The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'

  • 3

    Korea eyes launch of 4th Nuri space rocket in 2025

  • 5

    Korea's household debt-to-GDP ratio highest among 34 major economies

  • 7

    Japanese destroyer flies controversial flag as it arrives in Korea for joint drill

  • 9

    Vietnam emerges as major market for Korean chipmakers

  • 11

    Brave Girls to restart activities under new name

  • 13

    Top 20% of income earners fuel increase in Q1 consumption as pandemic ends

  • 15

    'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes

  • 17

    POSCO International enters battery materials business

  • 19

    Biden, McCarthy reach final deal to prevent default, now must sell to Congress

  • 2

    ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'

  • 4

    Memorial Day 2023

  • 6

    Hybe's new boy group Boynextdoor aims to be 'one and only' presence in K-pop

  • 8

    Seoul on alert over Pyongyang's imminent spy satellite launch

  • 10

    ANALYSISChina's ban on Micron tests Washington-Seoul alliance

  • 12

    Korea's diplomacy put to test amid signs of thaw in US-China relations

  • 14

    Local governments appeal to young generations through YouTube

  • 16

    Police brace for massive union protest

  • 18

    SC Bank Korea promotes high-interest Jaeil EZ Account

  • 20

    Newly reopened Skunk Hell hosts punk wedding concert

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
Wed, May 31, 2023 | 02:50
30-Year-Old Gori Reactor to Work 10 More Years
Posted : 2007-12-06 18:14
Updated : 2007-12-06 18:14
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Cho Jin-seo
Staff Reporter

The government said on Thursday that it will restart a 30-year-old nuclear reactor in Gori ― the first and the oldest in Korea ― despite protests from local residents and environmental groups.

The Ministry of Science and Technology said that it has decided to run the Gori 1 reactor in Busan for the next 10 more years as it has met all the technical and safety standards in a series of paper and on-site inspections. The reactor has been off since this June as it reached its initial lifespan of 30 years.

``It has satisfied all 112 categories of our safety standard. This is not a conditional approval,'' Moon byung-ryong, director general for Nuclear Safety at the Ministry of Science and Technology, said in a press briefing. ``Inspections and simulations proved that the reactor is good for the next 10 years.''

Built in 1977, the Gori 1 unit was Korea's first commercial reactor. Korea is planning to build more nuclear power plants to meet its growing energy demand.

South Korea depends heavily on nuclear power. About 40 percent of Korea's electricity supply is provided by 19 nuclear reactors, compared to the world's average of 15.7 percent.

Environmental groups and residents of nearby towns have opposed the life extension of the Gori 1 reactor, citing safety concerns such as a radioactive fuel leak or even a blowout.

``We cannot trust the government's one-way announcement,'' Hwangbo Mun-chan, leader of the protestors at Gijang county where the plant is located, was quoted as saying by Yonhap News.

He said that there have been 124 minor and major incidents over the past 30 years at the plant, which accounts for 20 percent of all incidents that took place at nuclear plants in Korea. He said his group will stage rallies at the plant site and at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power headquarters next month.

The government, however, shrugged off the issues, insisting that the residents' main concern is money, not safety.

``Looking back at what has happened so far, it seems that the residents trust in the safety (of the reactor). Their demands are related to regional development and migration support. We believe that the plant's operator can handle the situation,'' director general Moon said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reports that there are 439 nuclear power reactors in the world, operating in 31 different countries. Thirty-seven of them are operating beyond their designed life span, while 119 reactors stopped operation after reaching their maximum age.

indizio@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists Korea to ease immigration rules to attract more medical tourists
2Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age Big businesses face growing union pressure to extend retirement age
3Anti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakersAnti-corruption watchdog set to investigate crypto assets of lawmakers
4HanmiGlobal to monitor building of 80,000 houses for Neom construction workers HanmiGlobal to monitor building of 80,000 houses for Neom construction workers
5Naver suffers shrinking online search market share Naver suffers shrinking online search market share
6Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s Running convenience stores becomes popular among people in 20s, 30s
7Sluggish exports behind weak Korean wonSluggish exports behind weak Korean won
8Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies'Seoul resident clashes with authorities for raising dogs to nab 'North Korean spies'
9Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service Doctors, pharmacists to receive 30% bonus for offering telemedicine service
10SK hynix enters validation process for 10 nm DDR5 server DRAM SK hynix enters validation process for 10 nm DDR5 server DRAM
Top 5 Entertainment News
1'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema 'Elemental' director on bringing his personal story of immigration to cinema
2SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal' SHINee celebrates 15th anniversary of debut: 'It feels surreal'
3ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood' ENHYPEN reaches new career high with latest album 'Dark Blood'
4'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' raises bar with epic battle scenes
5[INTERVIEW] Long-awaited extension of Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale to be pushed forward INTERVIEWLong-awaited extension of Korean Pavilion at Venice Biennale to be pushed forward
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group