Interpretations suggest that President Lee Jae-myung is distancing himself from the anti-nuclear policy by appointing Kim Jeong-kwan, president of Doosan Enerbility, as the candidate for Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 29th. Doosan Enerbility is a representative nuclear corporation. A government official noted, "As President Lee has pledged to make Korea one of the top three countries in artificial intelligence (AI), he is likely very aware of the necessity of nuclear power."
Candidate Kim is regarded as a key figure in securing a Czech nuclear power plant order worth 407 billion korunas (about 26 trillion won). At Doosan Enerbility, he led the marketing sector, conducting nuclear power sales not only for the Czech order but also for new market exploration in countries like the Philippines and Kazakhstan.
The nuclear power industry breathed a sigh of relief with the nomination of candidate Kim. President Lee has announced his intention to invest 100 trillion won in the AI industry to make Korea a stronghold in AI while emphasizing renewable energy in energy policies. The energy industry expects that instead of pursuing a unilateral anti-nuclear policy, a mix of nuclear and renewable energy will be appropriately utilized.
Expanding power infrastructure is essential for AI development. A data center requires about 1.3 GWh of power per location, equivalent to the electricity usage of 100,000 households in a day.
Furthermore, the semiconductor cluster under construction in Yongin will require more than 10 GW of electricity by 2055. This amounts to a quarter of the metropolitan area's power demand. Expanding the power grid has become a crucial condition for the semiconductor industry as well.
Experts predict that the Lee Jae-myung administration will continue using the currently operating nuclear plants while gradually increasing the proportion of renewable energy such as wind and solar. As the dismantling of Gori Unit 1 was recently decided by the Nuclear Safety And Security Commission, the development of the nuclear decommissioning industry is also anticipated.
In a Democratic Party primary candidates' TV debate last April, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "Even in a society centered on renewable energy, base load power is needed, and due to the intermittent characteristics of renewable energy, it is unstable. The necessity and risks of nuclear power must be balanced appropriately, and an energy mix is necessary."
An official in the nuclear power industry said, "Since candidate Kim has long served as a public official, he likely has a deep understanding of the president's energy mix policy." He added, "Doosan Enerbility is not only engaged in nuclear power but also runs businesses in LNG steam turbines and offshore wind power, so it is expected to maintain balance while implementing energy policies."