S.Korea's nuclear plans to be blocked by opposition party

The main South Korean opposition party pledged to oppose plans to build more nuclear power plants if it wins elections this year.

The country currently operates 21 reactors which meet one-third of its energy needs, and plans to add 13 more by 2024.

But opinion polls show the opposition Democratic United Party leading the ruling conservatives in next month's parliamentary elections, while the race for the presidency in December is seen as wide open.

"The Fukushima accident was a final shocking warning to the human race about how problematic nuclear energy could be," DUP chairwoman Han Myeong-sook stressed. "The DUP will stop adding nuclear power plants, and will gradually close down existing ones. The nation should invest in renewable and alternative energy which could bring a lot of jobs and develop new technologies."

Seoul is also seeking to develop the industry as export earner, after a South Korean consortium won a $20 billion deal to build reactors for the United Arab Emirates in 2009.

Turkey and some other nations have been in talks with South Korea, or showed some interests in its nuclear plants, Minister of Knowledge Economy Hong Suk-woo said last week.

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