From ambition to execution: Strengthening US-ROK civil nuclear cooperation

  • Wed, March 18, 2026 • 1:30 pm ET
  • Atlantic Council Headquarters
  • 1400 L Street NW • Floor 11
  • Washington, DC 20005

The Atlantic Council—in partnership with Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP)—is pleased to host two days of workshops addressing the opportunities for civil nuclear cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Korea.

The Atlantic Council—in partnership with Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP)—is pleased to host two days of workshops addressing the opportunities for civil nuclear cooperation between the United States and the Republic of Korea. The workshops will take place at the Atlantic Council (1400 L Street NW, Washington, DC) from 1:30 – 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday, March 18th and from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM ET on Thursday, March 19th, 2026.

The first day of the workshops will explore the challenges and opportunities of advancing US-ROK civil nuclear export cooperation. The second day will address the next decade of cooperation as both countries prepare for the renewal of the existing US-ROK 123 agreement.

To register for in-person attendance, please kindly complete the registration form below.

Speakers

Agenda

Workshop I: Advancing US-ROK civil nuclear export cooperation

1:25–1:30 p.m. | Welcome remarks

Featuring 

Jennifer Gordon
Director, Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

1:30–2:20 p.m. | Fireside chat: The importance of export cooperation and opportunities for US-ROK industrial cooperation

Featuring

Yongsoo Hwang
Distinguished Professor, International Nuclear Nonproliferation and Cooperation Centre
KINGS

John Kotek
Senior Vice President of Policy Development and Public Affairs
Nuclear Energy Institute

Moderated by

Sungyeol Choi
Professor, Department of Nuclear Engineering
Seoul National University

2:20–2:40 p.m. | Coffee break

Please join us for a coffee break.

2:40–3:40 p.m. | Models for US-ROK nuclear export cooperation

Featuring

Kirsten Cutler
Senior Strategist for Nuclear Innovation
US Department of State

Chaseop Kim
Director, KHNP Americas Office
Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power

Hyeonsoo Kim
Director, Pittsburgh Office
Doosan Enerbility

Sarah Whitten
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Origination 
Export-Import Bank of the United States

Moderated by

Matt Bowen
Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy
Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs

3:40–4:00 p.m. | Coffee break

Please join us for a coffee break.

4:00–5:00 p.m. | Implementing projects: Roles and responsibilities, financing, regulatory pathways, and localization

Featuring

David Brown
Senior Vice President of Federal Government Affairs and Public Policy
Constellation  

Suzanne Jaworowski
Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources
State of Indiana

Hernan Cortes
Chief Investment Officer, Office of Energy Dominance Financing
US Department of Energy

Youngjae Park
Director of Overseas Nuclear Power Business
KEPCO KPS

Katie Strangis
Vice President, Government and International Affairs
Westinghouse Electric Company

Moderated by

Niko McMurray
Managing Director, International and Nuclear Policy
ClearPath

5:00–5:05 p.m. | Closing remarks

To be announced.

Workshop II: Renewing the US-ROK 123 agreement

8:00–9:00 a.m. | Breakfast

Please join us for breakfast.

9:00–9:05 a.m. | Welcome remarks

Featuring 

Jennifer Gordon
Director, Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

9:05–9:50 a.m. | Fireside chat: Looking ahead to the US-ROK 123 agreement renewal

Featuring 

The Hon. Laura Holgate
President
LSHH International Advisors  

H.E. Hyoungzhin Kim
Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the European Union, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Republic of Korea

Moderated by

Yongsoo Hwang
Distinguished Professor, International Nuclear Nonproliferation and Cooperation Centre
KINGS

9:50–10:00 a.m. | Coffee break

Please join us for a coffee break.

10:00–11:00 a.m. | The commercial and geopolitical implications of renewing the US-ROK 123 agreement

Featuring

The Hon. Joyce Connery
Former Chair
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board

C.S. Eliot Kang
Member, Board of Directors
The Stimson Center

Youngjun Kim
Professor and Dean of School of Strategic Studies
Korea National Defense University 

Jeong Ik Lee
Professor
KAIST

Moderated by

Pranay Vaddi
Former Senior Director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation, National Security Council
The White House

11:00–12:00 p.m. | Pathways forward: Transforming summit agreements into policy

Featuring

Robert Einhorn
Senior Fellow, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Initiative and Strobe Talbott Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology
Brookings Institution

Eunju Jun
Director, International Cooperation and Business
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute

Ross Matzkin-Bridger
Senior Director, Nuclear Materials Security Program
Nuclear Threat Initiative

James Platte
Research Staff Member
Institute for Defense Analysis

Moderated by

Mallory Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
The Council on Strategic Risks

12:00–12:05 p.m. | Closing remarks

Featuring 

Jennifer Gordon
Director, Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative, Global Energy Center
Atlantic Council

12:05–1:00 p.m. | Networking lunch

Please join us for a lunch following the workshop.

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