Safety commission OKs restart of Hanbit 2 nuclear reactor

South Korea's nuclear commission on Tuesday approved the restart of a reactor along the west coast that was shut down 10 months ago for maintenance.

The Hanbit No. 2 reactor at the nuclear power plant in Yeonggwang, South Jeolla Province stopped operations on May 4, 2016, for routine inspections.

"After inspecting 87 categories, we have confirmed there is no problem related to safety," the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said.

The commission found corrosion on the back of one of plates during maintenance on June 28, but no damage was reported and there was no radiation leak.

Hanbit 2 reactor is set to operate at full capacity by Saturday if no problems are found in further tests conducted by the Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power, the operator of the country's nuclear power plants.

South Korea currently operates 23 nuclear reactors that generate about 30 percent of its overall electricity supply. (Yonhap)