NK Project Helped KEPCO Win UAE Nuclear Bid

* username: rupertbu

A controversial inter-Korean nuclear development project, which wrapped up years ago, played a key role in helping the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) win its first bid to build nuclear power plants overseas, a senior KEPCO official said.

"Some still might say the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization project was a failure, but it offered us priceless experience that helped us win the United Arab Emirates (UAE) bid," Byun Jun-yeon, KEPCO's executive vice president, told The Korea Times.

The KEDO project, launched in 1995, was aimed at constructing a light-water nuclear power plant in North Korea. However, no concrete results were apparent as the project broke down due to Pyongyang's intransigence and disputes among participants.