National competitiveness in nuclear energy technologies have greatly increased as the nation has exported domestic know-how to advanced countries such as the United States and France.

The Science and Technology Ministry on Thursday cited outstanding growth in all nuclear energy sectors including the use of atomic fuel and radiation, patent applications and technology exports.

South Korea is the world's sixth-largest producer of nuclear power, and has posted brisk exports of nuclear energy technology to Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines.

Long dependent on imports for nuclear fuel plants in the past, the country has developed an improved version called PLUS7 via domestic components and process.

Exports of key parts have gone to Westinghouse and Brazil's state-run nuclear fuel company NIB.

The ministry said many small and mid-size companies have also benefited from research and development activities in nuclear energy.