21세기 한국 원자력외교 과제와 대책

Abstract

In a world exposed to the complex threat of climate change and soaring oil prices, nuclear energy is counted one of the potential energy sources for securing future energy supplies. Especially Korea, a highly dependent country on energy exports, has a vital national interest on nuclear energy vitalizations for future production of electricity and transit hydrogen. However, the research and development(R & D) of nuclear energy along with its usage have been generally restricted due to its dual-usage properties：peaceful use and usage for military purposes. In the case of Korea, the U.S. is regulating its R&D through the Agreement for cooperation between the ROK and the U.S. concerning Civil Uses of Atomic Energy. Korea in order to develop Gen IV and advanced nuclear fuel cycle technology needs the U.S. consent and cooperation. This agreement currently in effect, will expire on year 2014, and negotiations for a new cooperation agreement is expected. This paper focuses on the “nonproliferation trustiness”as a determinant factor for bilateral nuclear energy cooperation between ROK and the U.S., because the latter approaches international nuclear cooperation from the perspective of“ nonproliferation.”The U.S. has a differential nuclear cooperative relations with 29 countries, which can be labeled as follows, according to its transfer of and cooperation for the core technology ; full-fledged partnership, strategic partnership, vested interest partnership, and restricted partnership. Korea falls in the category of“ restricted partnership.”Thus, the tangible goal for Korea is to upgrade its status from restricted to full-fledged partnership. Some of American experts assert that Korea's R&D for pyroprocessing will give it a basis for a nuclear weapons' program in the future, weakening the nonproliferation system thus delaying the resolution of the North Korean nuclear crisis. These assertions, however, disregard the change within South and North Korea and its relations as well as the change in the international environment since the 70's. The new ROK-U.S. nuclear cooperation relationship should reflect Korea's science-technology capabilities, the real increase in demand of the nuclear energy, the history of Korea being an exemplary country of nonproliferation, the decrease of North Korea's threat, and the increase of its reliance on the South. To further strengthen nonproliferation capability, Korea should foment its nonproliferation policy and foreign diplomacy along with a public education and diplomacy. It should establish an institution that would lead nonproliferation policy development and exchanges, take care of the public education, expand participation on international nonproliferation, and support latecomers joining the nonproliferation system. Lastly, Korea should also increase the investment in nuclear energy policy R&D ; train nuclear policy makers and diplomatic experts ; and establish a network among international experts.