Korea eyes nuclear energy partnership to offset trade risks at Trump summit

Korea’s capability to build nuclear power plants has emerged as a key bargaining chip to offset trade risks with the United States, amid speculation that President Lee Jae Myung will likely float a nuclear energy partnership for the two countries at his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. The anticipation comes after Korea last month successfully persuaded the Trump administration to reduce its “reciprocal” tariffs on Korean imports from proposed 25 percent to 15 percent by promising Seoul's cooperation and investments to help revive the U.S. shipbuilding industry. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power CEO Whang Joo-ho on Saturday left for Washington to meet officials from the U.S. nuclear power industry on the occasion of the Lee-Trump summit. Nuclear power plant fuel and small modular reactors (SMR) technologies will be key discussion topics for Whang and his American counterparts in relay meetings, according to Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP). Along with Whang, Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) CEO Kim Dong-cheol headed to Washington to assist in talks wiWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times