• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.741-748
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• 2022

Policy literacy plays a critical role in enhancing deliberative communication among the public, policymakers, and experts. It also helps develop a positive view of policy by the public, which facilitates public acceptance. Despite its importance, however, policy literacy has received little attention in energy policy practice. Therefore, this study explores factors affecting the public's understanding and knowledge (i.e., policy literacy) of nuclear and new-renewable energy policies. Accordingly, we analyzed data from an online survey of 790 laypeople in Korea. Specifically, we examined the effects of trust, transparency, and policy public relations (PR) on the policy literacy of the public regarding the two alternative energy sources. The analysis revealed that people showed higher policy literacy about the alternative sources when provided with more transparent information and exposed to more policy PR activities. However, we found that trust in energy plant operators played a negligible role in improving policy literacy for both energy sources. Based on these findings, we developed some policy suggestions to secure the energy policy literacy of the public.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.147-153
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• 2020

Background: Malawi's 2018 National Energy Policy includes nuclear power as an energy option with an operational 100 MW targeted for 2035. Materials and Methods: This paper challenges the scope of the policy on nuclear power by reviewing its implementation strategy and comparing it to: the strategy established for coal in the same policy; some experiences from other countries; and documents by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) relating to establishing a national position on nuclear power and infrastructural requirements for a nuclear power program. Results and Discussion: It is found that the pro-nuclear position is uninformed, and targets are unrealistic owing to a lack of understanding of nature of nuclear power including the requirements for safety, security and safeguards, and nuclear infrastructure. It is apparent that neither consultation nor a proper analysis were comprehensively conducted for nuclear. Though the national energy policy suggests a national position for nuclear energy, the content does not demonstrate that the position was arrived at knowledgeably. Conclusion: Thus, nuclear power may presently be viewed as a potential energy option that is yet to be seriously considered. It is important to build an appropriate level of literacy on nuclear science and technology for policy makers, key stakeholders, and the public to be better positioned for strategizing on nuclear power.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.2062-2066
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• 2022

Nuclear energy sources are indispensable in cost effectively achieving carbon neutral economy, where public opinion is critical to adoption as the consequences of nuclear accident can be catastrophic. In this context, discussion on spent nuclear fuel is a prerequisite to expanding nuclear energy, as it leads to the issue of radioactive waste disposal. Given the dearth of study on spent nuclear fuel public acceptance, we use text mining and big data analysis on the news article and public comments data on Naver news portal to identify the Korean public opinion on spent nuclear fuel. We identify that the Korean public is more interested in the nuclear energy policy than spent nuclear fuel itself and that the alternative energy sources affect the position towards spent nuclear fuel. We recommend relating spent nuclear fuel issue with nuclear energy policy and environmental issues of alternative energy sources to further promote spent nuclear fuel.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.222-235
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• 2019

Since Fukushima nuclear disaster occurred in 2011, the nuclear energy policy of the international society has been in recession. However, In Korea, the nuclear-friendly policy had remained and even expanded over the last 60 years until the Park Geun-hye government. In other words, there was the path dependence of nuclear energy policy. Since the Moon Jae-in government that pledged to perform nuclear phase-out policy in 2017 was inaugurated, the nuclear-friendly policy began to swerve from the course of path dependence. Based on the mai logic of historical institutionalism, this study looked into the change of Korean nuclear policy by before and after the Fukushima nuclear accident. As the result of this research, the external situation of Fukushima Nuclear Accident became a critical turning point and led to a change in the government's policy on nuclear power. From an institutional perspective, it influenced the paradigm of nuclear power policy, policy decision structure, and laws of nuclear power. From a doer's perspective, it influenced political idea and social acceptability. Since Moon Jae-in government was inaugurated in 2017, nuclear phase-out policy has secured its institutional foundation and nuclear power policy has basically changed from nuclear-friendly policy to nuclear phase-out policy. Therefore, the energy policy of Moon Jae-in government gets out of the nuclear power based path dependency that previous governments pursued, keeps punctuated equilibrium, and changes to renewable energy oriented policy.

• Asian Journal for Public Opinion Research
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.172-195
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• 2015

Multiple nationwide opinion surveys, carried out by the government (cabinet office), major media (national newspapers and NHK), the National Institute for Environmental Studies, and the Atomic Energy Society of Japan, have revealed that the Fukushima nuclear accident has heightened people's perception of disaster risks, fear of nuclear accidents, and increased recognition of pollution issues, and has changed public opinion on nuclear energy policy. The opinion gap on nuclear energy policy between specialists and lay people has widened since the disaster. The results of the Japanese General Social Survey data show that objections to the promotion of nuclear energy are strong among females, and weaker among young males and the supporters of the LDP. These findings are similar to the data collected after the Chernobyl accident. People who live in a 70km radius of nuclear plants tend to evaluate nuclear disaster risks higher. Distance from nuclear plants and the perception of earthquake risk interactively correlate with opinions on nuclear issues. Among people whose evaluation of earthquake risk is low, those who live nearer to the plants are more likely to object to the abolishment of nuclear plants. It was also found that the nuclear disaster has changed people's behavior; they now try to save electricity. The level of commitment to energy saving is found to relate to opinions on nuclear issues.

• Korean System Dynamics Review
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.109-129
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• 2009

This paper explores the ways by which the authority concerned with nuclear energy policy-making in Korea can strengthen its organisational sustainability from long-term perspective. In doing so, it applies the system dynamics approach to predict what would happen to the organisational sustainability of the nuclear energy authority in the future. In the process of analysis, it also draws causal loop map of components contained in the simulation model and constructs user-interface simulation model. It shows different predicted future values regarding organisational sustainability of the nuclear energy authority in Korea and puts forward some policy implications for practitioners and academics involved in nuclear energy policy.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.2660-2666
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• 2020

Korea successfully achieved energy independence in the shortest period of time from being the poorest country in terms of energy 50 years ago through steady development of nuclear technology. In the past, the nuclear industry has been driven through government-centered policy development, public institution-based research, and industrial facility and infrastructure construction. Consequently, South Korea became a nuclear energy powerhouse exporting nuclear power plants to the UAE, surpassing the level of domestic technological independence. However, in recent years, the nuclear industry in Korea has experienced a decline in new plant construction since the Fukushima accident in Japan, which caused changes in public perspectives regarding nuclear power plant operation, more stringent safety standards on the operation of nuclear power plants, and a shift in governmental energy policy. These changes are expected to change the domestic nuclear industry ecosystem. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the priority of technology development investment from the perspective of experts in private nuclear power companies, shifting the focus from government-led nuclear R&D policies. To establish a direction in nuclear technology development, a survey was conducted by applying an analytic hierarchy analysis to experts who have worked in nuclear power plants for more than 15 years. The analysis items of focus were the 3 attributes of strategic importance, urgency, and business feasibility of four major fields related to nuclear energy: nuclear safety, decommissioning, radioactive waste management, and strengthening industrial competitiveness.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.773-779
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• 2018

This study surveyed 137 policymakers and key stakeholders (e.g., employees of government agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, industry, and advocacy groups) involved in making decisions on nuclear energy policy, investigating how they differentially perceived the importance of scientific evidence in driving nuclear policy. We also identified the policy areas that each group of decision-makers are mostly concerned about and showed how such concerns might contextualize and ultimately shape their perceptions of science-driven policy.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2022

Climate change is among the most important issues facing mankind in modern society. However, global PV energy expansion has been driven mainly by OECD countries. We investigate the determinants of PV energy growth by panel data of selected OECD countries from 1991 to 2018. We investigate four categories of driving factors: socioeconomic, technological, country specific, and policy factors. The test results support that PV capacity growth is significantly driven by technology development and multidimensional environment policy factors. Socioeconomic factors such as CO₂, GDP, and electricity price are statistically significant on the growth of PV energy, too. Whereas, country-specific solar potential factor is the least related. As most of the socioeconomic factors are exogenous, we need to focus more on PV technology development and policy measures.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.1696-1707
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• 2019

This paper conducts a qualitative policy analysis of current challenges to safety culture and security culture in Southeast Asia and emerging best practices in Northeast Asia that are aimed at strengthening both cultures. It analyses lessons, including strengths and limitations, that can be derived from Northeast Asian states, given the long history of nuclear energy in South Korea, China and Japan. It identifies and examines best practices from Northeast Asia's Nuclear Security Centres of Excellence in terms of boosting nuclear security culture and their relevance for Southeast Asia. The paper accentuates the important role of the State in adopting policy and regulatory frameworks and in institutionalising nuclear education and training programmes to deepen the safety-security cultures. Best practices in and challenges to developing a nuclear safety culture and a security culture in East Asia are examined using three frameworks of analysis (i) a comprehensive nuclear policy framework; (ii) a proactive and independent regulatory body; and (iii) holistic nuclear education and training programmes. The paper argues that Southeast Asian states interested in harnessing nuclear energy and/or utilising radioactive sources for non-power applications must develop a comprehensive policy framework on developing safety and security cultures, a proactive regulatory body, and holistic nuclear training programmes that cover both technical and human factors. Such measures are crucial in order to mitigate human errors that may lead to radiological accidents and nuclear security crises. Key lessons from Japan, South Korea and China such as best practices and challenges can inform policy recommendations for Southeast Asia in enhancing safety-security cultures.