Seoul - Saba:
The South Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission has announced that the government has approved the decommissioning of the country's first commercial nuclear reactor, the Kori-1 reactor, which has been inactive since 2017. This marks the first decommissioning in Korea's history.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the reactor is located at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Busan. It entered service in April 1978 and operated for approximately 40 years. The Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Corporation (KHNP) began the first phase of the decommissioning process last May, removing chemical and radioactive contamination.
The company explained that the successful decommissioning will strengthen South Korea's position in the global nuclear reactor decommissioning market, noting that the process will take 12 years and includes the removal of spent fuel, decontamination of contaminated areas, and site restoration.
The committee estimated that the decommissioning process would produce more than 171,000 tons of radioactive waste, and plans have been prepared to manage it. The project will cost approximately 1.07 trillion won (US$788.8 billion).
South Korea currently has 26 nuclear reactors, 20 of which are in operation, while several of the remaining reactors are undergoing regulatory maintenance. The Kori-2 reactor is awaiting government approval to extend its operating period.
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