South Korea's nuclear regulator approved accident management plans for four aging reactors, clearing one of the last major hurdles for extending their operating lives. The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, however, said it would put off a decision on license extensions for the Kori No. 3 and No. 4 reactors until its next meeting.
The commission said it approved the accident management plans and operating-change permits for Kori No. 3 and No. 4 and Hanbit No. 1 and No. 2 as originally proposed at its 16th meeting, held on the 15th at its conference room in Seoul's Jongno district. The approval came after three rounds of deliberation, following earlier meetings on Sept. 11 and Sept. 30. Accident management plans are legally distinct from the license extension review, but because they serve as comprehensive manuals for responding to a reactor accident, they are widely seen as a key gateway in the extension process.
Commissioners remained divided at the meeting, and the plans were approved only after a vote. Two members nominated by the Democratic Party of Korea — Park Jong-un, a professor of nuclear and electrical engineering at Dongguk University, and Jin Jae-yong, an attorney at law firm Kangnam — voted against the measure, while the remaining seven, including Chairman Choi Won-ho, voted in favor. The outcome was unusual given that the commission typically seeks unanimity on agenda items.
Debate over proposed revisions to subordinate rules under the radiation disaster preparedness law, covering an overhaul of physical protection systems, ran longer than expected after the accident management plans were approved. As a result, the license extension item for Kori No. 3 and No. 4 was not taken up until about 4:45 p.m., roughly six hours and 15 minutes after the meeting began. Kori No. 3 halted operations on Sept. 28, 2024, and Kori No. 4 on Aug. 6 last year, each after reaching the end of its 40-year design life. If the commission grants the extensions, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power can move to restart the two reactors after completing related procedures.
The commission said it will hold a meeting on the 29th and take up the Kori No. 3 and No. 4 license extensions again. "We will decide whether to approve continued operation of Kori No. 3 and No. 4 after confirming whether the safety measures drawn up to improve reactor safety and the plans to implement them are appropriate," Choi said.