Nuclear Energy Exports (원전): From UAE to the World

On December 27, 2009, South Korea won a $20 billion contract to build four nuclear reactors in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) — beating out France, Japan, and the United States in a competition that the entire global nuclear industry was watching. It was the first time Korea had exported a complete nuclear power plant system, and it announced to the world that a new player had arrived in one of the most technically demanding and geopolitically sensitive industries on earth.

원전 산업의 발전 (Development of the Nuclear Industry)

Korea's first nuclear power plant — 고리 1호기 (Gori Unit 1) — began commercial operation in 1978, built with American technology under a technology transfer arrangement. Korea was, at that point, a recipient of nuclear technology, not a supplier.

What followed was a deliberate strategy of technology absorption and localization. Korean engineers working alongside American contractors learned the technology systematically. Components that were initially imported were progressively replaced by domestically manufactured equivalents. By the 1990s, Korea was designing its own reactor variants. By the 2000s, it had developed the APR-1400 (Advanced Power Reactor 1400) — a completely Korean-designed Generation III+ pressurized water reactor.

국산화율 (Localization rate) progression:

• 1970s: approximately 5% domestic content

• 1980s: approximately 40% domestic content

• 1990s: approximately 70% domestic content

• 2000s: approximately 95% domestic content

원전 운영 현황 (Nuclear Operations)

Korea operates 26 nuclear reactors across four sites, generating approximately 30% of the country's electricity — making Korea one of the most nuclear-dependent economies in the OECD.

Korea's 용량 이용률 (capacity factor) — the percentage of maximum possible output actually generated — consistently exceeds 85%, among the highest in the world.

에너지 정책의 변화 (Energy policy shift): The 문재인 (Moon Jae-in) government (2017–2022) pursued a nuclear phase-out policy — committing to not renewing operating licenses and canceling planned new reactors. The 윤석열 (Yoon Suk-yeol) government (2022–2025) reversed this, committing to license renewals and new construction. The 이재명 (Lee Jae-myung) government has maintained nuclear as a significant part of the energy mix. The policy oscillation reflects deep political disagreement about nuclear energy's role in Korea's decarbonization path.

UAE 바라카 원전 (UAE Barakah Nuclear Power Plant)

The 바라카 (Barakah) nuclear power plant project is the centerpiece of Korea's nuclear export achievement:

The Barakah project was delivered largely on schedule — a significant achievement for a first-of-kind export project. Korean construction companies 현대건설 (Hyundai Engineering & Construction) and 삼성물산 (Samsung C&T) provided engineering and construction services alongside the reactor technology supplied by 한국수력원자력 (Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, KHNP).

Tip — 왜 한국이 이겼나 (Why Korea won Barakah): The UAE competition involved France (AREVA with EPR), Japan (Mitsubishi with APWR), and the United States (GE-Hitachi with ABWR) — all countries with longer nuclear histories than Korea. Korea won on a combination of factors: competitive pricing (approximately 30% below the French bid), a strong domestic construction track record, high capacity factors at existing Korean plants, and a comprehensive package that included long-term fuel supply, operations support, and workforce training.

추가 수출 프로젝트 (Additional Export Projects)

Barakah opened the door. Korea is now in various stages of negotiation or development with multiple countries:

체코 (Czech Republic): KHNP was selected as the preferred bidder for the 두코바니 (Dukovany) nuclear power plant expansion in 2024 — a contract potentially worth $18 billion. This would be Korea's first nuclear export to a European NATO member.

폴란드 (Poland): Korea is competing for Poland's planned new nuclear capacity — a country simultaneously buying Korean tanks, howitzers, and aircraft.

사우디아라비아 (Saudi Arabia): Negotiations are ongoing for potential reactor construction under Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy program.

필리핀 (Philippines): Korea has signed MOUs for potential nuclear cooperation.

SMR — 차세대 원전 수출 (Next-Generation Nuclear Exports)

SMR (소형 모듈 원자로, Small Modular Reactors) — compact nuclear reactors with output of typically 50–300MW — are emerging as the next major segment of the global nuclear market. Their smaller size, factory manufacturing, and modular deployment offer advantages for markets that cannot support full-scale 1,000MW+ plants.

Korea is developing the 혁신형 소형모듈원자로 (i-SMR) — with a target of completing design certification by 2028 and beginning exports in the early 2030s. The government has designated SMR development a national strategic technology priority.

The SMR market is a direct competition between Korea, the United States (NuScale, TerraPower), Canada (Terrestrial Energy), the United Kingdom, and China — with Russia already operating a floating SMR. Korea's APR-1400 export track record gives it credibility that most SMR competitors currently lack.

Key Facts