South Korea to hold public deliberation on nuclear power role

The South Korean government has announced a plan to conduct a three-month public deliberation process to determine the role of nuclear power in the nation's future energy mix. This initiative precedes the establishment of the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand (2026–2040).

Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Seong-hwan reported the plan to the Cabinet, noting that the process aims to address surging power demands driven by AI data centers and semiconductor manufacturing. Rather than a simple vote on whether to build new plants, the deliberation will explore nuclear energy as one of several alternatives for stable power supply and carbon neutrality.

A Nuclear Power Public Deliberation Committee, consisting of up to 11 neutral experts in fields such as science, technology, and conflict management, will lead the process. A separate technical committee will provide specialized information. The process will include citizen participation groups, public debates, and online opinion collection, with recommendations expected by December.