Washington: A senior South Korean diplomat announced plans to request the United States to expedite an agreement allowing South Korea to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for non-military uses. This statement was made upon her arrival in Washington for bilateral discussions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina emphasized the importance of implementing the agreement, as she arrived in the U.S. ahead of the 10th Senior Economic Dialogue (SED). There, she and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg are set to discuss cooperation on economic and industrial matters.
Kim stated her intention to urge the U.S. to appoint a South Korean counterpart to initiate detailed discussions, reflecting South Korea's readiness to progress with the agreement. The joint fact sheet released on November 13, under the administration of President Donald Trump, supported South Korea's efforts for civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing.
Under the current bilateral nuclear energy cooperation pact, South Korea is restricted from enriching uranium and reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. During the SED, discussions are anticipated to include follow-up measures from the summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and President Trump held on October 29. Topics will likely cover cooperation in shipbuilding, energy, advanced technologies, and critical minerals.
Kim also highlighted the significance of South Korea as a partner in the U.S. nuclear energy renaissance, suggesting that cooperation would benefit both nations. She mentioned that discussions would include future collaboration on small modular reactors.
Regarding potential discussions on nuclear-powered submarines, Kim clarified that this military issue is not on the SED agenda. It is expected to be addressed next week during South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac's visit to Washington.
Following the SED, Kim will represent South Korea at the "Pax Silica" artificial intelligence summit scheduled for Friday.