Yonhap Interview) S. Africa's atomic energy sector open for Korean companies: deputy president

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By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Yonhap) -- South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe
expressed optimism about South Korea's role in his country's planned construction
of nuclear power plants and other energy-related projects, speaking highly of
Seoul's expertise in the sector.
"We were taking a tour of the newly constructed power stations (in South Korea)
and we were quite impressed with what we saw. We believe that there is enough room
for Korean companies to play a role depending on how they fare in the bid,"
Motlanthe said in an exclusive interview with Yonhap News Agency on Saturday, the
last day of his three-day trip here. He was referring to his visit to the Gori
nuclear power plants in northern Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul, which
is one of South Korea's major atomic energy facilities.
During his stay in South Korea, he had talks with President Lee Myung-bak and
other top officials on bilateral relations and cooperation in the G-20 summit
opening in Seoul next month.
The two sides also inked a nuclear power cooperation pact, paving the way for
Korean companies to participate in atomic power plant construction projects in
the African nation.
The deputy president's visit came as South Korea is stepping up efforts to reach
out to African nations. Seoul announced a plan last month to increase its
economic development and cooperation fund to African countries to US$1.09 billion
in the next five years.
South Africa, the only African member of the G-20 forum, is seeking to secure the
stable supply of electricity, with atomic power accounting for only about 5
percent of South Africa's entire electricity generation. The country plans to
double its electricity production to 80 gigawatts by 2025 to help address a power
shortage and get 25 percent of that from nuclear power plants.
In 2008, South Africa opened international bidding for a project to build four
1,000-megawatt nuclear reactors, but the process has been suspended.
If the bidding resumes, South Korean companies are expected to participate in it.
Motlanthe said the nuclear energy accord is intended "to get a better handle on
what the Korean nuclear energy producers are capable of" and expressed hope to
further exchange research in the future and discuss "much more concrete
cooperation" in the atomic energy sector.
"What I've seen yesterday, the construction of the two nuclear plants (in Busan)
is mind boggling," said the deputy president, emphasizing the impressiveness of
South Korea's nuclear energy development capabilities.
In a meeting with Motlanthe Friday, South Korea's president said that Seoul "will
be able to make big contributions to the peaceful use of nuclear power" toward
South Africa.
Talks on nuclear energy cooperation also comes as South Korea is trying to expand
its nuclear technology exports, boosted by a US$20 billion contract last December
with the United Arab Emirates to build four nuclear reactors there.
The deputy president also saw large opportunities for South Korean firms to
invest in his nation's highly rich resource sector.
"There's really enough investment opportunities in South Africa for Korean
corporate companies," said Motlanthe. He also saw opportunities for the private
sector in South Africa to find investment outlets here, which he said would
create a "mutually enriching trade partnership."
On South Korea's hosting of the G-20 summit, he stressed that Seoul has an
important role to play in terms of "bridging the gap between the developing and
developed world."
"(South) Korea has just crossed over from the group of developing nations to
(that of) the developed nations, so in a sense, we believe the memory (for South
Korea) is still fresh about the challenges facing developing nations and
therefore will be able to articulate and propose suggestions."
South Africa, with 30 million people under social grant programs, can take
lessons from South Korea's rapid economic growth, according to the deputy
president, taking particular note of Seoul's past "Saemaul Movement."
The Saemaeul Movement, which translates as the "new community movement," was a
political initiative launched in 1970 by then South Korean president Park
Chung-hee to modernize the then rural South Korean economy.
"We believe we can draw very important lessons out of the Korean Saemaeul
Movement," said Motlanthe, who saw the idea of inspiring in the spirit of
"self-help" into the people as a key aspect of the movement.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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