1) 발표자명: 이태동

2) 학술대회명: IPSA 27th World Congress of Political Science

3) 발표내용: Why did this nuclear energy policy swing occur? How did politicians, bureaucrats, industries, civil society organizations, and political epistemic communities interact in the nuclear energy policy making process? This study addresses contemporary changes in Korean nuclear energy policy by applying the concepts “nuclear energy developmental state” and “political epistemic community.” A nuclear energy development state is a country that makes energy policies to introduce more nuclear energy into the energy mix and furthermore to export nuclear technology abroad employing strong ties among political economic actors (politicians, bureaucrats, experts, and industry). This study defines political epistemic community as scientists—whether individuals or groups—with shared causal and principled beliefs and interests who are intimately connected with power and policymaking processes. The political epistemic community influences policy making process through (1) connection, (2) agenda setting, and (3) institutionalization. This study attempts to identify the relevant actors in energy transition, interactive matrices in policymaking processes, and the mechanisms by which the energy baseline has shifted. A comprehensive analysis of the President’s National Policy Priority Agenda, National Energy Basic Plans, the Basic Plan of Long-Term Electricity Supply and Demand, meeting minutes of relevant government committees, and interview data of relevant actors facilitates understanding of the formation, evolution, and transformation of the contemporary state of nuclear energy throughout different political administrations, including the Lee (2008–2012), Park (2013-2016), Moon (2017–2022), and Yoon (2022-current) administration . This study argues that political coalitions are integral in nuclear energy policy change in specific and general energy policy. Compared to highlighted agents such as bureaucrats, anti-nuclear movements, and epistemic communities, the political epistemic community—closely connecting knowledge, value, and power— plays a role in developing different types of political coalitions through nuclear energy decision-
making. During the Lee, Park, and Yoon administrations, a nuclear energy developmental state emerged with a strong coalition between politicians, bureaucrats, and the nuclear industry with support from the nuclear energy epistemic community. However, the Moon administration is characterized by a different coalition that includes politicians, civil society organizations, and the post-nuclear energy epistemic community, which propels energy transition from nuclear energy to a 12 decentralized renewable energy system. Nuclear energy swing which 5-year term back-and-forth between expansion and contraction of nuclear energy would beget inconsistent and short-term energy policies. With consensus among citizens, experts, and politicians, long-term and coherent nuclear energy policies should be designed and implemented to tackle energy security and climate change.

Keywords: nuclear energy; developmental state; political epistemic community; energy transition