South Korea to dismantle Kori-1, its first nuclear decommissioning

South Korea will begin decommissioning its first nuclear power plant, Kori-1, marking a major step in its energy policy shift. The plant, commissioned in 1978, will be dismantled over 12 years at an estimated cost of Won 1.1 trillion ($810 million).

The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission has approved Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power’s (KHNP) plan, which met all technical and regulatory requirements. The project will involve handling around 170,000 tonnes of nuclear waste under strict national safety laws.

This is South Korea’s first such undertaking, positioning it to potentially enter the global nuclear dismantlement market, which is currently led by the United States, Japan, and Germany.

South Korea remains one of the world’s top nuclear power producers, with 26 operational plants supplying 31.7% of the country’s electricity in 2024, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Separately, the government has updated its long-term energy roadmap. By 2038, it plans to expand nuclear capacity by 3.5 GW and raise the renewable energy target from 120 GW to 122 GW.