On the 27th, Jeonbuk Governor Kim Kwan-young said the priority negotiation rights for the project to build a nuclear fusion research facility belong to North Jeolla, adding, "We have requested official confirmation from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) regarding priority in site selection."
Kim held a press conference at the National Assembly's press briefing room condemning the Ministry of Science and ICT's decision on the site selection for the "core nuclear fusion technology development and advanced infrastructure construction project," and stated accordingly, "If necessary, we will mobilize all administrative and legal means to protect the rights and interests of provincial residents."
Earlier, on the 24th, the Ministry of Science and ICT designated Naju, South Jeolla, as the priority negotiation area for the site of the nuclear fusion research facility. Nuclear Fusion Power uses deuterium and tritium obtained from seawater as fuel to implement on Earth the principle of energy generation inside the sun. With 1 gram of hydrogen as nuclear fusion fuel, it can produce energy equivalent to 8 tons of oil and emits almost no carbon dioxide, so it is called the "energy of dreams."
North Jeolla Province's opposition to the government decision is related to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with a related institution 16 years ago. Since signing an MOU in 2009 with the National Fusion Research Institute (now the Korea institute of Fusion Energy (KFE)), North Jeolla Province and Gunsan City have prepared to attract related infrastructure. Through a resolution by the Saemangeum Committee, in which the Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT participated, the site was officially reflected in the Saemangeum master plan (MP).
In response, North Jeolla Province said, "The Ministry of Science and ICT clearly stated in the notice that 'sites where local governments can transfer land ownership through methods such as free conveyance will be given priority review,' and the area that perfectly meets this condition is Saemangeum," adding, "The province and Gunsan City clearly presented a plan to transfer the site to the ownership of the Korea institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) immediately upon completion of the research facility in a manner permitted under current law."
North Jeolla Province also said, "However, of the site selected by the government, only 14% is national industrial complex land, and the rest is privately owned land such as absolute farmland, quasi-conservation forest land, and cemeteries, making ownership transfer impossible," adding, "Moreover, (Naju) is known to have proposed free conveyance and other measures through the enactment of a special law that goes beyond the authority of the local government."
North Jeolla Province further said, "This is a serious matter that makes us reexamine from the ground up the reliability and fairness of administration and the transparency of policy," adding, "Nullify the irrational and unjust selection of a priority negotiation area that runs counter to the notice and evaluation criteria, and grant rightful priority to Saemangeum."