SPOTLIGHT 26/01/27 Korean activists, religious groups oppose nuclear power plants

[성기화 요셉]

The government is accused of not sharing its survey data, disaster management and dispute mitigation plans

Members of the civil society and religious groups stage a rally at Gwanghwamun Square in South Korean capital Seoul on Jan. 27 to oppose two new nuclear power plants. (Photo: Citizens' Action for Nuclear Phase-out)

By UCA News reporter

Published: January 29, 2026 10:16 AM GMT

Updated: January 29, 2026 10:33 AM GMT

Civil society and religious groups in South Korea have continued their strong opposition to two proposed nuclear power plants, accusing the government of moving ahead hastily without sufficient access to information, deliberation, or consent.

During a press conference on Jan. 27, the Citizens' Action for Nuclear Phase-out, a coalition of 43 environmental, advocacy, and religious groups, slammed the government for its planned nuclear plants, according to a report by the advocacy group People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy.

“We strongly condemn the forced push for the hastily pursued new nuclear power plant construction plan,” said Esther Yoo, an executive committee member of the Nuclear-Free Citizens' Action group.

Yoo also demanded that South Korean President Lee Jae-myung “dismiss Minister Kim Sung-hwan and personally explain the [purpose of the] new nuclear power plants.”

On Jan. 26, Kim, the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, stated that the government would proceed with the construction of two new nuclear power plants, the Asia Business Daily reported.

Kim hinted at the possibility that the proposal for additional nuclear power plants remains open in the 12th Basic Electricity Plan, which will be prepared this year.

A public opinion survey found that more than 80 percent of respondents said nuclear power is necessary, and over 60 percent agreed that the new nuclear power plants were essential, according to the government.

Park Hang-joo, a specialist committee member of Green Korea United, condemned the survey as "ridiculous.”

He pointed out that the survey methodology was flawed and the questions “failed to verify the consistency of the entire survey and responses for policy decision-making.”

Lee Heon-seok, a policy committee member of Energy Justice Action, warned about the risk of nuclear power plants clustered together near cities.

“In the event of an accident, the risk is enormous, and evacuation is completely impossible due to the dense concentration of major cities nearby,” Lee warned.

He urged the government to explain how it plans to address this risk and what countermeasures it has in place.

The group also accused the government of ignoring the issue of transmission line construction, which accompanies the nuclear plant construction.

“As already confirmed in Miryang, the construction of ultra-high voltage transmission lines has destroyed residents' lives and communities, causing severe social conflict,” the group said.

The Miryang transmission line conflict (between 2012 and 2014) involved fierce, decade-long opposition from residents against Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) building 765KV high-voltage towers.

Protesters cited health risks (electromagnetic fields), agricultural disruption, and lack of consent, demanding under grounding or re-routing.

Despite intense, often violent protests and police intervention, the project was largely completed after significant conflict and, in some cases, inadequate compensation for remaining residents, media reports say.

The group alleged that the government had not presented any plans on how it would resolve similar issues connected to the new construction.

The group also questioned how the construction of nuclear power plants, which takes over 15 years, will be helpful while the government-promised 100GW of renewable energy projects materialize.

“The claim that nuclear power can coexist with the expansion of renewable energy is merely repeated without realistic verification, and this choice actually delays the energy transition centered on renewable energy,” the group said.

South Korea has 26 commercially operated nuclear power plants, with two more, Saeul-3 and Saeul-4, under construction, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In 2024, these 26 plants supplied a total of 31.7 percent of the country's required electricity generation.