ROK wants to cooperate with China, Japan on nuclear safety

BEIJING - The Republic of Korea (ROK) wants to establish a joint consultation mechanism on nuclear safety with China and Japan, visiting ROK Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik said on Wednesday.

"The ROK people are worrying about the possible environmental damage caused by Japan's nuclear leak, though it has not had any direct influence yet," Kim told China Daily in a joint interview with Chinese media on Wednesday.

Fears of a radiation fallout in the ROK mounted especially after Japan raised its nuclear alert level to the most serious level on Tuesday.

"As I know, the nuclear incident in Japan has had an impact on the nuclear policies of various countries," Kim said.

The ROK is conducting a thorough examination of safety at its nuclear plants, he said.

Kim noted that his Chinese counterpart Premier Wen Jiabao issued a similar order on March 16 to conduct a thorough examination of nuclear plants under construction across China.

Wen said that the approval of all new nuclear plant projects should be suspended before an updated national nuclear security plan is approved.

"We should exchange information on nuclear power plants, and try to establish a consultation mechanism or cooperation body with China and Japan," Kim said.

The ROK prime minister was in Beijing for a four-day official visit. He is scheduled to arrive on Thursday in the southern resort town of Boao for the annual Boao Forum for Asia.

Regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Kim said that tension was easing but the outlook was still not optimistic.

He said the Six-Party Talks is a very important framework to maintain a stable Korean Peninsula and that the ROK is prepared to reopen the dialogue, but it is entirely dependent on the "sincerity" of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

In talks with Wen later on Wednesday in Beijing, the two premiers agreed to further consolidate the strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, according to a press release from the Foreign Ministry.

Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency said the two leaders exchanged ideas on nuclear security cooperation including Japan's nuclear leak and proposals to deal with the incident.

China Daily

(China Daily 04/14/2011 page12)