Post U.S. Election Prospects for Nuclear Power and Opportunities for Korea-Japan-U.S. Trilateral Cooperation

The Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United States are among the world’s most prominent civil nuclear powers, and yet each presently face a set of unique and common issues regarding the future of their respective nuclear energy programs. Progress on public acceptance, enhanced passive safety, and spent fuel management are a few of the many mutual interests that these countries share, presenting opportunities for trilateral civil nuclear cooperation. For instance, R&D collaboration on advanced nuclear systems with enhanced passive safety and waste characteristics could potentially bolster technological leadership, create additional fuel cycle options, and improve international transparency for all three countries.