South Korea restarts troubled nuclear reactor

Nuclear plant

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South Korea is to restart one of the two nuclear reactors in Yeonggwang county, which have been shut for nearly two months over minor incidents and a scandal over reactor parts with forged quality documents.

A spokesman at Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, state-run Korea Electric Power Corp's subsidiary that runs the country's nuclear industry, said on December 31 that the reactor would fully provide energy within a week and ease thus power supply concerns as winter bites. 

The State-run Nuclear Safety & Security Commission has not decided yet whether to give the green light to restart the second reactor. It has allegedly been investigating  South Korea's 23 reactors over safety concerns. 

Nuclear reactors supply a third of South Korea's power. The country plans to open 11 new reactors by 2024.