Rep. Heo Seong-moo of the Democratic Party of Korea invited Kim Sung-hwan, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment, to Changwon to host a "Nuclear Power Supplier Meeting," his office said. Changwon Seongsan is Heo's electoral district, where a Robot Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Center is scheduled to be established.
"I have engaged in direct communication with the central government to address key issues in my constituency of Changwon Seongsan and to secure future growth engines," Heo said. "The meeting was arranged to resolve uncertainties facing Changwon-based companies and to seek pathways for the regional industry through close cooperation with the central government."
At the meeting, Noh Baek-sik, Vice Chairman of the Korea Atomic Industrial Forum, said, "Advancing the nuclear ecosystem to strengthen global competitiveness in materials, parts and equipment is an essential task for the regional economy's rebound." He added, "The association will mobilize all its capabilities to help small and mid-sized enterprises secure technological capabilities, including at the Robot SMR Center to be built in Changwon."
Meanwhile, corporate representatives attending the meeting voiced practical difficulties on the ground.
"Despite possessing top-tier competitiveness, the limitations in domestic volume have caused serious workforce career disruptions and declining competitiveness," one industry official said. "Building additional power plants and the early construction of new nuclear reactors are urgently needed to meet surging power demand from the expansion of AI data centers."
The official continued, "There are limits to small and mid-sized enterprises investing in the SMR sector on their own. Business sites in South Gyeongsang Province should be designated as an SMR industrial special zone to build shared infrastructure, and SMR should be included in national strategic technologies to be nurtured as a future growth engine."
In response, Minister Kim said, "I take very seriously the suggestions from the supplier companies that form the backbone of Changwon's nuclear ecosystem." He added, "As the launch of the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment aims to efficiently integrate energy policy and carbon neutrality, we will actively consult with related ministries on measures that can serve as a catalyst for corporate investment, including SMR special zones, national strategic technology designation, and expanded tax credits."
After the meeting, Heo and Kim visited the headquarters of Doosan Enerbility for talks with management, and inspected key production sites including nuclear power, forging and casting, and wind power plants.
"Today's event aims to vividly convey the economic difficulties felt by Changwon citizens to the government and draw out solutions," Heo said. "Through active administration, we will establish a public-private-political cooperation model so that government support measures can be immediately reflected in Changwon's economic field."
