South Korea president Moon Jae-in has vowed to scrap plans for new nuclear power plants and cancel lifetime extensions for aged reactors, heralding an overhaul for the country’s energy policy.
It marked Mr Moon’s second big announcement to change the country’s power mix after ordering a temporary halt on eight of the country’s older coal power plants soon after taking office last month, amid health concerns in one of the world’s most polluted countries.
“We will abolish our nuclear-centred energy policy and move towards a nuclear-free era,” Mr Moon said yesterday in the coastal city of Busan, marking the closure of the country’s first nuclear reactor, built in 1977. “So far, the country’s energy policy focused on low prices and efficiency. But this should change now with our top priority on public safety and the environment.”