5th INPRO Dialogue Forum Opens in Seoul
Aug 27, 2012
and Exhibition Center in Seoul. Photo credit: pbase.com/image/22515248
The 5th INPRO Dialogue Forum opened in Seoul today. Focussing on "Long-term Prospects for Nuclear Energy in the Post-Fukushima Era", the five-day meeting brings together some 85 experts from 30 Member States, three international organizations and the IAEA. The Dialogue Forum was organized jointly by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and the IAEA/INPRO.
“I wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Korea for hosting this meeting in Seoul. This is the first Dialogue Forum to be hosted by a Member State, and we hope that other countries will follow this excellent example”, said Alexander Bychkov, IAEA Deputy Director General for Nuclear Energy and INPRO Project Manager in opening the meeting.
High-level officials including Mr Yul-Rae Cho, Vice Minister of the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and Mr Youn Ho Jung, President of KAERI, welcomed the meeting participants.
“Nuclear energy has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting the world’s growing energy needs and to sustainable development. But to be such viable contributor, nuclear power must be safe”, stressed Mr Bychkov and highlighted the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety, approved by all 151 IAEA Member States last year.
“The presentations and discussion [at this Forum] will be a further contribution as we work towards ensuring the long range sustainability of nuclear energy on the national, regional and global level, in the light of lessons learned from the Fukushima accident. The outcome of this Dialogue Forum will provide an important input to INPRO’s programme and assist us in further identifying areas of focus and opportunities”, said Mr Bychkov.
Invited experts from Member States will deliver lectures on different issues related to nuclear power deployment in the 21st century. Participants from countries with and without nuclear power programmes will present national perspectives for future nuclear energy development given the changed policy environment after the Fukushima accident. Nuclear safety, the role of innovations and effective stakeholder involvement and public communication will be also addressed in presentations and brainstorming sessions.
On the last day of the INPRO Dialogue Forum, which is held from 27 to 31 August 2012, participants will have the opportunity to visit several nuclear installations in the Republic of Korea, including the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Korea Electric Power Corporation Nuclear Fuel (KEPCO NF) and Korea Institute for Nuclear Safety (KINS).
This INPRO Dialogue Forum is an activity in the IAEA Technical Cooperation Project INT/2/017: "Capacity building in long range strategic nuclear energy planning for global sustainability". More information on the meeting and all presentations will be available at the INPRO website.