국내 원자력발전 부문의 중장기 발전 방향: 계층분석법(AHP)을 중심으로

Since its introduction in 1978, nuclear power generation in South Korea has consistently expanded its facility capacity and output, making significant contributions to domestic power supply. Developing domestic nuclear technology and securing independent design and construction capabilities, South Korea successfully undertook overseas nuclear power plant construction. However, following the 2011 Fukushima disaster, the nuclear power industry faced setbacks, and globally, the nuclear sector encountered challenges. Despite social controversies surrounding nuclear power, recent events such as the Russia-Ukraine war and rising LNG prices have highlighted energy security concerns, leading to renewed attention on nuclear power. In 2022, with the inauguration of a new government, South Korea has increased investments and support for the nuclear power sector, resuming halted nuclear power plant construction and engaging in various nuclear-related projects. This research aims to analyze the changing domestic and international environment and gather opinions from domestic experts in the nuclear power sector. The goal is to set priorities for the future direction of the nuclear power sector. The primary methodology for analysis involves utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), with three main criteria and nine sub-criteria set as the hierarchical structure. The analysis results indicate that, at the main criteria level, overseas export of nuclear technology holds the highest weight at 48.7%, indicating its relative importance. At the sub-criteria level, winning contracts for overseas nuclear plant construction projects takes the highest priority at 25.3%. According to this research, the government and nuclear industry should allocate more resources to long-term policies and business strategies for overseas ventures.