The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said that at about 1:09 a.m. on the 28th, the research reactor "HANARO" operated by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) shut down automatically.
The research institute reported to the commission that "the reactor shut down due to the automatic operation of the reactor control system." The reactor control system is a core facility responsible for power regulation and shutdown, and it automatically stops the reactor if signs of an anomaly are detected.
HANARO is currently in a stable condition, and there are no safety-related abnormalities such as radiation leaks.
The Daejeon regional office of the commission began an on-site inspection immediately after the incident and plans to dispatch experts from the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) to the site for a more detailed investigation into the cause.