Abstract
Exporting Nuclear Norms: Japan and South Korea in the International Nuclear Energy Market
James E. Platte, U.S. Air War CollegeThis study explores the perceived connections between nuclear power and national security and analyzes how Japan and South Korea have received and interpreted U.S. nuclear norms. The civilian nuclear industries in Japan and South Korea received U.S. nuclear reactor technology, along with norms on safety, security, and nonproliferation, early in their development. Both countries have also become exporters of nuclear technology, joining an international nuclear energy market that has seen China and Russia grow in prominence as the U.S. market position declines. While Japan and South Korea received nuclear norms from the United States, this study proposes that their own interpretation, influenced by domestic perceptions and business practices, could lead to differences in how they translate those norms to export partners. The study will help inform policy debates regarding the spread of civilian nuclear technology, global and regional energy security competition, and trade as a tool for national security.
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