WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and the Republic of Korea (ROK) Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Ahn Chong-ghee, Co-Chairs of the U.S.-ROK High Level Bilateral Commission (HLBC), met in Washington, D.C. this week to review the HLBC’s ongoing activities. 

The HLBC was established by the 2015 U.S.-ROK “Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy,” commonly referred to as the U.S.-ROK 123 Agreement.  As described in the U.S.-ROK 123 Agreement, the HLBC serves as a senior level forum to facilitate peaceful nuclear and strategic cooperation in areas of mutual interest related to civil nuclear energy.

The HLBC’s work is coordinated by four Working Groups through which experts are collaborating on spent fuel management, the promotion of nuclear exports and export control cooperation, assured fuel supply, and nuclear security. The Working Groups were formally launched at the first HLBC meeting, which was held in Seoul in April 2016.

“Vice Minister Ahn and I value the progress made to date by the High Level Bilateral Commission’s working groups,” said Deputy Secretary Sherwood-Randall. “The scope of their activities demonstrates our countries’ mutual commitment to enhancing our long-standing and close cooperation on civil nuclear energy and nonproliferation under our 123 Agreement.”

The meeting included presentations by the U.S. and ROK co-chairs of the four Working Groups, who represent the U.S. Department of Energy and the ROK Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Trade, Industry and Energy, and Science, ICT and Future Planning.