuclear Safety and Security Com-
a joint statement said. “In particular, the two mission (NSSC) also signed an administrative
leaders agreed to strengthen strategic co-oper- agreement with the UAE’s Federal Authority for
ation in four key areas: conventional energy and Nuclear Regulation (FANR). This agreement
clean energy, peaceful nuclear energy, economy “stipulates the obligations related to nuclear
and investment, and defence and defence tech- safety measures and export controls between the
nology; as well as in other areas of mutual inter- two countries, and has the effect of simplifying
est, including space, emerging industries and the nuclear export permit procedure between
culture.” the two countries,” NSSC said. “With the con-
This visit was the first since the establishment clusion of this administrative agreement, the
of diplomatic ties between South Korea and the NSSC and FANR can directly handle nuclear
UAE in 1980 and the tenth visit to the UAE by a export permits.”
South Korean president. Under a $20bn deal announced in December
During his visit, Yoon visited the Barakah 2009, four Korean-designed APR1400 reac-
nuclear power plant (NPP), which was built with tors are being built at Barakah by a consortium
South Korean technology. led by the Korea Electric Power Corporation
The agreements signed included a Net- (KEPCO).
Zero Acceleration Strategic Cooperation MoU First concrete for Barakah 1 was poured in
between Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) July 2012, while that for units 2-4 was poured
and the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation in April 2013, September 2014 and July
(ENEC). Through the signing of the MoU, ENEC 2015 respectively. The first three of these units
and KHNP plan to form a consultative body in were connected to the grid in August 2020, Sep-
various fields in the future and expand practical tember 2021 and October 2022 respectively.
Week 03 17•January•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P11
