Project

Project title

IFS

Topic

Foundational study for the advanced revision of the Korea-U.S. nuclear cooperation agreement

Research contents

□ Provide a strategic basis for advanced revision of the agreement
◦ Analyze the key issues of the KORUS Nuclear Cooperation Agreement and the results of past negotiations
- Contents of the 2015 revised agreement on uranium enrichment to ensure a stable supply of nuclear fuel
․ Include provisions to allow for consultation on low enrichment below 20 percent
․ Consistent with U.S. “applicable treaties, domestic laws, regulations, and licensing requirements
- To be agreed upon in writing by the two countries following consultation by the U.S.-ROK High-Level Committee.
Analyze post-negotiation activities and progress on these terms.
- Recycling/reprocessing for economic disposal of spent nuclear fuel
Changes in the shape or content of the spent fuel may be made if agreed upon in writing (Article 11.1)
Specifies that pyro processing must be technically, economically, and nonproliferation sound
Analyze activities and developments since the negotiation of the above conditions
- Comprehensive agreement on nuclear exports
Changes from case-by-case to blanket consent for re-transfers of technology and material
Analyzing the effectiveness and reciprocity of the changes
Analyze the effectiveness, efficiency, and improvements of revised agreements on key issues

□ Analyze the contents of U.S. nuclear cooperation agreements with other countries and derive implications through analysis of the international situation
Differentiate nuclear cooperation agreements by country's nonproliferation status
- The 1988 Cooperation Agreement with Japan allows the enrichment and reprocessing
Analyze U.S.-Japan political/diplomatic/security/industrial relations at the time of revision
Status of Japan's nuclear facilities and technology stockpiles
Examine Japan's nonproliferation-related activities and domestic regime
- Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with India, a de facto nuclear power, in 2006
U.S.-India international relations at the time the agreement was signed
Examine the agreement's technical and nonproliferation-related content
- 2009 Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with the UAE
․ Includes strong nonproliferation language with gold standards
Identify bilateral reciprocity provisions in the industrial sector
◦ Analyze trends in U.S. nuclear nonproliferation policy and international situation
- Analyze trends in U.S.-Saudi nuclear cooperation in response to changes in the international situation in the Middle East
- Changes in U.S. nonproliferation policies and conditions in the Middle East (Israel, Saudi Arabia, Iran, etc.)
- Analyzing the conditions for controlling Chinese and Russian influence in the Middle East

□ U.S. nonproliferation legal and institutional framework and the process for revising advanced agreements
Analyze the U.S. nonproliferation legal and institutional framework and legal conditions to identify favorable requirements for U.S. revision or follow-up to agreements
- Prioritization of relevant departments (DOE, DOS, NRC, etc.) for inter-agency coordination and approach by authority
- The Nuclear Cooperation Agreement is an agreement that requires congressional approval and identifies congressional approval requirements and procedures, approach strategies by congressional composition, etc.
Propose a roadmap for the revision of the agreement by time series
- Time-series process for revising the agreement in 2035
- Analyze legal possibilities for termination of cooperation or early amendment

□ Propose a revision direction for the development of the domestic nuclear power industry and prepare a sustainable environmental foundation
Identify domestic priorities and key strategies for the revision of the 2035 Agreement
- Stable/affordable nuclear fuel supply
- Sustainable spent fuel management
- Streamlining export controls to ensure smooth access to global markets
◦ Securing necessary technologies for advanced reform and analyzing the effectiveness of technology realization
- Necessary measures based on the level of domestic technology and the status of securing it
- Identification of technology and industry sectors and targets for continued cooperation with the U.S. (or methods)
- Identify technology and industry sectors and targets for continued cooperation with third countries.
Propose a system for securing and maintaining the foundation
- Provide direction on how to engage with the U.S. for a smooth revision of the agreement

Director

 객원연구원
Jiyoung Park Visiting Researcher (Institute for Future Strategy, SNU)
  • -

Researcher

No researcher found.