"US Nuclear Revival is an Opportunity for Korea"... Foreigners Bet on Nuclear Value Chain

[Financial News] Following last month's massive blackout in Europe, the US is promoting a nuclear industry revitalization policy, causing domestic nuclear-related stocks to soar. In particular, foreign investors are driving the upward trend by heavily purchasing nuclear-related sectors.
According to the Korea Exchange on the 27th, among the top 10 foreign net purchase stocks from the 2nd to this day, 3 are nuclear power-related companies.
During this period, foreigners net purchased Doosan Enerbility worth 410.4 billion KRW, ranking 2nd, and also heavily invested in Hyosung Heavy Industries (360 billion KRW, 3rd) and HD Hyundai Electric (243.6 billion KRW, 5th).
These stocks are companies included in the main value chain of the nuclear power business. Doosan Enerbility is a leading domestic reactor and main equipment manufacturer, securing large overseas nuclear power plant orders and SMR (Small Modular Reactor) core equipment supply chains, including in the Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. Hyosung Heavy Industries and HD Hyundai Electric provide ultra-high voltage transformers, manufacturing key equipment for power systems.
In addition to foreign capital inflow, various external favorable factors are overlapping, showing a clear stock price rise for nuclear-related stocks in May. During the same period, Doosan Enerbility rose by 52.84%, and Hyosung Heavy Industries and HD Electric rose by 20.12% and 21.49%, respectively.
The securities industry predicts that domestic nuclear-related companies will benefit from the US market in the mid to long term. President Trump's executive order includes expanding the nuclear facility capacity in the US to 400GW by 2050 and launching 10 large nuclear power plants by 2030. With the promotion of the 'ADVANCE Act', which eases restrictions on foreign companies' participation in US nuclear power, there is growing expectation that domestic companies will secure substantial order opportunities in the US market based on their technological capabilities and supply history.
Heo Min-ho, a researcher at Daishin Securities, said, "President Trump's 2050 target of 300GW expansion is 100GW more than the goal during the Biden administration, and large-scale construction utilizing existing nuclear sites and closed nuclear plants is expected," adding, "The likelihood of US utilities sending love calls to Korean large nuclear power plants has increased."
koreanbae@fnnews.com Bae Hangul Reporter