As South Korea seeks to expand nuclear power, disquiet grows among residents
Hwang Bun-hee, 74, and her neighbours drag a coffin around their homes located near a nuclear plant, along with yellow oil drums emblazoned with radiation warning signs. They are protesting against South Korea's plan to increase the use of nuclear power because the plant is on their doorstep.
Hwang is one of the protest organizers. There are only about 10 of them but they have been rallying regularly since 2014. She claims her diagnosed thyroid cancer is due to radioactive materials from the plant and is seeking a law to be enacted to fund relocation for nearby residents. She and others living near reactors have also met with lawmakers to seek support.
"We can see the nuclear power plant from here. It's way too close. I've seen it for more than 30 years. How can people live so close to a nuclear power plant like this? I don't want to see it anymore," Hwang said.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, is pushing for nuclear power to overtake coal as the main source of electricity to help meet the country’s climate targets and strengthen energy security. The government wants to increase nuclear energy's share of the nation's power mix to 33% by 2030 from 27% currently.
Seoul has also highlighted Europe's energy crisis following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which Moscow calls a "special military operation", as a wake-up call to bolster domestic sources of power.
The government is proposing an additional six nuclear plants by 2036 on top of the current 24 reactors in a country the size of the U.S. state of Indiana, raising deep concerns among hundreds of Korean residents living in the most densely built area in the world for nuclear power.
The 24 reactors, capable of generating 23,250 megawatts, are concentrated in four locations - five to seven reactors per location - with some 5 million people living within 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) of the plants, according to 2019 data compiled by opposition lawmaker Wi Seong-gon.
Nuclear experts say South Korea's clustered reactors don't pose safety concerns, but some residents are unconvinced.
Kim Jin-sun, a 75-year-old livestock owner living near Wolsong, located on South Korea's southern coast, is also worried. He says his cows have miscarriages.
"There's no hope. That's why residents leave their hometowns and houses. People come here only when there is hope. There are a lot of troubles in this region, but the government is indifferent about this issue,” he said.
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power said that the claim that the amount of radioactive material detected affects health is not valid. It said the maximum amount of tritium detected in Wolsong residents' urine samples between 2018-2020 was 0.00034 millisievert, well below the limit for the general public, and the annual exposure is much lower than natural radiation.
"Banana has potassium. We can also be exposed to radiation when we eat bananas. The maximum amount of tritium that can be exposed to residents is equivalent to eating six bananas a year," said Jeong Yong-hoon, professor of nuclear and quantum engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
While many South Koreans support expanding nuclear power, a significant minority are urging a reduction.
A June 28-30 survey of 1,000 South Koreans by Gallup Korea showed that 39% supported the expansion of nuclear energy, 30% wanted current levels to be maintained, while 18% called for scaling it back.
South Korea ranks fifth in the world for nuclear generation, according to the World Economic Forum data for 2020, behind the U.S., China, France and Russia.
Since it has scarce natural resources, experts say nuclear energy is crucial to keep the country's lights on and power its global-leading manufacturing industry, which exports chips, cars, display panels and electric vehicle batteries.
