How the US and South Korea Can Secure Nuclear Supply Chains

Share this link on Facebook

Share this page on X (Twitter)

Share this link on LinkedIn

Share this page on Reddit

Email a link to this page

As two of the world’s leading nuclear energy producers, the US and South Korea should capitalize on strategic diplomatic and industry partnerships to ensure secure and stable nuclear fuel supplies. 

For South Korea—a crucial US strategic ally in the Indo-Pacific—disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the Iran War resulted in urgent energy and economic shocks. A heavily energy-import-dependent nation, South Korea relies on international trade agreements for more than 90 percent of its energy needs. 

These geopolitical pressures have led South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, at the onset of the conflict, to assert that South Korea will need to look inward for solutions to its energy crisis: “[…] in an era of infinite competition […] the only one that can help save us is ourselves.” Under Lee’s administration, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) has renewed efforts to expand the nation’s limited renewable energy sources, aiming for 100 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar by 2030. 

However, South Korea’s largest low-carbon energy source domestically is nuclear energy by far, producing 607 terawatt-hours in 2024 and accounting for one-third of the nation’s overall electricity production. South Korea’s commercial nuclear reactor fleet includes 26 large-scale reactors in operation, with three under construction and plans for additional traditional and small modular reactors (SMRs) by 2038. While the nuclear energy powering South Korea may be domestically produced, the nuclear fuel used to run these critical infrastructures is 100 percent imported. 

Similar to coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG), South Korea relies heavily on international partnerships and contracts for low-enriched uranium (LEU) imports. As geopolitical conflicts intensify, South Korea’s sense of nuclear fuel insecurity is likely to rise. Looking forward, it will be important for Washington and Seoul to work in tandem to secure both traditional nuclear fuel and advanced,........

© The National Interest