Seoul to Propose Joint Atomic Fuel Reprocessing Research With Beijing

South Korea will propose joint research on a futuristic atomic fuel reprocessing system with China, the government said Sunday.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said the proposal to work together on pyro-processing technology will be made at the eighth bilateral nuclear cooperation committee meeting in Beijing.

Vice Science Minister Chung Yoon will head the South Korean delegation, while Sun Qin, head of the China Atomic Energy Authority, is to represent Beijing at the talks to be held Monday and Tuesday.

Pyro-processing is gaining worldwide attention because it can greatly reduce the amount of high-level radioactive waste and contribute to global non-proliferation efforts. If the system is operated in conjunction with the fourth generation sodium-cooled fast reactor, it can increase nuclear fuel efficiency by 60 times

that of conventional atomic energy generation methods.

South Korea, a technology leader in pyro-processing, said it is willing to share its know-how with other countries that operate commercial nuclear power plants. It already signed a deal with the U.S. in August to conduct joint work on this new technology.

South Korea has built 20 commercial reactors since 1977, and has a proven track record in the safe and efficient operation of nuclear energy generation. It has said it wants to sell its nuclear power technology to other countries.

In addition, the ministry said that the two sides are to discuss such issues as atomic safety, using hydrogen released from very high temperature reactors, and cooperation in the use of nuclear fuel.