1. The second plenary meeting of the Republic of Korea-United States High Level Bilateral Commission took place in Washington, D.C., on August 16, 2018. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun of the ROK and Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette of the U.S. Department of Energy, and attended by approximately 50 senior officials from nuclear energy-related ministries and relevant organizations from both sides.

° The ROK delegation consisted of senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, as well as experts of relevant organizations. From the U.S. side, its delegation included senior officials from the Department of Energy, the Department of State, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the National Security Council.

2. In the meeting, the ROK and the U.S. extensively discussed matters of mutual interest in the area of nuclear energy and reaffirmed the two countries’ robust commitment to pursuing the comprehensive, strategic partnership pursuant to the new bilateral “Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy.”

° In particular, with respect to nuclear power plant exports, the two countries shared the view not only that bilateral cooperation on NPP exports could raise the possibility of their entry into nuclear power plant markets of third countries but also that their cooperation contributes, in particular, to global non-proliferation and energy security of the two countries. To that end, the two countries decided to hold follow-up consultations on ways to cooperate in  exporting nuclear power plants to third countries under the Promotion of Nuclear Export and Export Control Cooperation Working Group.

° Two countries also decided to strengthen their cooperation in nuclear safety and decommissioning as well as explore the possibility of further promotion of human exchange in nuclear experts under the framework of nuclear policies of the two countries.

3. The Commission Co-Chairs were briefed on the progress made on the cooperative activities of four Working Groups and had in-depth discussions on major issues of mutual interest.

° [The Spent Fuel Management Working Group] The Group reviewed the progress in the implementation of the three joint studies and three information-exchange projects discussed in the past meetings and agreed to continue seeking ways for a safe transportation, storage, and disposal of spent fuel. The group decided to continue conducting the studies and projects.

° [The Assured Fuel Supply Working Group] The Group reported the progress made on the Joint Study on Nuclear Fuel Supply Reliability, discussed the path forward to completing the Joint Study, and presented options for follow-up activities.

° [The Promotion of Nuclear Export and Export Control Cooperation Working Group] The Group reviewed the progress in the work on a Compendium on U.S. and ROK Nuclear Export Controls and the Joint Study on Global Nuclear Markets; and decided to have follow-up consultations on a new joint cooperation project for exporting nuclear power plants to third countries.

° [The Nuclear Security Working Group] The Group reported that building upon their accumulated experiences of cooperation, including through hosting of Nuclear Security Summits, the ROK and the U.S. have carried out various cooperation projects. The Group decided to continue to play a leading role in international nuclear security through a wide range of cooperation projects, including those designed to minimize civil use of highly enriched uranium (HEU) in nuclear research reactors; to hold the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) Workshop 2019 in the ROK; and to conduct Scenario-based Policy Discussions on nuclear security.

4. The Commission Co-Chairs received reports on the recent activities of the Joint Standing Committee on Nuclear Energy Cooperation (JSCNEC), and the Joint Fuel Cycle Study (JFCS); and were briefed on information on cooperation between the nuclear safety regulatory agencies of the two countries.

° The Commission Co-Chairs, taking note of the launch of discussions on technical agenda items regarding nuclear safety and decommissioning at the 36^th session of the JSCNEC, encouraged the Committee to maintain their cooperation.

° The Commission Co-Chairs, extending appreciation to the two countries’ researchers in the “Joint Fuel Cycle Study (JFCS)” for their work, encouraged them to put their utmost efforts into completing the joint research effectively and in a timely manner.

°  While the public’s expectation toward nuclear safety has been heightened, the Commission Co-Chairs shared the view that the two countries need to maintain their efforts in bolstering nuclear safety and transparency, and asked the nuclear safety regulatory agencies of the two countries to continue their cooperation.

5. The second plenary of the HLBC was held for the first time following the inauguration of the two administrations.  This meeting served to reaffirm their shared commitment to a strategic bilateral nuclear partnership and to hold in-depth and candid discussions on a wide range of mutual interest.

°  In particular, the two countries explained the direction of their respective energy policies to enhance mutual understanding.

6. The two countries decided to hold the third plenary meeting in Seoul in 2019 and to fully implement under the leadership of the Working Groups the measures agreed upon at the second round.      

* unofficial translation