The International Atomic Energy Agency is to inspect Korea’s oldest nuclear power plant Gori-1 in response to the growing public concerns over its safety following a shutdown of the plant earlier this year, officials said.

The eight-member IAEA expert team will begin a week-long inspection on Monday in Busan at the request of the operator Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., the company announced Sunday.

The Gori-1 nuclear plant, which began operation in 1978 in the northern part of Busan, had completed its life span in 2007. But it was granted a 10-year extension in 2008, following an inspection by the IAEA.

The country’s oldest nuclear plant caused controversy in February when one of its two reactors temporarily lost power during a safety check.

The power cut did not lead to any damage, but it caused a public uproar as the engineers were found to have tried to cover up the mishap.

The IAEA inspection team will check the durability of the pressure vessel surrounding the reactor, and will release an inspection report before finishing up on June 11, the KHNP said in a statement.

Meanwhile, environmental groups in Busan claim that the IAEA’s inspection is a “mere formality,” of the state-run operator’s effort to gain permission to continue operating the reactor.

Korea currently operates 21 nuclear reactors with seven others under construction, and of the 21 operational reactors, nine have been running for more than two decades.

By Oh Kyu-wook (596story@herladm.com)