A cabinet minister said Wednesday that the South Korean government is considering building a presidential retreat on Wido, a west-coast island designated as the site for the nation's first permanent nuclear waste dump, in an effort to help dispel local residents' nuclear jitters.

Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy Yoon Jin-sik said that the government will display its strong will to build the long-delayed nuclear waste dump on Wido by erecting a number of public buildings, including a presidential villa, on the island.

In a meeting with reporters, Minister Yoon said the construction of a presidential retreat and other public buildings will help dissipate the nuclear fears of the residents in Wido and neighboring Buan County of North Jeolla Province, about 280 km south of Seoul.

He said state-run Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co. is scheduled to build the presidential retreat on Wido by 2008 before donating it to the government.