| Publication |
2011.
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| Summary/Abstract |
South Korea is the world's sixth-largest nuclear energy producer, with 20 nuclear
power plants providing about 40 percent of its electricity. South Korea's nuclear
energy development has been made possible by the ROK-U.S. Atomic Energy
Agreement signed in 1972. The United States provided nuclear technologies and
materials necessary for the peaceful use of nuclear energy; in return, South Korea
was specifically prohibited from proliferation-related activities such as the reprocessing of spent fuel and uranium enrichment under the terms of the agreement.
After three decades of successful bilateral nuclear cooperation, the two governments are due to renew the accord by 2014. However, negotiations on the new
agreement between Seoul and Washington could potentially provide a source of
tension and controversy. In particular, South Korea's wish for a complete fuel-cycle
capability could directly conflict with President Obama's call for a nuclear weapons
free world and U.S. concerns about nuclear proliferation. The bilateral negotiation
between the United States and the ROK will have important implications for the
global non-proliferation regime and regional security as well. This paper identifies
issues and challenges regarding the renewal of the ROK-U.S. Atomic Energy
Agreement and discusses the associated policy implications for the ROK-U.S.
alliance.
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