Nuclear operator faces indictment over cover-up

By Kim Tae-gyu

The country’s operator of nuclear power plants faces a criminal indictment for allegedly covering up a mishap at a nuclear plant for a month.

The state-run Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) said Wednesday that the agency had lodged a complaint with the Busan prosecution against employees of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP).

“We specified three people who seem to be most responsible for the cover-up although we cannot disclose their identities. But we can say that KHNP President Kim Jong-shin is not one of them,” a KINS official said.

Following the complaints, the KHNP dismissed two of the three employees at issue. The other one was already fired last month.

Engineers and technicians decided not to report the case to President Kim and KINS but a member of the Busan municipal assembly learned about the incident accidentally and requested an official reply from the Gori nuclear power plant.

The employees eventually reported the accident to KHNP President Kim and KINS midway through last month.

Kim contended in a media briefing in March that there was no serious concern because the malfunction happened during maintenance and external power was available.

With apologies, he said the on-site engineers appeared to have made an erroneous decision since they feared a public outcry — the KHNP announced various plans to improve nuclear safety on Feb. 9, the day when the accident took place.

However, its failure to keep to procedures generated a backlash timed with the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident, which ended up emitting toxic materials.

Some anti-nuclear activists have insisted that Asia’s fourth-largest economy should shut down the Gori-1 reactor while rethinking its energy mix that is “overly dependent on nuclear power.”

Korea’s oldest nuclear power generator, the Gori-1 reactor started producing electricity in 1978 and was supposed to stop in 2007 after 30 years but it was kept operational after approval from the government.

When the reactor suffered a stoppage last April, some asked for its shutdown and voices gained more traction after the February mishap.

Currently, the country runs a total of 21 nuclear reactors, which provide a third of its electricity consumption.

“Separately, we will levy administrative penalties on KHNP in the near future,” the KINS official said. The public agency can fine it up to 30 million won.

When contacted, the KHNP said that President Kim will hold a press meeting in Busan today to apologize for the mishap but refused to make any comment.