South Korea panel to recommend to shut country's oldest nuclear reactor

Seoul: South Korea`s energy advisory panel decided to recommend that the country`s oldest nuclear reactor, Kori No 1, be permanently close, Yoon Sang-jick, minister of trade, industry and energy, told reporters on Friday.

Given this recommendation, nuclear operator Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co Ltd is not expected to submit an application to extend the lifespan of the 587-Megawatt (MW) reactor later this month. The nuclear operator is owned by state-run utility Korea Electric Power Corp.

The reactor`s operation permit, which has already been extended once by 10 years to 40 years, expires in June 2017, and the application deadline to extend is June 18 this year.