Opposition leader pledges to reduce nuclear energy reliance

Chairwoman Han Myeong-sook of the main opposition Democratic United Party pledged Monday to gradually reduce Korea's reliance on atomic energy in light of last year's nuclear disaster in Japan if the party gains a majority in the next parliament.

"The nuclear power plant issue is different between before and after the Fukushima nuclear crisis. It is a significant turning point," Han said during a panel debate with senior journalists at the National Assembly. "I want to see the Fukushima crisis as the last shocking warning for mankind about problems with nuclear power plants."

Han said her party will stop plans to build more atomic plants and gradually close down old facilities, citing European countries, including Germany, which decided to close all atomic plants by 2022.

"The party will push to invest in renewable, alternative energy, which is safe. It also creates more jobs and develops new technology," Han said. "The DUP has a transformative approach on the nuclear power plant issue and reflected such a stance in the party platform."

Korea currently has 21 nuclear reactors in operation and is building several more.

The Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan about a year ago has ignited debates among environmental groups and lawmakers on the use of nuclear power for Asia's fourth-largest economy, which relies on atomic power plants for about one-third of its electricity.

Another focus of Monday's debate was the opposition's election pledge to revise or scrap state projects, including the free trade agreement with the United States and a naval base project in the southern resort island of Jeju.

Though her left-leaning party has opposed the contentious naval base project under construction, Han acknowledged the necessity of the base for national security amid rising China's maritime power in regional waters.

"I do not oppose the stance that a naval base is needed for national security," Han said. "However, the decision to build the naval base in Gangjeong Village did not go through a democratic process and the construction is proceeding in an undemocratic way."

With the general elections only one month away, the opposition leader used tough words to attack her ruling party rival Park Geun-hye, the leading conservative presidential hopeful.

Park has denounced the DUP's mobile voting system used to pick candidates as an "apex of corruption" after a DUP campaigner jumped to his death amid allegations of irregularities in a primary race in the southern city of Gwangju.

Han struck back, saying "(Park's remark) shows an apex of ignorance." (Yonhap)