Russia, S Korea discuss atomic energy cooperation in Seoul

SEOUL, August 23 (Itar-Tass) -- The 15th meeting of the Russian-South
Korean Joint Coordinating Committee on Atomic Energy Cooperation opened
in Seoul on Tuesday.
The two countries hold the forums of the kind alternately - in Moscow
or in Seoul - on the basis of the intergovernmental agreement signed in
1997.
"Participants in such meetings mainly focus on the scientific and
applied issues linked with the peaceful use of atomic energy, including
safety of nuclear power plants," Director of the Moscow Representative
Office of the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre Andrei Rachkov told Itar-Tass
in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
Touching upon details, he mentioned "medical science, use of isotopes
in various spheres, researches in the sphere of new fuel linked with the
innovative fast-breeder reactors or with sodium cooling and other issues."
All in all, 23 scientific issues are expected to be considered during
this forum, Rachkov added.
Moscow and Seoul have intensive interaction in the supplies of fuel
for South Korea's nuclear power plants, while more than 30 percent of fuel
import account for Russia, he said.
"This sphere still remains the major area of atomic cooperation with
the Republic of Korea," Rachkov said. "Bilateral interaction in the
above-mentioned sphere also includes inspection of fuel cells."
"Russia has the State Scientific Centre 'Research Institute of Nuclear
Reactors' in Dimitrovgrad [Ulyanovsk region], which inspects those fuel
assemblies of nuclear power plants," Rachkov said, adding, "Koreans send
there their samples for testing."
Touching upon other spheres of cooperation, he pointed to "the
interaction in the sphere of nuclear medicine, which came to a halt
recently."
Rachkov is confident that in the near future Russia and South Korea
may start competing in the construction of nuclear reactors in the world.
"Currently, Russia pursues rather aggressive policy in the world aimed
at the promotion of its nuclear power plants abroad," he said, adding,
"Russia seeks to build nuclear power plants in India, China, Turkey,
Bulgaria, Armenia and Belarus."
"Now, South Korea is not a competitor on this market. But Koreans plan
to build their nuclear power plants in the Middle East, in particular in
the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia," Rachkov said.
According to local media, representatives of South Korea and Russia
will also discuss improvement of safety at nuclear facilities and ways to
prevent accidents.
With this in mind, the South Korean Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology reaffirmed that this talks will be the first one since the
dramatic accident at the Fukushima-1 NPP in Japan.