SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- The country's nuclear watchdog was set to decide Tuesday whether to extend the lifespan of two nuclear reactors by an additional 10 years.
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) plans to hold a meeting to review a request to restart and operate two 950-megawatt capacity pressurized water reactors -- Kori units 3 and 4 -- that have reached beyond the 40-year designed lifecycle.
The Kori-3 reactor was suspended in Sept. 28, 2024, and the operational lifespan of the Kori-4 reactor expired on Aug. 6, 2025.
The two reactors are among nine aging plants for which the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. (KHNP), the state-run power operator, plans to seek life extensions. South Korea's nuclear watchdog had approved a 10-year lifespan extension for the Kori-2 lightwater reactor last year.
The latest deliberation comes after the commission early this month approved the accident management program for the two nuclear reactors, a document that outlines preparations, including strategies to maintain safe conditions, to prevent accidents and mitigate any fallout if a nuclear accident occurs.
If approved, Kori-3 will be able to operate till September 2034 and Kori-4 will run until August 2035.
In this file photo, Choi Won-ho (C), chairperson of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, speaks at a briefing in Seoul on Aug. 4, 2026. (Yonhap)
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