People’s Power Kim Jong-in, chairman of the Emergency Response Committee, speaks at an emergency countermeasure meeting against North Korea nuclear power plants held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 31st. Reporter Oh Dae-geun
Whether or not the government promoted the’build nuclear power plant in North Korea’ has emerged as the biggest political issue. Officials of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy created files titled’pohjois (Finnish meaning north)’ and’North Wonchu (estimated as an abbreviation for nuclear power plant construction in North Korea)’ written in May 2018, right after the Panmunjom inter-Korean summit. Recently, the secretly deleted situation was revealed. On the basis of this, the opposition authorities launched a general offensive that the Moon Jae-in administration committed a “transfer act” to promote the nuclear power plant project toward North Korea.
On the other hand, former and current government officials who were involved in North Korea’s affairs gathered saying, “The construction of nuclear power plants to North Korea was a project that was promoted on the premise of North Korea’s denuclearization measures, and can be considered in the process of denuclearization in the future.” In other words, if the government promoted it alone without the premise of denuclearization, the opposition’s assertion of “transfer act (Kim Jong-in, Chairman of the People’s Power Emergency Response Committee)” could be empowered, but if it was a simple’review’ that expected denuclearization, it was said that there would be no problem. All.
① The government “didn’t push forward”… Then what about the review?
In connection with the suspicion of nuclear power plant in North Korea raised by the opposition party on Jan. 29, Democratic Party lawmaker Yun Gun-young, former head of the Blue House National Planning and Situation Office, immediately said, “There has never been a North Korean nuclear power plant construction in any of the three inter-Korean summits held by the Moon Jae-in administration.” Revealed. On the 31st, at the South-North Korea Summit on April 27, 2018 by the Ministry of Unification, President Moon Jae-in reported to the North Korean nuclear power plant project plan to North Korea through a USB portable storage device to the Chairman of the State Council, Kim Jong-un. He denied that there was no word or related content in the’New Economy Initiative on the Korean Peninsula’. Although it has not been promoted in discussions between the leaders, it does not mean that even a practical review has not been carried out.
The government authorities have not even denied the possibility of an internal review. A source from the Ministry of Unification said on the 31st, “When the denuclearization roadmap comes out, the construction of nuclear power plants in North Korea under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can also be a reward for the denuclearization measures.” “Part” explained. The Ministry of Industry also took a position and said, “As a result of checking the contents of the deleted files (from the Ministry of Industry’s official PC), it is one of the reviews of various policy ideas by each working department after the summit meeting” and “It is an internal review data and is not an official government position. It is clearly stated. The Ministry of Industry added, “This issue has not been promoted by government policy, so it is not true that the North Korean nuclear power plant construction was promoted in secret.”
The Korea Maritime University training ship’Hannara’, carrying more than 80 delegates from KEDO (Korea Peninsula Energy Development Organization) attending the light water reactor groundbreaking ceremony, is departing the East Sea Port for Yanghwa Port near the Hao construction site on August 18, 1997. Hankook Ilbo
② One of the countermeasures against North Korea’s nuclear power plant and the premise of denuclearization
In fact, the government established the Korean Peninsula Energy Incorporation Organization (KEDO) in 1995 according to the 1994 Geneva agreement between North America and promoted the construction of two 1,000MW-class light water reactors. Of course, there is no simple comparison between the time when North Korea was reborn as a nuclear power and when there was no nuclear test experience. Seo-hoon, the head of the National Security Office of the Blue House, was also the person who worked for two years as the head of the KEDO Kumho office during the KEDO project.
However, even if the government’reviews’ the concept of nuclear power plant construction similar to that of KEDO, analysis is dominant that it is impossible to actually’promote’ it in that it is possible only with the consent of neighboring countries such as the United States, ① on the premise of denuclearization. A former high-ranking diplomat who participated in KEDO said, “KEDO was possible because the agreements between the two Koreas as well as neighboring countries were reached,” he said. “It is difficult to see this as a problem that the Ministry of Industry or the Korean government can pursue unilaterally.”
The Nuclear Supply Group (NSG), an international organization aimed at nonproliferation, strictly prohibits the transfer of nuclear technology and nuclear materials to countries that have not joined the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). International sanctions, such as the UN Security Council, also prohibit virtually all transfers of goods and technology to North Korea. An official from the diplomatic authorities explained, “Because of denuclearization, even the Kaesong Industrial Complex is unable to resume. It is improbable to promote the construction of nuclear power plants.”
③ Why did the ruling party overreact?
On the contrary, some point out that the reaction of the government and the ruling party is more sensitive than necessary. At the time when the denuclearization dialogue was active, it is because instead of explaining that the nuclear power plant against North Korea on the premise of this could be an issue worth reviewing, it is said that it is a “North Korean Duke”, giving the impression of denying the possibility of constructing a nuclear power plant in North Korea.
Cho Tae-yong, a former vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “It is only necessary to clarify that the (government and ruling party) reviewed it from a fundamental level with the hope of denuclearization, but it is showing a fierce reaction.” He pointed out that he is concerned that it contradicts the keynote of the nuclear power plant. On the 30th, former lawmaker Seung-min Yoo said, “You can tell the truth about what was in the Poyois file and the USB (removable storage device) that President Moon Jae-in handed to Kim Jong-un at the Panmunjom inter-Korean summit in April 2018.” said.
On April 17, 2018, President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have a chat on Doboda-ri, Panmunjom. Reporter Ko Young-kwon
Youngbin Jo reporter [email protected]
Kang Yubin reporter [email protected]
News directly edited by the Hankook Ilbo can also be viewed on Naver.
