US allows Saudi uranium enrichment, sparking South Korean frustration over decades-old restrictions

The United States has opened the door for Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium through a new nuclear cooperation agreement, a move that starkly contrasts with the restrictions imposed on South Korea.

The agreement, signed on July 22, permits Saudi Arabia to build uranium enrichment facilities on its soil, with US companies potentially involved, pending a two-year verification period. This development is particularly galling for South Korea, which has been bound by a US-Korea Atomic Energy Agreement since 1974, prohibiting it from enriching uranium without US consent.

Despite being the world's fifth-largest nuclear power with 26 operating reactors, South Korea remains dependent on foreign sources for enriched uranium. This dependency has long been a significant obstacle to the advancement of its own nuclear industry, especially as the nation plans to build additional reactors to secure power for its large-scale semiconductor investments.

South Korea's repeated requests to the US for enrichment rights have consistently been denied, with Washington citing non-proliferation principles. The new agreement with Saudi Arabia, a nation without existing nuclear power plants, appears to undermine these principles and has fueled frustration in Seoul over what is perceived as a discriminatory policy.