Kazatomprom and Two Korean Firms plan Joint Development Program

    By Daniyar Sikhimbayev
    A workshop on the nuclear fuel cycle was held in Almaty on Saturday, April 24.
    The results of the visit of leaders of Kazatomprom National Atomic Company to Korea were discussed at the workshop.
    According to Chairman of the Board at Kazatomprom Vladimir Shkolnik, a memo on joint activities between Kazatomprom and two of the biggest Korean companies was signed during President Nazarbayev’s official visit to South Korea this weekend.
    The first was with KORES (Korean Resources Corporation), which mines raw mineral resources, including uranium all over the world. The company is the Korea Electric Power Corporation, which operates 25 nuclear stations, is constructing eight nuclear stations, and plans to build 11 more nuclear stations in its country, and has won a tender for the construction of four stations in the United Arab Emirates.
    "A large amount of resources is necessary for such a big program in Korea. In this regard, Korean companies are diversifying resources for uranium supply and are buying it in Africa, Australia, and Canada. Kazakhstan is one of the leading uranium suppliers in the world. We agreed to prepare a cooperation program between our companies in the near future. We will work on exploring new deposits and production in Kazakhstan, as well as the organization of production for the nuclear fuel for Korean nuclear companies", Shkolnik said.
    "This will promote the creation of new jobs, the development of new technology. This is an important document signed with the participation of the president of the two states. In accordance with this document, we must submit the draft joint program for the consideration of the heads of the two states in autumn", the Kazatomprom president said, according to Kazinform.