Government Weighs Building 8 Nuclear Reactors in US Investment Plan... "Tug-of-War Until the Verge of Agreement"

[Anchor]

The government briefed the ruling party today on the negotiations for investment in the United States. As discussed during previous consultations, the final memorandum of understanding is expected to include the construction of eight nuclear power plants and a combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Texas.

Reporter Kang Min-u has the details.

[Reporter]

The government reported the broad outlines of the investment plan for the U.S. to the ruling party during a closed-door consultative meeting today.

According to ruling bloc officials, the government briefed them on three main projects: building nuclear power plants in the U.S., constructing a combined-cycle gas turbine power plant, and participating in the Alaska LNG project.

First, regarding nuclear power, the memorandum of understanding is expected to include the construction of a total of eight nuclear reactors in the U.S., as discussed in earlier negotiations.

However, the U.S. side has demanded throughout the negotiations to acquire a stake in Westinghouse and build all eight reactors using Westinghouse's AP1000 model. In response, the South Korean side has maintained that at least two of the reactors must be built using Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power's APR1400 model to secure commercial rationality, leaving this issue as a variable until a final agreement is reached.

The construction of the combined-cycle gas turbine power plant in Texas was reported to be valued at 30 trillion won, an increase of 3 trillion won from earlier estimates.

This effectively solidifies it as the "first project."

It was also learned that participation in the Alaska LNG pipeline project, requested by the U.S. side, will be included in this MOU.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy stated that specific details of the U.S. investment, including whether it will be designated as the first project, have not yet been finalized.

This is interpreted as a strategic decision not to reveal South Korea's cards until the very end, taking into account semiconductor variables such as tariffs and local investment demands from the U.S., as well as the uniquely aggressive and unpredictable negotiation style of the Trump administration.

The government plans to sign the MOU on U.S. investment as early as the 18th, and the tug-of-war between South Korea and the U.S. is expected to continue until the verge of a final agreement.

(Camera Reporter: Jeong Sang-bo | Video Editor: Won Hyeong-hui | Designer: Lee Ga-jin)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.