Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyunghoon on Oct. 27 gives a keynote speech at the International Atomic Energy Agency Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power, which Korea is hosting for the first time, at the convention complex Songdo Convensia in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu District. (Ministry of Science and ICT)

By Xu Aiying

The International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) opened on Oct. 27 in Incheon's Yeonsu-gu District to discuss the peaceful use of nuclear power and policy directions.

Held in Korea for the first time, the three-day event is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyunghoon. Among the some 800 people attending include ministerial-level delegates and government officials from the agency's 60 member countries, representatives from eight international organizations, and staff from 85 companies from Korea and abroad.

Marking its sixth edition, the conference is a high-level policy meeting held every four years. With its inaugural edition in Paris in 2005, the event has since been held in China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and the U.S.

In his opening speech, Minister Bae emphasized the need for countries to pool their technologies and expertise under the principles of safety, nuclear security and nonproliferation to ensure that the benefits of atomic power reach more countries and people.

He also outlined in a keynote address three policy priorities for Korea: stronger trust through safety and transparency, safe development and demonstration of small modular reactors (SMRs), and emergence of Korea as a global production hub for nuclear energy.

The high-level sessions will cover energy security and carbon neutrality policies like the adoption and regulation of nuclear plants and SMRs. Expert sessions will explore advancement of the workforce, financing and reinforcement of social trust.

Korea will lead the session "A New Era of Nuclear Energy" to improve nuclear safety and efficiency through artificial intelligence and expand the use of SMRs and marine-based nuclear power.

In Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, the Nuclear Energy and Safety Conference is concurrently running over the same period at Hwabaek International Convention Center. This event seeks to help domestic nuclear companies expand abroad and collaborate within global supply chains.

Its diverse programs explore things like talks on follow-up opportunities from the a nuclear cooperation framework with the U.S. announced on Oct. 1, covering plans to build eight large-scale nuclear reactors in America and expand the participation of Korean nuclear companies within global supply chains.

xuaiy@korea.kr