I want to live in a Gyeongju free from nuclear power

A mother of two, raising her children in Gyeongju, South Korea, voices her deep-seated fear and opposition to the city's plans for new small modular reactors (SMRs). Her anxieties were amplified after losing her first child during pregnancy and later, during her second pregnancy, she chose to shop at a co-op that tested for radioactive materials, a direct consequence of the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

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I want to live in a Gyeongju that is free from nuclear power.

Initially, she recommended Gyeongju as a safe and happy place to live, but a friend's comment about the city's nuclear power plant sparked a realization. She felt ashamed of her previous complacency, having lived in the area for years without fully confronting the risks associated with the Wolseong nuclear power plant. Her shame deepened as she learned more about nuclear energy and the potential dangers, especially after attending an anti-nuclear school.

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I felt ashamed of myself for feeling relieved that I was outside the 30km evacuation zone of the nuclear power plant located beyond Tohamsan Mountain, where I had lived for a long time.

Despite the mayor's efforts to promote SMRs as a path to economic revitalization, citing job creation and financial benefits, the author and other activists are actively campaigning against them. They are collecting signatures and distributing leaflets, arguing that Gyeongju can prosper without relying on nuclear power. The author's eldest child, now in first grade, has expressed anxiety about nuclear accidents, prompting the mother to promise to work towards a future where Gyeongju's nuclear plants are shut down. The prospect of new SMR construction, however, has reignited her fears, leading her to believe that Gyeongju's future is jeopardized by these developments.

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I want to dream that the nuclear power plants in Gyeongju will all be closed down during your teens, and let's work hard for it.