Input 2021.02.01 21:40 | Revision 2021.02.01 21:58
The effect of constructing Shin-Kori nuclear power plants 3 and 4 in North Korea
DMZ reviews the construction of the latest APR+/SMART nuclear power plant
Consider even the plan to treat spent nuclear fuel
While the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy released data related to the’North Korean nuclear power plant construction document’ on the 1st, controversy is arising as it is known that the nuclear technology that the government promoted to build in North Korea is the’Korean nuclear power plant APR1400′ developed by itself. Particularly, while the scenario is pointed out, including the disposal plan for spent nuclear fuel, there are analyzes that there are many concrete contents in the internal review document.
The APR1400 is a Korean nuclear power plant model developed by spending about 230 billion won for 10 years from 1992. In Korea, it was first applied to Shin-Kori Units 3 and 4, and was applied to the design of Shin Hanul Units 1 and 2, Shin-Kori Units 5 and 6, and Shin Hanul Units 3 and 4. APR1400 technology was also applied to the Baraka nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the first nuclear power plant exported in Korea. Due to this background, nuclear power plant technology is regarded as a representative strategic material for the government.
The published data is a six-page document titled’Promotion of Nuclear Power Plant Construction in North Korea’. It was written after the first inter-Korean summit on April 27, 2018. The Ministry of Industry argued that “it was reviewed at the idea level in case the economic cooperation between the two Koreas becomes active,” and “it was concluded without any additional review or disclosure to the outside.”
He emphasized that “therefore, this issue has not been promoted by the government policy, and the claim that the nuclear power plant construction in North Korea was promoted in secret is not true.”
At the beginning of the report, it is stated that’this is data for internal review of possible alternatives if the construction of nuclear power plants in North Korea is promoted in the future, and this is not the official position of the government.’
The first plan is to build two Korean-type nuclear power plants APR1400 in the Geumho District, South Hamgyeong Province, the site of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO). The release of this document revealed that the plan to build Shin-Kori nuclear power plants 3 and 4, which was finally completed in December 2019, in North Korea was reviewed by the Ministry of Industry.
This region was evaluated as an advantage because it was possible to quickly promote this region as the region desired by North Korea at the time of KEDO. A significant portion of the geological survey and site clearance have been carried out, and there is a possibility to utilize the existing transmission network in North Korea. It also stated that there is a possibility of using the reactor for Shinhanul 3 and 4, which has been discontinued.
The second plan is to introduce APR+, a new model for export to the DMZ. The APR+ nuclear power plant is an advanced technology from the APR1400. The APR1400 had to rely on foreign technologies for non-independent core technologies such as reactor coolant pump (RCP), nuclear power plant measurement and control equipment (MMIS), and nuclear power plant design core codes. APR+ is evaluated as a 100% native nuclear power plant as related technologies are also developed as pure domestic technologies.
The Ministry of Industry stated in the document that “there is no actual construction experience, so there is a big risk when promoting in North Korea.”
In the third plan, a plan was also reviewed to construct new Hanul units 3 and 4, which were blanked out, and to supply electricity by connecting North Korea and the power grid in the east coast area.
In addition, the Ministry of Industry has set a specific plan for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. It stated that the used nuclear fuel will be reviewed for ▲disposal in North Korea (IAEA monitoring) ▲disposal in South Korea (after reprocessing from overseas consignment if necessary) ▲Conflicts with third countries such as France.
The decision-making body related to North Korea’s nuclear power plant construction was formed jointly with foreign countries such as the United States and Japan, and a task force (TF) in which the relevant ministries of the Korean government participated as the project promotion organization was decided.
The conclusion stated that’there is a limit to the derivation of specific measures due to high uncertainties depending on the content and level of denuclearization measures between North Korea and the US. This means that the promotion of nuclear power plant construction in the absence of North Korea’s denuclearization measures is actually not a matter to be considered.
An official from the Ministry of Industry said, “We regret that unnecessary controversy has spread due to this data. We hope that the original text of this data will be released so that the controversy can end.”