Asia-Pacific

S Korea, US to hold talks on nuclear energy

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-15 17:30

SEOUL - South Korea and the United States are planning to hold a second round of talks next month in Seoul over civilian uses of nuclear energy, local media reported Tuesday citing an unspecified diplomatic source.

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The talks, aimed at replacing their nuclear cooperation pact set to expire in 2014, will likely be led by Cho Hyun, the deputy foreign minister for multilateral and global affairs, and Robert Einhorn, a special advisor for nonproliferation and arms control at the US State Department, according to Yonhap News Agency. The first round of talks was held in Washington last October.

The bilateral agreement, struck in 1974, stops Seoul from reprocessing spent fuel or enriching uranium on nonproliferation grounds, but Seoul now wants authorization to do so under a new pact.

South Korea relies on atomic power for 40 percent of its electricity.