South Korean people seem to have ambivalent attitudes toward nuclear energy. Nine out of 10 South Koreans share views on the need for nuclear energy as "bridge energy", but around half of the population disapprove of construction of nuclear power plants in their backyard.

According to a survey by the Hyundai Research Institute (HRI), 89.9 percent of respondents felt the necessity of nuclear energy as a major source of electric power supply. The result was based on survey responses from 1,011 South Koreans conducted between Feb. 21 and 28.

Here in South Korea, nuclear power plants are an important source of energy. The country got 31.3 percent of its total electricity from the plants in 2010, according to the Ministry of Knowledge Economy.

Atomic power plants had been the largest source of electricity between 1990 and 2006 for South Korea. Its power supply proportion went down gradually to the front end of 30 percent in 2010, but the ratio has since stayed at over 30 percent.

Specific attention will be paid to nuclear energy given its expected role in bridging the transfer from traditional electricity sources to renewable energy such as solar and wind power. "Nuclear energy comes under spotlight as bridge energy because efforts to develop fresh sources of renewable energy are being made actively," said Chang Hu-seok, a research fellow at the HRI.

Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan last year, however, sentiment toward nuclear energy became rapidly sour among South Koreans. "It is estimated that the Fukushima incident arising from earthquake and tsunami raised concerns over such incidents that possibly happen in the country," said Chang.

According to the HRI survey, 46.1 percent of respondents replied their opposition to build atomic power plants in their backyard due mainly to ambiguous fears over the nuclear incidents. The result came although two thirds of respondents believed that South Korea's technology on nuclear safety was at a high level.

Regarding this ambivalent sentiment, Kang Chang Sun, chairman of South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) told Xinhua on the sidelines of the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit that the sour sentiment was a natural consequence of the Fukushima incident.

"Anti-nuclear energy activists want to make an easier choice, insisting that atomic power plants should be scrapped immediately, but nuclear energy will continue to be needed for self-sufficiency of energy. The commission will make all-out efforts to further improve public sentiment toward nuclear safety," said Kang.

South Korea accelerated its reform process for nuclear security and safety after the Fukushima disaster. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak ordered to establish a new standalone government body for integrated management of nuclear security and safety, and the law to set up the NSSC was passed through the parliament in October last year.

Despite the government's action, South Koreans' fear over the possible nuclear incidents was expected to remain for the time being due to numerous stoppages of nuclear reactors in the country.

In early February, the reactor at the Gori nuclear power plant in Busan, 450 kilometers south of Seoul, stopped operation after technicians mistakenly cut power to a reactor. The officials then concealed the stoppage on fears for possible punishment.

According to a report submitted by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy to the National Assembly, a total of 91 failures in operations of nuclear reactors in the country were spotted over the past 10 years as of the end of 2011 due to mechanical glitches and other problems.