The nuclear budget has swollen to roughly three times its 2007 level, Kyunghyang reported—the result of accumulating side costs for decommissioning, waste management and safety regulation, not just new capacity.

Nuclear power has low generation costs, but storing spent fuel and decommissioning demand large sums over long horizons. Much of the budget increase reflects such 'back-end' costs, analysts say.

Experts argue that rather than framing nuclear expansion and renewables as a simple opposition, transparent accounting that counts full-cycle costs and safety together is needed.

The government treats nuclear power as a main pillar for stable supply and decarbonization. Calls are strong for efficient spending and disclosure.

We look at numbers, not slogans, in energy debates. Whatever the choice, telling citizens the costs and risks accurately is where policy trust begins.