We start with news that Korea's first nuclear
reactor was turned off for good on Monday
morning.
President Moon Jae-in attended a ceremony
to celebrate the reactor's retirement... both
as a symbol of how far Korea has come... and
the nuclear-energy free future he envisions.
Hwang Hojun reports.
It was built in 1977, and 40 years later...
"As of 12 AM on June 19th, 2017, Korea has
permanently shut down its first nuclear reactor,
Kori-1."
President Moon attended a ceremony Monday
morning to proclaim the reactor's retirement
at the Kori Nuclear Power Plant in Busan.
More than 200 people attended the ceremony
including the nuclear reactor's staff, environmental
groups, and others who work with nuclear power...
to celebrate both the achievement and the
retirement of Korea's first commercial nuclear
reactor.
President Moon said that the Kori-1 reactor
has been the symbol of Korea's industrialization
and enabled the nation to meet its increasing
energy demands.
But it also has another significance.
The permanent shutdown of the Kori-1 reactor
is the first step toward a nuclear-free country.
It's the turning point toward a safer Korea.
While the decision to shut down the Kori-1
was made long before President Moon took office,
the President himself has pledged to close
down all nuclear power plants on Korean soil.
Nuclear safety reemerged as a major issue
for the public after the nuclear disaster
in Fukushima, Japan in 2011, caused by an
earthquake and tsunami.
That was intensified by the 5.8-magnitude
earthquake that struck the Korean city of
Gyeongju last year -- an area not far from
a number of nuclear plants.
President Moon pledged that his administration
will proactively cultivate green and sustainable
energy like solar and offshore wind power,...
and establish an energy ecosystem suitable
for the fourth industrial revolution.
He also said the shutdown of Kori-1 can be
seen as another opportunity for Korea,...
since disassembling a nuclear reactor is not
only a matter of time but also incredible
skill.
According to the President, Korea will gain
these skill by dismantling Kori-1 and will
then be able to help other countries when
similar situations arise, especially amid
growing movements to denuclearize.
HWANG Hojun, Arirang News.
