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🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

Chernobyl Anniversary: Activists Protest New Nuclear Power Plants in Seoul

From Hankyoreh · (6m ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Activists gathered in Seoul to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, urging an end to new nuclear power plant construction.
  • They argued that nuclear power plants are vulnerable strategic targets in modern warfare and pose long-term environmental and generational risks.
  • The group criticized the government's policy of building new nuclear reactors, calling for its immediate withdrawal.

Forty years after the catastrophic Chernobyl nuclear disaster, a coalition of activists in Seoul is raising urgent concerns about the continued reliance on nuclear power, particularly in light of escalating global conflicts and energy crises. Under the banner '40 Years Since Chernobyl: In an Era of War and Energy Crisis, Nuclear Power is Not the Answer!', the 'National Emergency Action to Stop New Nuclear Power Plants' held a press conference near the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin. Their message is clear: nuclear power is not a sustainable or safe solution, especially in today's volatile geopolitical landscape.

Having nuclear power plants on the Korean Peninsula is the same as having nuclear weapons in our backyard.

— Lee Tae-hoDirector of the Peace and Disarmament Center at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, drawing a parallel between nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.

The activists highlighted a recent report underscoring that nuclear power plants can become deliberate targets in modern warfare, leading to prolonged environmental devastation and intergenerational harm. This perspective directly challenges the notion of nuclear facilities as purely civilian infrastructure, reframing them as potential strategic assets in conflict. Kim Choo-ryeong, an executive committee member of the Network for Science and Technology for Change (ESC), emphasized this point, stating, 'Nuclear power plants are no longer protected civilian facilities; they are the first strategic targets when war breaks out.' This argument carries particular weight given the ongoing war in Ukraine and the proximity of nuclear facilities to conflict zones.

In modern warfare, nuclear power plants can be deliberate targets, and the results can lead to long-term environmental destruction and intergenerational damage.

— Kim Choo-ryeongExecutive committee member of the Network for Science and Technology for Change, highlighting the vulnerability of nuclear plants in conflict.

Adding to the critique, Lee Tae-ho, director of the Peace and Disarmament Center at People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, drew a stark parallel between the presence of nuclear power plants in South Korea and living with nuclear weapons in one's backyard. He asserted that nuclear power plants are neither cheap nor safe, directly countering common arguments in favor of their economic and security benefits. The group's call for the government to immediately withdraw its plans for constructing new nuclear power plants reflects a deep-seated concern among environmental and peace activists about the long-term risks associated with nuclear energy. From their perspective, the lessons of Chernobyl, amplified by contemporary security threats, demand a decisive shift away from nuclear power towards safer, renewable energy sources.

Nuclear power plants are no longer protected civilian facilities; they are the first strategic targets when war breaks out.

— Kim Choo-ryeongEmphasizing the strategic risk associated with nuclear power plants in times of war.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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