| This week, Park Robyug identifies new strategic opportunities for nuclear energy collaboration between South Korea and the United States, extending beyond bilateral benefits to achieve global carbon-neutral growth, energy security, and strengthened non-proliferation efforts. APLN partnered with the Open Nuclear Network and the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre to organise a workshop in Seoul on open-source assessments of nuclear developments in the DPRK.
As always, we highlight recent activities from our network, including analyses on inter-Korean relations, the implications of the US resumption of nuclear testing, the future of the US-ROK alliance, Putin’s visit to India and more. |
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Expanding US-ROK Nuclear Cooperation: A Strategic Partnership for the Carbon-Neutral Era
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Park Robyug, Chief Negotiator for the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with the US (2011–2015) and former South Korean Ambassador for Energy and Resources, argues that the 2015 US–ROK Agreement for Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation has facilitated substantial advances in Korea’s nuclear industry. In light of President Trump’s 2025 executive order to significantly expand US nuclear capacity, he identifies new strategic opportunities for collaboration in reactor construction, nuclear fuel supply, and spent fuel processing. He concludes that deepening this partnership is vital not only for the two countries’ strategic interests, but also for global carbon-neutral growth, energy security, and strengthened non-proliferation efforts.
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On 17-18 November, we co-organised a workshop in Seoul with Open Nuclear Network (ONN) and Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC). Experts exchanged views on open-source assessment of North Korea’s nuclear programme, exploring how these developments shape regional stability. APLN Vice Chair Moon Chung-in, APLN members Park Robyug, Hwang Yong-soo, Senior Policy Fellow Joel Petersson-Ivre and Policy Fellow Dongkeun Lee participated in the workshop.
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APLN has over 170 members from 23 countries in the Asia-Pacific.
Each week we feature their latest contributions
to global and regional security debates.
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Chung-in Moon, APLN Vice Chair, wrote for Hankyoreh and pointed out that the Korean government needs to play a leading role in ending hostility in inter-Korean relations and in building a win-win, symbiotic regional order that transcends geopolitical alignment.
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| Manpreet Sethi, APLN Senior Research Adviser, explored the global consequences of the US potentially upending the nuclear testing taboo and argued that, for the sake of international security, it would be best if the US did not open Pandora’s box of nuclear testing. |
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| Pramod Jaiwal, Research Director at Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement, highlighted that the US decision to resume nuclear testing carries significant geopolitical implications for Asia and marks a critical juncture for the global non-proliferation regime. |
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| Eunjung Lim, Professor at the Division of International Studies at Kongju National University, wrote for The National Interest and argued that, ultimately, the future of the alliance will depend not on preserving established patterns for their own sake, but on how effectively both countries can align their strategic priorities with the evolving global nuclear order. |
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| C. Raja Mohan, Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore’s Institute of South Asian Studies, wrote for The Indian Express and noted that the difficult negotiations over Ukraine open the door to a potential restructuring of relations among the US, Europe, and Russia. However, Delhi must first correct the distortion in its Russia policy. |
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