South Korea halts construction work on two nuclear reactors

'건설 중' 원전 첫 일시중단…'시민'에 공 넘긴 정부 NA

The South Korean government is halting the construction of two partially-completed nuclear reactors, in light of public safety concerns.
President Moon Jae-in has vowed to reduce the country's dependence on nuclear power, while boosting the share of clean, renewable energy sources.
Yu Joonhee reports.
The government is suspending all construction work on two nuclear reactors, while it gathers public opinion on whether they should be built.
The Shin Kori No. 5 and 6 reactors had been under construction in the southeastern city of Busan, and were scheduled to be completed in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
The government says it would form a special committee that would deliberate for three months before deciding whether construction should continue.
The move comes after President Moon Jae-in vowed to lead South Korea into a "nuclear-free era", and satisfy its energy needs through renewable sources.
Speaking at an event last week to mark the closure of the country's first nuclear plant, President Moon also warned of "unimaginable consequences" in case of a meltdown similar to what happened in Fukushima.
In addition to scrapping construction plans for new reactors, President Moon added he will not be extending the lifespan of the country's aging nuclear plants.
Some one-point-four billion U.S. dollars has already been spent on the construction of the two new reactors, which are about 30 percent complete.
In addition, an additional two-point-three billion dollars could be paid in compensation by the government, if construction is stopped permanently.
South Korea currently operates 24 nuclear reactors after the permanent shutdown of its oldest nuclear reactor last week.
The country is the world's fifth-largest producer of nuclear energy, providing around one-third of its total electricity needs.
Yu Joonhee, Arirang News.

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