Korea and China boost future nuclear technology partnership
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Korea and China boost future nuclear technology partnership
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outh Korea’s Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) held their Nuclear Power Joint Committee meeting in Seoul last spring where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation on 43 agenda items covering six areas including nuclear power generation, nuclear technology research and development (R&D), nuclear fuel and waste management, nuclear safety, radioactive isotope and radiation applications, and nuclear security. Korean participants of the meeting were led by the 1st Vice Minister of Science, ICT and Planning Lee Seok-jun, and the team from China was headed by Chair Xu Dazhe of the CAEA.
Lee Seok-jun’s Ministry aims to use the joint committee as a springboard for expanding partnerships with China, which is pursuing a policy of active expansion of its nuclear industry, in areas such as nuclear safety and security in order to strengthen the region’s nuclear safety regime. Noting that China holds advanced technologies related to medical heavy ion accelerators, the Ministry also announced plans to begin a partnership in radioisotope production technologies including accelerators and treatment system manufacturing. The Ministry expects further exchanges of joint research and information between the two countries in cuttingedge designs including sodium-cooled
German and French national academies recommend collaborative energy policies
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n preparation for the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21), the French and German national academies of science and technology have published a joint statement advocating a stronger partnership between the two countries. This statement points out the fundamental challenges raised for the future: meeting the world energy demand, restraining energy consumption in developed countries, and reducing global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). While France and Germany have taken different courses in handling their electrical energy generation system (which only represents about 25% of their energy consumption), they also have many common issues. The four academies thus propose several cross-cutting subjects—energy efficiency, energy grids, mobility, nuclear technologies, renewable energy and energy storage, and social and economic aspects— which could benefit from closer scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries. They also emphasize the need for a better understanding of energy issues and their implications in society at
large. Also, the academies call for a systemic approach for European Union (EU)wide energy policies. To deal with the challenges raised by an energy transition resulting in a substantial reduction of GHG emissions, the academies assert the central role of science, technology, and industrial development. They consider that the energy questions should be tackled with a systemic approach balancing environmental goals, social expectations, economic objectives, and security of supply. The academies advocate, in particular
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