South Korea will highlight the proven safety record and operability of its indigenous research reactor model to secure export orders from the Netherlands.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology said efforts are underway to pitch for sales of its research reactor technology to the European country that currently operates three units and may opt to build more in the future, Yonhap News Agency reported.
It said Vice Minister Kim Jung-hyun will visit the country this week to explain in detail the high quality of South Korea's reactor design, manufacturing and operation prowess.
Kim, who will be in the country Monday and Tuesday, plans to hold talks with both government official and civilian experts in the nuclear energy sector.
South Korea, despite being a late starter in the atomic energy field, is one of the handful of countries that can manufacture its own nuclear reactors with no outside assistance.
It also operates two research reactors, with the 30 megawatt HANARO unit built in 1995 by state-run Korea Atomic Energy research Institute (KAERI). The smaller AGN-201 that began operation in 1982 was built by a U.S. company.
"The official will meet with Chris Buijink, vice minister of economic affairs, and reactor operators from the Nuclear Research and Consultancy Group," Kim Dae-ki, head of the ministry's nuclear cooperation division, was quoted as saying.
The official said the vice minister will propose a nuclear energy cooperation pact that would expand bilateral cooperation in this field. Views on possible collaboration in the production of radioactive isotopes would be exchanged, as well as on efforts by South Korea to pull off eco-friendly growth, aided in part by its plan to build more nuclear reactors to meet energy needs.
The ministry in charge of the country's atomic energy research and development said research reactors have the potential to become a 10-25 trillion won ($7.4-18.5 billion) market with 40 countries requiring 50 new units.