A U.S. senator has introduced a resolution calling for approval of the civil nuclear energy cooperation agreement with South Korea, a move that reflects the positive view Congress has about the deal.
Sen. Benjamin Cardin brought the resolution (S.J.Res.20) to the Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday. It is titled, “A joint resolution relating to the approval of the proposed Agreement for Cooperation Between the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Korea Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.”
“The United States and the Republic of Korea have a long and positive history of safe, secure, peaceful civil nuclear cooperation. This Agreement will allow us to continue to deepen that cooperation, which is particularly important as we work together on the region’s energy future, climate change, and on a closer US-Korean Alliance,” Cardin said.
“This agreement reflects the vital partnership and the enduring bonds between our two nations, and Congress should approve it,” he said.
South Korea and the U.S. signed the deal last month after more than four years of negotiations that had centered on reconciling Seoul’s demand for the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel and enrich uranium with Washington’s concerns about proliferation.
The new deal still bans Seoul from reprocessing and enrichment, but it opens the way for the Asian ally to begin research into a new technology for spent nuclear fuel recycling, known as “pyroprocessing,” and to make low-level enriched uranium with U.S. consent.
President Barack Obama sent the deal to Congress last month for approval.
Since then, the agreement has been under review for 90 congressional days. Should there be no opposition raised during the process, the pact will go into effect. Widespread views are that no objections will be raised, and this week’s Senate resolution reinforced such views.
No legislative approval is necessary in South Korea. (Yonhap)
