Korea's nuclear academia strongly opposed some claims that the agreement signed with American Westinghouse during the Czech nuclear power export process was an 'unfair contract,' stating that it undermines and insults efforts for technological self-reliance.
The Korean Nuclear Society issued a statement on the 25th, asserting, "The claim raised by some media outlets, 'The myth of domestic nuclear power, who has deceived the public?' undermines and insults the years of blood and sweat invested in the nuclear sector's efforts for technological independence."
It continued, "This agreement is merely a strategic choice to preemptively resolve the risk of prolonged disputes, and does not deny our unique technological capabilities and operational know-how," adding, "Equating legal rights interpretation issues with a lack of practical ability and dismissing our achievements as a deception distorts the essence of the issue."
Earlier, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) faced controversy over 'unfair contracts' and 'humiliating contracts' as details of the intellectual property (IP) agreement signed with American Westinghouse for the Czech nuclear power export were belatedly revealed in January.
According to the agreement, KHNP and Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) will need to pay over 1 trillion won in royalties, technology usage fees, and equipment purchase costs to Westinghouse every time they export a nuclear power unit over the next 50 years. They must also undergo prior verification by Westinghouse when independently developing and exporting next-generation nuclear power, including small modular reactors (SMRs). Areas where Korea cannot enter, including North America, Europe, and Japan, have also been designated.
In response, the society countered, "This agreement is merely the beginning of 'strategic cooperation' with the United States to end wasteful disputes for greater national interest, not a surrender of market entry," and stated, "Korea-U.S. cooperation can be expanded to cover the entire future nuclear-related industry, including small modular reactors (SMRs), spent nuclear fuel management, and research reactors."
The society also noted that Korean nuclear power has secured superior price competitiveness compared to the United States, which possesses core technologies. It explained, "The unparalleled capability of Korean nuclear power has already been proven on the global stage and following the successful implementation of the UAE Barakah nuclear power plant, the choice of the Czech Republic to select us as a partner for new nuclear projects is the most solid evidence."