Seoul: South Korea's nuclear safety watchdog on Thursday again decided to delay its decision on whether to extend the lifespan of the 42-year-old Kori-2 nuclear reactor by an additional 10 years. At a review meeting, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission chose to defer its review of a request from the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), the state-run operator of nuclear power plants, to restart and operate the 650-megawatt light-water reactor, which was shut down two years ago when its initial 40-year license expired.
According to Yonhap News Agency, if the commission approves the request, the aging Kori-2 reactor will continue operations until 2033. In late September, the commission had already postponed a decision at its previous meeting, citing the need for further deliberation. The Kori-2, situated on South Korea's southeast coast, began commercial operations in April 1983 and is the country's oldest active reactor, apart from the permanently shut down Kori-1 and Wolsong-1 reactors.
The Kori-2 has been offline since April 2023. The outcome of the Kori-2 case is expected to set a precedent for nine other aging reactors for which the KHNP plans to seek life extensions. Among these, the Kori-3 and Kori-4 have already been suspended, while seven others are projected to reach the end of their operating lives by 2030.
South Korea currently operates 26 nuclear reactors, which supply about 30 percent of the nation's electricity. The incumbent Lee Jae Myung government has not shown a negative stance on nuclear power generation, and recent inspection of the Kori-2 reactor by Climate Minister Kim Sung-hwan has raised hopes for its approval.