[News Today] NUKE REACTORS RESUME CONSTRUCTION

[LEAD]
The construction ceremony for Shin Hanul nuclear reactors 3 and 4 was held yesterday. Those two reactors previously stalled symbols of the past government's nuclear phase-out policy. President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed the need to normalize the nuclear power ecosystem quickly. He pledged to establish institutional safeguards to protect the nuclear industry's future from political disruption.

[REPORT]
The construction of Shin Hanul 3 and 4 nuclear reactors was suspended for 5 years under the previous government due to the nuclear phaseout policy, even though the project had been approved.

In a groundbreaking ceremony held after 8 years, President Yoon Suk Yeol called for the complete normalization of the nuclear power ecosystem.

He particularly vowed to lay an institutional groundwork to prevent the future of the nuclear energy sector from collapsing due to politics.

Yoon Suk Yeol / President
A mid-to-long term road map through 2050 will be drafted this year to present a plan. We'll also work to enact a special law on nuclear sector support.

Yoon also pledged to actively pursue the construction of next generation nuclear plants including small modular reactors and expand investment in related research and development.

He also promised to increase the lifespan of existing nuke plants whose safety has been verified.

Yoon Suk Yeol / President
The U.S. runs plants for 80 years while Britain and France keep theirs without a time limit when safety is guaranteed.

President Yoon said the overseas nuclear power plant market worth some 1,000 trillion won or 725 billion US dollars is opening up and vowed further support for Korean exports on the heels of the country's winning bid for a plant construction in the Czech Republic.