Cheong Wa Dae says it respects outcome of debate on nuclear reactors

The government will respect the outcome of a public debate on the fate of two new nuclear reactors that recommended the resumption of their construction, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Friday, withdrawing the president's election pledge to scrap the two nuclear power plants.

"(Cheong Wa Dae) respects the will of the public debate commission that made its recommendation after three months of deliberation," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun told a press briefing.

"The government will do its utmost to implement follow-up measures without any disruption, based on the recommendation."

Cheong Wa Dae's response came immediately after the public debate commission made its recommendation in a nationally televised press conference, noting 59.5 percent of 471 citizens and experts who took part in the debate were in favor of completing the Shin Kori-5 and Shin Kori-6 reactors while 40.5 percent were in favor of scrapping them.

The construction of the two new reactors was halted in July, two months after President Moon Jae-in took office with an election pledge to scrap the new reactors as part of his new, nuclear-free energy policy.

The fate of the nuclear reactors was put to a debate after many insisted scrapping the facilities already under construction may not be in the best interest of the country or the taxpayers, as it was expected to cost billions of dollars in damages.

The president earlier said he would accept the decision by the debate commission even if it meant withdrawing his election pledge.

The Cheong Wa Dae spokesman expressed gratitude toward those who took part in the public debate for reaching a public consensus through a "fair and just" process.

Source : Yonhap