Contenders to Review Nuclear Power Generation

Anchor: Following the 2011 earthquake and nuclear meltdown in Japan, there are growing concerns about the safety of nuclear power facilities. Major presidential contenders in South Korea are all pitching policies on this topic. 
Our Park Jong-hong wraps up South Korean presidential candidates' atomic power generation policies.
 
Report: The leading presidential hopefuls had similar outlooks when it comes to nuclear power generation issues, however their proposed plans varied greatly. 
 
The most drastic was Sim Sang-jeung of the progressive minor Justice Party who pledged to completely shut down nuclear power plants by 2040.
 
The frontrunners Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party and Ahn Chul-soo of the People’s Party also pledge to do away with not only new atomic power generators but also with ones that are currently under construction.
 
Yoo Seung-min of the minor conservative Bareun Party promised to complete only the ones that are being built if he is elected president.
 
The former ruling Liberty Korea Party’s Hong Joon-pyo said that while he is for the reduction of atomic power plants, the complete shutdown is a matter requiring public consensus.
 
But all the candidates say they would promote new and renewable energy such as solar and wind power to fill expected shortages. At present, clean energy accounts for about two percent of the nation’s total.
 
Moon and Ahn pledge to beef up new and renewable energy to take up 20 percent of the nation's power production by 2030. 
 
Sim wants to increase the ratio to as high as 40 percent while Hong and Yoo also pledge to expand clean energy production.
 
But the Korean Association for Policy Studies says the election pledges are easier said than done. Because atomic power takes up 30 percent of the nation’s total power resources, the country has constantly faced potential power shortages in the summer.
Park Jong-hong KBS World Radio News.