Busan: Senior officials from South Korea and the United States engaged in discussions to enhance cooperation in nuclear energy on Wednesday, as reported by the foreign ministry. This dialogue follows investment announcements by South Korean companies during the recent summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting took place between South Korea's Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Ji-na and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly. It occurred on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies in Busan. Both parties acknowledged the "meaningful" discussions related to nuclear energy cooperation that transpired during the Lee-Trump summit in Washington earlier this week and expressed their commitment to further advancing this partnership.
Vice Minister Kim proposed that the two nations work towards deepening their cooperation in nuclear energy, aiming to enhance the bilateral alliance. Deputy Secretary Danly confirmed the U.S. commitment to bolstering such cooperation. The discussions highlighted the active business partnerships in the small modular reactor (SMR) sector, with both sides agreeing to collaborate closely to ensure these private sector projects gain additional momentum.
During the summit, significant agreements were made, including a preliminary deal between Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), Doosan Enerbility, and U.S. companies X-energy and Amazon Web Services. This collaboration focuses on SMR design, construction, and supply chains. Additionally, KHNP signed a project with Fermi and Samsung C and T on SMR construction and a joint investment deal with Centrus for a uranium enrichment facility. Doosan Enerbility also secured an agreement with Fermi to provide nuclear and SMR equipment for an American artificial intelligence project.