South Korean FM Shares Energy Security Concerns With US

Seoul: South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has told the US Energy Secretary that South Korea needs nuclear fuel reprocessing and enrichment for commercial purposes, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Cho delivered the message to US Energy Secretary Chris Wright during their meeting the previous day on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the ministry said in a statement.

Cho told Wright that South Korea, as an operator of 26 nuclear reactors, needs to secure a complete cycle of nuclear fuel, including enrichment and reprocessing, for energy security, the ministry said, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Cho stressed that this would be solely for the commercial purpose of ensuring the stable operation of the country’s nuclear power reactors.

In response, Wright said he would discuss this issue with other government bodies, taking Cho’s request into consideration, the ministry said.

Seoul has been seeking a relaxation from the “123 Agreement,” a bilateral nuclear energy pact with Washington that bans it from spent fuel reprocessing and uranium enrichment.

Cho and Wright recalled the “meaningful” discussions on nuclear energy cooperation between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump during their summit last month, agreeing to continue consultations between the two governments to specify the details.

They also shared the view that companies from both countries need close partnership to capitalise on the growing international demand for nuclear power plants, including in the United States, and agreed to expand communications and cooperation to enhance private-level collaboration.

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart in New York and discussed enhancing cooperation in various fields, including culture and people-to-people exchanges, the foreign ministry said Friday.

Cho’s meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi took place the previous day (local time) on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.

The two ministers agreed to work together to strengthen bilateral ties, building on more than 60 years of cooperation between their countries, the ministry said.

Cho, in particular, called for expanding the foundation for future bilateral cooperation by advancing cooperation in available fields such as academia, culture and people-to-people exchanges. He cited Korean culture and cuisine, which are currently gaining popularity in Iran, as examples of sectors for potential cooperation.

Also discussed were issues regarding the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran.

(IANS)