Nuclear safety watchdog approves Saeul-3 reactor operation

Nuclear reactors Saeul-3 and 4 are under construction in the southeastern city of Ulsan in this photo provided by the Nuclear Safety and Security Commision, Dec. 19. Yonhap

Korea's nuclear watchdog gave an official nod to the operation of the Saeul-3 reactor Tuesday, with its commercial launch set for next year.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission made the decision after holding a meeting on whether to approve the operation of the Saeul-3, a homegrown APR1400 reactor located at the Saeul Nuclear Power Site in the southeastern port city of Ulsan.

"In accordance with legal procedures and on scientific and technological grounds, we have thoroughly inspected the safety of the Saeul-3," Choi Won-ho, chairperson of the commission, said in a release.

"We plan to continue strictly checking safety through pre-use inspections during nuclear fuel loading and the test-run process," Choi added.

The approval comes about two weeks after the commission delayed its final decision in its initial meeting.

With Tuesday's decision, the unit, whose construction began in 2016, will undergo a pilot run over the next six months.

The Saeul-3 marks the first Korean nuclear reactor designed to withstand aircraft attacks, featuring walls measuring 137 centimeters in thickness, 15 centimeters thicker than those of earlier reactors.

The reactor has a spent nuclear fuel storage capacity of up to 60 years, sufficient to store the entire volume generated over its design life.

The unit was formerly known as Kori-5 before being renamed in 2022.