South Korea on Thursday gave the final nod for the operation of a new nuclear reactor, marking the first such approval under the current President Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) gave the go-ahead for the Shin Hanul No. 2 reactor in the coastal county of Uljin, 218 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at a meeting held earlier in the day.

Completed in August last year, the reactor has a power generation capacity of 1,400 megawatts and utilizes the APR1400 technology.

The reactor will enter into commercial operation after six months of testing, according to the NSSC.

Since taking office last year, Yoon has expressed his commitment to reverse the nuclear phase-out policy of the previous liberal administration and rebuild the country’s nuclear energy industry.

The Shin Hanul 1 nuclear reactor went into full operation in December last year after getting approval in July 2021.

This file photo shows the Shin Hanul nuclear reactors in Uljin, North Gyeongsang Province, on May 22, 2022.

Source: Yonhap News Agency