(LEAD) Yoon tells industry minister to quickly rebuild nuclear power industry

(ATTN: UPDATES with Yoon's meeting with SMEs minister in last 3 paras; ADDS photo)
By Lee Haye-ah

SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk-yeol told the industry minister Tuesday to quickly rebuild the nuclear power industry and provide it with work at an early date, his spokesperson said.

Yoon gave the instruction during a policy briefing by Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang, which was held as part of the first set of policy briefings by government ministries to Yoon following his inauguration.

Lee reported plans to provide companies in the nuclear power industry with work worth 130 billion won (US$99.04 million) this year, including for the construction of the Shin-Hanul No. 3 and No. 4 nuclear reactors set to begin in 2024, his ministry said.

Yoon was elected on a pledge to scrap the nuclear phase-out policy of the previous Moon Jae-in administration.

Since taking office in May, the new government has vowed to boost the country's generation of nuclear power to more than 30 percent of its total energy creation by 2030 to improve energy security and better meet carbon neutrality goals.

In his meeting with the minister, Yoon talked about the need to firmly establish a growth-oriented strategy through deregulation, support for research and development, and by fostering talent in advanced technologies, according to his spokesperson, Kang In-sun.

He also told the minister to actively support the development of a parts and equipment base for the semiconductor industry and to take the initiative to produce results on the export of nuclear power plants, weapons and infrastructure in line with the summit meetings he held last month on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Madrid.

Moreover, Yoon called on the minister to ensure smooth electricity supply in the summer season, Kang said.

In a separate policy briefing by Minister of SMEs and Startups Lee Young, Yoon asked her to help create an environment where raw material suppliers are treated fairly through the "appropriate adjustment" of unit prices amid the recent rise in raw material costs.

He also asked the minister to root out unfair trade practices, such as technology theft, that drain the motivation of small and medium-sized businesses, and to focus policy on helping startups grow into larger and global firms.

Kang said the president called for policy efforts to ease the debt burden on small business owners and for efforts to facilitate the transfer of small and medium-sized family businesses between family members.

hague@yna.co.kr
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