(LEAD) Vice FM discusses cooperation in nuclear power, nuclear security with U.S. deputy energy secretary

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By Kim Seung-yeon

SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun has discussed cooperation in nuclear power and nuclear security areas in a meeting with David Turk, U.S. deputy secretary of energy, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.

The meeting took place on the margins of the International Conference on Nuclear Security (ICONS) in Vienna on Tuesday (local time), marking the first such in-person meeting between the two positions since 2018.

The meeting drew attention as U.S. energy company Westinghouse Electric Co. has been embroiled in a legal battle with two South Korean state energy firms over the latter's transfer of technical information on reactor designs to Poland and other countries.

The lawsuit stirred up a debate over whether South Korea's export of reactors that its companies have domestically mastered with the initial technological assistance from the U.S. firm should be subject to U.S. export control regulations.

"The two sides agreed to continue consultations on expanding the bilateral cooperation in the nuclear power sector, as they shared the understanding on its importance," Seoul's foreign ministry said in a release.

Kang also separately met with Andrew Bowie, Britain's undersecretary of state in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and discussed efforts to cooperate in nuclear power and small modular reactors.

During ICONS, Kang highlighted South Korea's participation and support to help strengthen global nuclear security against nuclear terrorism and other threats.

Kang announced that South Korea will contribute US$2 million through the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to help with responses to future nuclear security threats, the ministry said.

ICONS is a high-level international gathering on nuclear security hosted by the IAEA.

Kang also said that South Korea will actively participate in efforts to boost the international nuclear security regime, including cooperation with the IAEA in terms of providing nuclear power support to Ukraine.

While visiting Austria, Kang also met with Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA, and discussed the ongoing monitoring of Japan's discharge of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Kang asked for his cooperation in ensuring that South Korean experts will continue to be able to take part in the IAEA-led monitoring mechanism.

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