Blacklisted Chinese Company CGN Runs Power Stations in South Korea

2026-8-20, Tara O

China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN), a Chinese state-owned energy company, is blacklisted by the U.S. for stealing nuclear secrets.  In South Korea, CGN runs five power plants, with a total generation capacity of 2.2 gigawatts (GW). The South Korean government allowing China access to South Korea’s power grid leaves South Korea and the U.S. military in Korea vulnerable, creating a major national security risk for both South Korea and the U.S.

On July 24, 2026, CGN announced that it began commercial operation of a 557 MW LNG combined cycle power plant in the Daesan Industrial Complex (대산산업단지) in Daesan-eup (town), Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province (충청남도 서산시 대산읍). Petrochemical companies are in and near the Daesan Industrial Complex, and the power plant is about 45 miles west of Camp Humphreys U.S. Army base.  The plant is expected to supply up to 3.9 terawatt-hours of electricity annually to the domestic power grid. This is the second unit of power plant under CGN Daesan Electric Power Co, Ltd (씨지앤대산전력). The power plants also supply electricity to the petrochemical companies, a critical industry.

CGN, through another subsidiary CGN Yulchon Electric Power (씨지앤율촌전력) also operates the Yulchon Combined Cycle Power Plant (율촌복합화력발전소) located in the Yulchon General Industrial Complex #1 (율촌제1일반산업단지) in Sepung-ri, Gwangyang-eup, Gwangyang City, South Jeolla Province (전라남도 광양시 광양읍 세풍리). With the capacity of 1,390 MW, the power plant is in the same industrial complex as Hyundai Steel Suncheon factory and Hyundai Steel pier.

CGN, which changed its name from China Guangdong Nuclear Power, has numerous subsidiaries. It has international subsidiaries, among them CGN Korea Holdings Co., Ltd, established on November 11, 1996, focuses on energy projects in South Korea. Its CEO is Ni Yanliang. Under CGN Korea are CGN Daesan Power Co., Ltd., created on April 8, 2009, and CGN Yulchon Power Co., Ltd., established on July 28, 2009. The president of both CGN Daesan and CGN Yulchon are Song Ji-ho.  CGN Korea, CGN Daesan and CGN Yulchon are 100% owned by CGN as of 2022, and as such, are not “private” companies as often described in the media, but part of China’s state-owned enterprise.

Based in Hong Kong, CGN Energy International Holdings, CGN’s subsidiary established in 2017, focuses on developing, investing, and managing non-nuclear energy projects outside of China. CGN Energy International, through its subsidiary in Korea, was involved in the project.

CGN was blacklisted by the U.S. on August 15, 2019.  In 2016, the FBI charged Szuhsiung Ho (Allen Ho, a U.S. citizen), China General Nuclear Power Corporation, and Energy Technology International for conspiracy to unlawfully produce and develop special nuclear material outside the US.  According to the FBI, CGN has been stealing U.S. nuclear secrets for almost two decades. CGN used joint ventures, partnerships, and other legitimate international commerce practices to infiltrate the US nuclear technology network and steal advanced nuclear reactor designs that could be dual use.  CGN, listed on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entities List since 2019, is also on the U.S. Department of War’s Entities Identified as Chinese Military Companies.

CGN, acting as an intelligence collection platform, engaged in decades of sophisticated economic espionage in the U.S. to steal dual use technology using regular commercial practices. CGN could engage in economic espionage in a similar way in the Republic of Korea (ROK) as well. Furthermore, with the access to the power grid and the energy technology network (including nuclear energy network) in the ROK, it could sabotage the power production and distribution. Thus, CGN operating in Korea poses a grave threat to the national security of the ROK as well as the U.S.