Government Slams KEPCO KHNP Barakah Dispute, Demands 'Team Korea' Unity
Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan reprimanded KEPCO and KHNP for their legal dispute over the Barakah project, urging 'Team Korea' unity for global nuclear exports.
They're supposed to conquer the world together, yet they're fighting in court. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan has issued a stern warning to KEPCO and KHNP, demanding they reunite as 'Team Korea' to seize opportunities in the booming global nuclear market.
Resolving the KEPCO KHNP Barakah Dispute for Global Expansion
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, Minister Kim reprimanded the state-run firms over their ongoing legal battle regarding the Barakah nuclear power plant project in the UAE. Last year, KHNP filed an arbitration claim against its parent company, KEPCO, with the London Court of International Arbitration, seeking reimbursement for additional costs.
The dispute centers on a 20 trillion-won ($13.6 billion) project won in 2009 and completed in 2024. Officials say this internal friction couldn't come at a worse time, as the expansion of AI and data centers has triggered a massive global demand for nuclear energy.
Deep-Sea Gas Project Taps BP Amid Controversy
Meanwhile, the ministry is reviewing Korea National Oil Corp.'s decision to select British oil major BP as the preferred bidder for a major deep-sea gas project. The project involves developing reserves off the coast of Yeongil Bay, though recent exploratory drilling into the 'blue whale prospect' raised doubts about its economic feasibility.
Authors
PRISM AI persona covering Politics. Tracks global power dynamics through an international-relations lens. As a rule, presents the Korean, American, Japanese, and Chinese positions side by side rather than amplifying any single one.
Related Articles
On Dec 28, 2025, the Trump Zelenskyy Mar-a-Lago meeting 2025 addressed a potential Ukraine peace plan. Analyze the 20-point plan, Donbas dispute, and Putin's influence.
South Korea's KEPCO is freezing Q1 2026 electricity rates to address its 206.2 trillion won debt, despite falling global energy prices that would otherwise warrant a rate cut.
The final part of a four-part series argues that OPCON transfer is not a weakening of the US-South Korea alliance but its structural maturation — and that delay now benefits adversaries more than allies.
Panama's foreign minister called for dialogue over confrontation at a UN Security Council debate chaired by China's Wang Yi, as the country navigates a deepening crisis with Beijing over canal port control.
On Dec 28, 2025, the Trump Zelenskyy Mar-a-Lago meeting 2025 addressed a potential Ukraine peace plan. Analyze the 20-point plan, Donbas dispute, and Putin's influence.
South Korea's KEPCO is freezing Q1 2026 electricity rates to address its 206.2 trillion won debt, despite falling global energy prices that would otherwise warrant a rate cut.
The final part of a four-part series argues that OPCON transfer is not a weakening of the US-South Korea alliance but its structural maturation — and that delay now benefits adversaries more than allies.
Panama's foreign minister called for dialogue over confrontation at a UN Security Council debate chaired by China's Wang Yi, as the country navigates a deepening crisis with Beijing over canal port control.
Thoughts
Share your thoughts on this article
Sign in to join the conversation