South Korea and U.S. to Discuss Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun announced on Thursday that the United States and South Korea have agreed to explore the possibility of nuclear fuel reprocessing. This decision followed a summit held earlier in the week between U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

Minister Cho explained that South Korea currently operates 26 nuclear power plants and must import fuel for each. He highlighted the need for the country to reprocess the fuel and produce its own through concentrates.

The minister emphasized the importance of U.S. cooperation in this endeavor. He noted that altering the existing nuclear agreement or utilizing alternative methods within the agreement framework would be necessary. The decision to initiate discussions on this matter was therefore considered significant.

Under the current agreement, South Korea is prohibited from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, which can be used in the creation of nuclear weapons, without the consent of the United States.

Foreign Minister Cho has previously stated that South Korea's interest in reprocessing is for industrial and environmental purposes, not for the development of nuclear weapons. He reiterated on Thursday that any suggestion of seeking nuclear weapons capabilities through a revision of the agreement would be unacceptable to the United States, given its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.