XN000022-1974-11-28 — Page 8

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1974

HELPFUL DISCUSSIONS ON NUCLEAR PLANTS

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THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, MR. JAMES ROBSON, SAID TODAY THAT HIS RECENT TRIP TO SOUTH KOREA WHERE HE HAD DISCUSSIONS ON THE SETTING UP OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS HAD BEEN +MOST HELPFUL+.

THE FOUR-DAY VISIT WAS AT THE INVITATION OF THE KOREA ELECTRIC COMPANY. DURING THE FIRST TWO DAYS,

DURING THE FIRST TWO DAYS, MR. ROESON WAS SHOWN AROUND THE KOREA ELECTRIC COMPANY SITE AT KOR! WHERE THE SOUTH KOREANS ARE CONSTRUCTING THE COUNTRY'S FIRST NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

A CONTRACT FOR A SECOND PLANT, WHICH WILL ALSO BE BUILT

AT KORI, IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING COMPLETED.

MR. ROBSON SAID HE HAD RECEIVED VALUABLE INFORMATION FROM THE KOREAN TECHNICAL EXPERTS ON THE SITE WHERE THE FIRST REACTOR HAS ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED AND WHERE THE GENERATORS AND TURBINES ARE NOW BEING INSTALLED.

HE ADDED THAT HE WAS GREATLY IMPRESSED WITH THE COMPETENCE AND ABILITY OF THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF THE KORI SITE, AS WELL AS THE STANDARD OF WORKMANSHIP. THE SITE WORK IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF SOUTH KOREAN ENGINEERS.

AFTER THE INSPECTION, MR. ROBSON RETURNED TO SEOUL FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH SENIOR KOREAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON THE LEGISLATION WHICH HAD TO BE INTRODUCED BEFORE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS COULD BE ESTABLISHED.

AMONG THE OFFICIALS HE SAW WAS THE MINISTER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MR. CHOI HYUNG-SUB, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ATMOIC ENERGY BUREAU, DR. LEE BYING WHEE, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE KOREA ATMOIC ENERGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, DR. YOON YONG-KOO.

MR. ROBSON SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF THESE DISCUSSIONS HE HAD LEARNT THAT THREE BASIC TYPES OF LEGISLATION HAD BEEN OR WERE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING APPROVED FOR THE OPERATION OF ATMOIC POWER FOR GENERATING ELECTRICITY.

THESE WERE THE KOREAN ATMOIC ENERGY LAW, SETTING OUT THE LICENSING REGULATIONS AND REGULATORY PATTERNS WHICH WERE BASED ON THOSE IN THE UNITED STATES AND JAFAN THE NUCLEAR DAMAGE COMPENSATION LAW, WHICH ENSURES ADEQUATE FINANCIAL PROTECTION FOR THIRD PARTIES IN THE EVENT OF NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS- AND THE NUCLEAR INDEMNITY LAW WHICH IS ABOUT TO EE ENACTED.

MR. ROBSON SAID HE HAD MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF THE APPROPRIATE KOREAN LEGISLATION TO BE SENT TO HIM SOON.

/ON THE QUESTION

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