South Korea approves reactor accident plans, defers Kori 3 and 4 extension decision
In short
South Korea's nuclear regulator approved accident-management plans for Kori units 3 and 4 and Hanbit units 1 and 2 on October 15. It separately began reviewing continued operation of Kori 3 and 4 but requested more information before deciding; further discussion is planned for October 29.
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South Korea's nuclear regulator approved accident-management plans for four halted reactors on October 15 but deferred a separate decision on extending operation of Kori units 3 and 4. The plans for Kori 3 and 4 and Hanbit 1 and 2 passed by seven votes to two after earlier meetings on September 11 and 30 ended without approval. [ 4 , 6 , 9 ]
Accident-management plans set out strategies, equipment and implementation arrangements for preventing an accident from escalating and limiting its consequences. The regulator concluded that the four reactors' plans met licensing criteria after technical review and inspections by the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety and a specialist committee's review. It also approved 20 equipment installations or replacements to support accident response. [ 2 , 3 , 12 ]
The commission separately opened its first review of Kori 3 and 4's continued-operation application. Members requested further information about public hearings on the radiological environmental assessment and lifetime evaluations of major equipment. The matter will return for further discussion, with Dong-A Ilbo and Seoul Economic Daily reporting an October 29 meeting. [ 2 , 8 , 10 , 12 ]
Kori 3 stopped operating after its design life expired in September 2024, and Kori 4 in August 2025. Operator Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power is seeking ten-year extensions. Even with approval, the operator would need to finish required improvements and the regulator would need to check implementation before a restart. The operator expects commercial operations could resume about three months after permission, Dong-A Ilbo reported. [ 6 , 10 , 12 ]
Environmental groups objected that life-extension procedures were advancing before safety issues were resolved. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that activists outside the regulator's Seoul offices urged a halt to continued-operation review and raised concerns about assessing residents' combined radiation exposure if several reactors suffered accidents simultaneously. [ 6 ]
Why it matters
The accident plans are a step toward possible reactor restarts, but do not themselves authorize continued operation. Environmental groups urged the regulator to resolve safety questions before advancing life extensions.
Key facts
- Accident-management plans for four reactors passed by seven votes to two. [ 4 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- The regulator approved 20 installations or replacements of accident-response equipment. [ 2 , 3 , 12 ]
- Continued-operation approval for Kori 3 and 4 was deferred pending additional material. [ 2 , 4 , 10 , 12 ]
- Kori 3 and 4 stopped operating after their design lives expired in September 2024 and August 2025. [ 2 , 6 , 10 , 12 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Kori 3 and 4 will receive continued-operation approval remains undecided. Commissioners requested more material on environmental assessment hearings and major equipment lifetime evaluations before further review.